Walter Patrick Bissell (December 1, 1957 – December 29, 1987) was an American
danseur
A ballet dancer ( it, ballerina fem.; ''ballerino'' masc.) is a person who practices the art of classical ballet. Both females and males can practice ballet; however, dancers have a strict hierarchy and strict gender roles. They rely on ye ...
. He was a leading principal dancer with the
American Ballet Theatre. On his death at age 30 from a drug overdose,
[ he was described by the artistic director of the American Ballet Theatre and personal ballet eminence Mikhail Baryshnikov as "without a doubt one of the brightest lights in American Ballet Theater's history, or, for that matter, in the entire ballet world".][ Bissell was noted for his height and athleticism. His most famous role was as Solor in '']La Bayadère
''La Bayadère'' ("the temple dancer") ( ru. «Баядерка», ''Bayaderka'') is a ballet, originally staged in four acts and seven tableaux by French choreographer Marius Petipa to the music of Ludwig Minkus. The ballet was staged especiall ...
''. His death prompted investigations into the alleged widespread drug use within the American Ballet Theatre.
Early years
Bissell was born on December 1, 1957, in Corpus Christi, Texas. He was one of the five children of Donald and Patricia Bissell; his siblings included his twin brother William, two sisters Susan and Barbara, and brother Donald.[ The family lived in ]Palos Park, Illinois
Palos Park is a village in southwestern Cook County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 4,899.
Geography
Palos Park is located at (41.665682, -87.836633).
According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Palos Park ...
for several years. His father was a computer-systems designer with Hiram Walker Inc.
Bissell was an athlete who enjoyed performing feats of daring: at the age of 8 he jumped off a -high diving board, even though he did not know how to swim. He dabbled in many sports— baseball, basketball, football, track, etc. He was the pitcher on the baseball team, the center on the basketball team. The coaches gave him an option—either quit sports or quit dance. He gave up athletics in favor of ballet.[ He was introduced to ballet at age ten by his older sister Susan, who practiced it before he did. She paid him to be her ballet partner; thus he was first paid to dance. While she went on to be a sail-maker and live on a boat, he went on to pursue ballet professionally. He found a home and sanctuary in the passion of ballet and decided to make it his life pursuit.][ He began training in ballet and ]jazz dance
Jazz dance is a performance dance and style that arose in the United States in the mid 20th century. Jazz dance may allude to vernacular jazz about to Broadway or dramatic jazz. The two types expand on African American vernacular styles of danc ...
and was soon accepted into a company in Toledo, Ohio
Toledo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Lucas County, Ohio, United States. A major Midwestern United States port city, Toledo is the fourth-most populous city in the state of Ohio, after Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, and according ...
. Like many boys who take up ballet, he tried to keep his lessons a secret, but word got out and he was ridiculed and bullied
Bullying is the use of force, coercion, hurtful teasing or threat, to abuse, aggressively dominate or intimidate. The behavior is often repeated and habitual. One essential prerequisite is the perception (by the bully or by others) of an im ...
every single day for the rest of his school days. "I was a skinny kid. They could have crushed me in an instant," he stated.
While Bissell showed early promise as a dancer, he also showed signs of being a troubled young man and began alcoholic behavior by age 10 and taking drugs at the age of 14. He was expelled from his first school for dealing drugs on the premises.[ He was noticed by the American ballet dancer ]Edward Villella
Edward Villella (born October 1, 1936) is an American ballet dancer and choreographer. He is frequently cited as America's most celebrated male dancer of ballet at the time. He has won numerous awards, including the Daytime Emmy Award for Out ...
, who encouraged his parents to send him to a performing arts boarding school.[ In 1972 he joined the National Academy of Dance in ]Champaign, Illinois
Champaign ( ) is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, United States. The population was 88,302 at the 2020 census. It is the tenth-most populous municipality in Illinois and the fourth most populous city in Illinois outside the Chicago metro ...
, from which he was dismissed for behavior problems.[ Bissell then spent a year at the ]North Carolina School of the Arts
The University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) is an arts school in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It grants high school, undergraduate, and graduate degrees. Founded in 1963 as the North Carolina School of the Arts by then-Governo ...
which he left when he was informed that he should pay more attention to his academic studies.[ He hitch-hiked all the way to New York to pursue a lifelong career in dance— as that's where the company's top schools are. He then won a scholarship to study at the School of American Ballet, where he was encouraged by Lincoln Kirstein, its founder, and Stanley Williams, one of his teachers. He was invited to join Balanchine's New York City Ballet and the American Ballet Theatre. He decided to join ABT and became a member of the corps. Though he quickly rose through the ranks due to the shortage of men in the company. Wherever Bissell went, he attracted attention, both from his fiery dancing and his habit of wearing a cowboy hat and cowboy boots around New York City-—his way of distinguishing he was a true-blue native Texan. He also made his way around the city on a motorcycle.
He danced the lead roles in three of the four ballets performed by the school in its annual workshop and graduated in 1977.][ He became a good friend of Mikhail Baryshnikov, who praised his dancing.
]
Career
Bissell joined the ''corps de ballet'' of the American Ballet Theatre in 1977, and after three months there, he danced the lead male role in ''La Bayadère
''La Bayadère'' ("the temple dancer") ( ru. «Баядерка», ''Bayaderka'') is a ballet, originally staged in four acts and seven tableaux by French choreographer Marius Petipa to the music of Ludwig Minkus. The ballet was staged especiall ...
''.[ He moved to the Boston Ballet but returned the following year. In 1978, he was promoted to soloist and to principal dancer in 1979 at the American Ballet Theatre due to the shortage of men in the company—even making the cover of '']Dance Magazine
''Dance Magazine'' is an American trade publication for dance published by the Macfadden Communications Group. It was first published in June 1927 as ''The American Dancer''. ''Dance Magazine'' has multiple sister publications, including '' Point ...
''. The ballerinas nicknamed him "Tarzan," as he was a huge, hulking juggernaut of a man who could carry some of the biggest and tallest girls in the company. For much of his career, however, Bissell was plagued with injuries, and there were reports of drug and alcohol problems. Bissell and Gelsey Kirkland
Gelsey Kirkland (born December 29, 1952) is an American ballerina. She received early ballet training at the School of American Ballet. Kirkland joined the New York City Ballet in 1968 at age 15, at the invitation of George Balanchine. She was ...
were dismissed from the American Ballet Theatre in 1980 and 1981 on the grounds of chronic lateness and missed rehearsals[—in particular for failing to attend a dress rehearsal on the eve of the company's opening at the ]Kennedy Center
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (formally known as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, and commonly referred to as the Kennedy Center) is the United States National Cultural Center, located on the Potom ...
in Washington, D.C., on December 9, 1980. Bissell and Kirkland then appeared as guest artists with the Eglevsky Ballet in its production of Act II of '' Giselle'' in 1982 at the Hofstra
Hofstra University is a private university in Hempstead, New York. It is Long Island's largest private university. Hofstra originated in 1935 as an extension of New York University (NYU) under the name Nassau College – Hofstra Memorial of New ...
Playhouse in Hempstead, Long Island, New York. Subsequently Bissell rejoined the American Ballet Theatre.
He appeared in many lead roles, including Don Jose in Roland Petit
Roland Petit (13 January 192410 July 2011) was a French ballet company director, choreographer and dancer. He trained at the Paris Opera Ballet school, and became well known for his creative ballets.
Life and work
The son of shoe designer Ros ...
's '' Carmen,'' Franz in ''Coppélia
''Coppélia'' (sometimes subtitled: ''La Fille aux Yeux d'Émail'' (The Girl with the Enamel Eyes)) is a comic ballet from 1870 originally choreographed by Arthur Saint-Léon to the music of Léo Delibes, with libretto by Charles-Louis- ...
,'' Basil and Espada in ''Don Quixote
is a Spanish epic novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Originally published in two parts, in 1605 and 1615, its full title is ''The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha'' or, in Spanish, (changing in Part 2 to ). A founding work of West ...
,'' Albrecht in '' Giselle,'' Romeo in '' Romeo and Juliet,'' Prince Siegfried in '' Swan Lake,'' James in ''La Sylphide
''La Sylphide'' ( en, The Sylph; da, Sylfiden) is a romantic ballet in two acts. There were two versions of the ballet; the original choreographed by Filippo Taglioni in 1832, and a second version choreographed by August Bournonville in 1836. ...
,'' Prince Desire in Sir Kenneth MacMillan's ''Sleeping Beauty
''Sleeping Beauty'' (french: La belle au bois dormant, or ''The Beauty in the Sleeping Forest''; german: Dornröschen, or ''Little Briar Rose''), also titled in English as ''The Sleeping Beauty in the Woods'', is a fairy tale about a princess cu ...
'' and lead roles in George Balanchine's ''Stravinsky Violin Concerto,'' ''Symphonie Concertante'' and '' Theme and Variations.'' He created the role of the Prince in Mikhail Baryshnikov's production of ''Cinderella
"Cinderella",; french: link=no, Cendrillon; german: link=no, Aschenputtel) or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a folk tale with thousands of variants throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsi ...
,''[ the leading male role in ]Antony Tudor
Antony Tudor (born William Cook; 4 April 1908 – 19 April 1987) was an English ballet choreographer, teacher and dancer. He founded the London Ballet, and later the Philadelphia Ballet Guild in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., in the mid-195 ...
's ''The Tiller in the Fields'' (1978), Glen Tetley
Glen Tetley (February 3, 1926 – January 26, 2007) was an American ballet and modern dancer as well as a choreographer who mixed ballet and modern dance to create a new way of looking at dance, and is best known for his piece ''Pierrot Lunaire ...
's ''Contredances'' (1979), the title role of Peter Darrell
Peter Darrell (''né'' Skinner; 16 September 1929 – 2 December 1987) was an English ballet dancer, choreographer, and founder of the Scottish Ballet. For almost four decades Darrell was one of the most productive and imaginative talents in Br ...
's Chéri (1980) and the lead role in Lynne Taylor-Corbett Lynne Taylor-Corbett is a choreographer, director, lyricist, and composer. She was born in Denver, Colorado.
Life
Lynne Taylor-Corbett grew up in the Denver, Colorado area, gaining her first exposure to dance through her mother, a pianist for ball ...
's ''Estuary'' (1983). In 1984, Bissell starred as a guest artist with the Universal Ballet Company in its first production, Adrienne Dellas's ''Cinderella
"Cinderella",; french: link=no, Cendrillon; german: link=no, Aschenputtel) or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a folk tale with thousands of variants throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsi ...
''. He was partnered by its leading ballerina and general director, Julia Moon
Julia H. Moon also known as Hoon Sook Moon (born Hoon Sook Pak, January 1, 1963) is the General Director of Universal Ballet in South Korea, and daughter-in-law of Sun Myung Moon, founder of the ballet company. She was the prima ballerina of the ...
. He also performed as a guest artist with the National Ballet of Canada
The National Ballet of Canada is a Canadian ballet company that was founded in 1951 in Toronto, Ontario, with Celia Franca as the first artistic director. A company of 70 dancers with its own orchestra, the National Ballet has been led since 2022 ...
, Scottish Ballet
Scottish Ballet is the national ballet company of Scotland and one of the five leading ballet companies of the United Kingdom, alongside the Royal Ballet, English National Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and Northern Ballet. Founded in 1969, ...
and Pacific Northwest Ballet
Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB) is a ballet company based in Seattle, Washington, in the United States. It is said to have the highest per capita attendance in the United States, with 11,000 subscribers in 2004.
The company consists of 49 dan ...
.[
]
Personal life
Bissell married Jolinda Menendez, a former American Ballet Theatre ballerina (she danced two roles in the Baryshnikov ''Nutcracker
A nutcracker is a tool designed to open nuts by cracking their shells. There are many designs, including levers, screws, and ratchets. The lever version is also used for cracking lobster and crab shells.
A decorative version portrays a person w ...
'') and principal ballerina with the Pennsylvania Ballet
The Philadelphia Ballet, formerly known as Pennsylvania Ballet until rebranding in 2021, is Philadelphia's largest ballet company. The company's annual local season features six programs of classic favorites, as well as new works, including the Ph ...
, on June 26, 1982, at the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church. Patrick would commit infidelity during the engagement and marriage. [ The marriage ended only after a year due to Bissell's many philanderings and erratic behavior.
He first met Gelsey Kirkland when the two were partnered for The ''Tiller in the Fields'' and they began a romance. They would dance and take cocaine together. Bissell was also given a $100 fine.][ After being fired by the ABT (along with Kirkland), they were re-hired and celebrated by doing a stash of cocaine they had smuggled in the lining of a ballet slipper.
]
Drug use and death
Bissell started using drugs at a very young age, including shooting up with heroin, and consumed large amounts throughout the course of his life. Because of this, he developed something of a tolerance. He was arrested in 1981 in Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the central region of the U.S. state of Indiana. It is the seventh-largest city in Indiana and the fourth-largest outside the Indianapolis metropolitan area. According to the Mo ...
, and charged with public intoxication, disorderly conduct and pushing a policeman.[ He was given a 30-day jail sentence. However, a plea bargain was made whereby the judge ordered him to arrange to give a performance at ]Indiana University
Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana.
Campuses
Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI.
*Indiana Universi ...
with the proceeds to be given to charity. In 1984, company officials from the American Ballet Theatre consulted with experts on drug addiction and found a therapist for him.[ The following year, a condition of his continued employment by the company was that he undergo regular urine tests.][ The tests were held weekly with results 95 percent negative, however lapses were penalized with fines.][
In 1987, he spent five weeks at the ]Betty Ford Clinic
The Betty Ford Center (BFC) is a non-profit, residential treatment center for persons with substance dependence in Rancho Mirage, California. It offers inpatient, outpatient, and residential day treatment for alcohol and other drug addictions, ...
in California for intensive therapy, completing the treatment in August.[ Prior to entering the clinic he had injured his foot and was thus prevented from going on the American Ballet Theatre's fall tour.][ Around the holidays that year, he was so broke he had to borrow money for groceries. Bissell was found dead at his apartment in ]Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken ( ; Unami: ') is a city in Hudson County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 60,417. The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program calculated that the city's population was 58,690 i ...
on December 29, at the age of 30. At the time of his death, he was engaged to fellow dancer at the American Ballet Theatre, soloist Amy Rose, and had planned to rejoin the company the following month.[ His family and Gelsey Kirkland blamed his drug use on the "highly competitive dance world in New York City".][
The results of an autopsy showed that he died from an overdose of cocaine, codeine, methadone and other drugs. No paraphernalia was found. It never was determined whether Bissell's death was a deliberate suicide.] His death prompted charges of extensive drug use in the dance world by Bissell's parents and fellow-dancer Gelsey Kirkland.
Kirkland's autobiography ''Dancing on My Grave'' mentions Bissell's frequent use of cocaine[ and, when discussing her own addiction, she alleged that he had introduced her to the drug.][ Attention was also drawn to the drug therapy program offered by the American Ballet Theatre. According to the company's executive director, Charles Dillingham, Bissell had been participating in the therapy program instituted by the company and had "appeared to have been making progress"] prior to his death. Gelsey Kirkland
Gelsey Kirkland (born December 29, 1952) is an American ballerina. She received early ballet training at the School of American Ballet. Kirkland joined the New York City Ballet in 1968 at age 15, at the invitation of George Balanchine. She was ...
alleged that Bissell's death was "an unavoidable tragedy caused at least in part by the failure of the ballet world and American Ballet Theater in particular to acknowledge and deal openly with the drug problem",[ which contrasted with Dillingham's statement that "his death came as an utterly horrible surprise".][ The 1988 production of '']La Bayadère
''La Bayadère'' ("the temple dancer") ( ru. «Баядерка», ''Bayaderka'') is a ballet, originally staged in four acts and seven tableaux by French choreographer Marius Petipa to the music of Ludwig Minkus. The ballet was staged especiall ...
'' by the American Ballet Theatre was dedicated to Bissell who had been notable in the role of Solor.
References
External links
*
Patrick Bissell in an archive film performs ''Ulyssess'' (Benjamin Britten/Adrienne Dellas) at Jacobs Pillow (1985) on jacobspillow.org
Patrick Bissell & Martine Van Hamel performing ''Sylvia'' -Pas De Deux (Leo Delibes/George Balanchine/Andre Eglevsky)(1984) on dailymotion.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bissell, Patrick
1957 births
1987 deaths
American male ballet dancers
American Ballet Theatre dancers
University of North Carolina School of the Arts alumni
Artists from Hoboken, New Jersey
Cocaine-related deaths in New Jersey
Drug-related deaths in New Jersey
School of American Ballet alumni
20th-century American ballet dancers