Fred Herko American dancer, actor, choreographer, musician and artist, and teacher Date of Birth: 23.02.1936 Country: USA

1. Biography of Fred Herko
2. Early Life and Education
3. Judson Dance Theater
4. The Silver Factory and Diane di Prima
5. Tragic End

Biography of Fred Herko

Fred Herko was an American dancer, actor, choreographer, musician, and artist, as well as a teacher. He was born on February 23, 1936, in New York City.

Early Life and Education

Herko studied piano at the Juilliard School and classical ballet under the guidance of Valentina Pereyaslavec at the American Ballet Theater School. He also took additional dance lessons from Merce Cunningham and James Waring. In the late 1950s, he became a permanent member of James Waring's dance company and danced with Katherine Litz and Aileen Passloff.

Judson Dance Theater

Herko was a member of the Judson Dance Theater, an informal collective of dancers, and participated in the group's inaugural concert on July 6, 1962. He performed in Frank O'Hara's 'Love's Labor' and appeared in several early avant-garde films by Andy Warhol, including 'Haircut (No. 1)', 'Kiss', 'The Thirteen Most Beautiful Boys', and 'Rollerskate', also known as 'Dance Movie'.

The Silver Factory and Diane di Prima

Herko maintained relationships with the regulars of Andy Warhol's Silver Factory, including Ondine, Rotten Rita, and Billy Name. These individuals, known as the "mole people," indulged in unhealthy habits and relied on drugs, such as marijuana, LSD, and heroin, to fuel their performances. Herko became a close friend of poet Diane di Prima, who wrote about him in her biography 'Recollections of My Life as a Woman'. They met in 1954 when Herko was sitting on a bench in the park, crying because autumn always made him melancholic. He later confessed to di Prima that he needed speed to push his body and dance the way he wanted.

Tragic End

Throughout his career, Herko believed he had little chance of success as a dancer due to starting late. However, he couldn't imagine his life without avant-garde dance. Unfortunately, Herko quickly developed drug addiction, which ultimately led to his downfall.

On October 27, 1964, Herko, homeless and moving between friends' and acquaintances' apartments, arrived at theatrical lighting designer Johnny Dodd's home under the influence of drugs. He decided to take a bath and emerged completely naked, dancing throughout the loft, occasionally running to the windows. It is unclear whether Herko came to Dodd's place on his own or if Dodd picked him up from a party. Some sources claim that Herko gathered a group of people to witness his performance. When Dodd asked if Herko was going to show the "suicidal performance" he had promised his friends for weeks, it turned out that this was indeed the case. The timing, location, music, and surroundings were remarkably fitting. When the music reached its climax, Herko jumped out of the open window and landed five stories below on a New York City street. He was 28 years old.

Afterward, di Prima went to Deborah Lee's apartment, where some of Herko's belongings were stored, to sort through them. Among the items were black velvet, shards of mirrors, "magic" sticks from bedposts, fabric scraps, feathers, and snippets of lace, as well as a collection of carefully cut-out male pornography from magazines, as if it were intended for a collage. On the floor of the room lay a book by English writer Mary Renault, open to a page where a king jumps into the sea, performing a special ritual to renew the world. This discovery resembled a final message from Herko.