He had a screen test by M-G-M, he appeared in the film Kiss Me Kate (1953). Since Kiss Me Kate was a highly original dance number, this led him to his first job as a choreographer. It was the Broadway hit directed by Jerome Robbins, The Pajama Game (1954). A little while later he met Gwen Verdon, who was a talented dancer. The two collaborated on several hit shows such as, Damn Yankee (1955, film 1958), New Girl in Town (1957), and Redhead (1959).
Charles Weidman, 1901-1975, was one of the giants of American modern dance and a pioneer in the development of the art form. Mr. Weidman was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, and his artistic interest and abilities were evident from an early age. From the time he attended his first performance of the Denishawn Company, he was determined to become a dancer, and at age 19 he received a scholarship to the Denishawn School. Mr. Weidman soon became a leading Denishawn dancer, and partnered Martha Graham and replaced Ted Shawn in important roles. He performed with the company in vaudeville throughout the United States and in concerts in England and the Orient.
A Man of Mixture Lester Horton, American dancer, choreographer, and teacher was born on January 23 1906, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Horton’s fascination with the arts, ballet, and Native American dance led him to participate in local theatre productions. In 1928 Mr. Horton made a shocking decision to move to Los Angeles, California and began dancing in Michio Ito’s company and eventually ended up founding his own company. Moving to Los Angeles was a big step for Horton, since at that time New York was the main headquarters for American dance. Mr. Horton’s ability to translate ethnic dances into commercially acceptable formats led him to choreographing musical numbers for films from the 1940s through the early 1950s.
Later, he was introduced to dance teacher Lester Horton. Horton had a dance school in Hollywood and his style was more straightforward and what Ailey was looking for. When Ailey saw a school performance of fellow Jefferson High School student and Horton protégé, Carmen de Lavallade, he signed on with Horton. Lester Horton welcomed him to his company as part of the chorus. Soon after, Alvin had choreographed his first formal concert dance, Afternoon Blues, set to music from the Broadway show, On The Town.
It was introduced to the theater going public at the New Amsterdam Theater in New York when the "Ziegfeld Follies," staged a dance act that featured the Charleston. Ned Wayburn was the choreographer, and Sizzle and Blake introduced a young African-American boy to Wayburn. The boy demonstrated what was to be the signature step of the Charleston. Wayburn supposedly choreographed a few more steps and Sissle and Blake wrote the songs ... it was an immediate hit. In that same year a stage play by the name of "Liza" had introduced the dance done by Rufus Greenlee and Maude Russell but went un-noticed.
At about 24 years of age, Hanya Holm saw a recital of Mary Wigman. After training in Germany, she worked at Mary Wigman’s Central Institute in Dresden as a dancer and teacher and later co director. In 1929 she danced the princess in one of the early productions of Stravinsky's The Soldier's Taleher first major solo part for which she did her own choreography. At that time she was not yet quite sure whether to become a dancer, choreographer, or teacher. In 1931 she opened a Wigman school in New York City, which became the Hanya Holm Studio in 1936.
In 1922 she landed a small part as a comedy chorus girl in the touring company of Sissle and Blake's musical revue "Shuffle Along". Josephine went over well in her small role in the revue and came to the attention of Sissle and Blake. They wrote a special part for her in their 1924 production of "Chocolate Dandies". During this time period Josephine became the steady girl friend of Eubie Blake. French producers came to New York looking to cast an all-black musical revue in Paris.
Menken and his wife, Janis, a former professional ballet dancer, reside in upstate New York with their two young children, Anna and Nora. Alan considers his greatest achievement and deepest satisfaction to be his enduring marriage to the love of his life, Janis and their two wonderful daughters. In 2010 he worked with lyricist Glenn Slater to create a cross between medieval music and 1960s folk rock on "Tangled". He also teamed with Glenn Slater to compose the music for Broadway s Sister Act
His mother got remarried to Bill Kors when he was five, and his was changed to Kors. His mother told him that he could choose a new first name as well; subsequently he renamed himself Michael David Kors. He grew up in Merrick, New York and graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in Bellmore, New York. Kors' mother is Jewish and his father was of Swedish descent. By coming from a very fashionable family line, he himself grew into the fashion culture very rapidly.
A short trip with the musical theatre created Freudiana in 1990.The show stayed in the Theater An Der Wien in Vienna for over a year and remained very popular. Then Eric and Alan parted ways as partners. Eric led his career to the musical theatre while Parsons brought his music and talent to the world of live stage and continued to produce and record symphonic rock