Josephine Baker Natasha Buggs HUM/102 08/30/2012 Dr. Tia Black Josephine Baker, in my opinion, is the twentieth century figure whose work and artistic contribution can be classified in both age of modernism and age of pluralism. Josephine Baker should receive the Genius Award because she sashayed onto Paris stage during the 1920s with a comic, yet sensual appeal that took Europe by storm. Famous for barely-there dresses and no-holds-barred dance routines, her exotic beauty generated nicknames such as "Black Venus," "Black Pearl" and "Creole Goddess." She maintained energetic performances and a celebrity status for 50 years until her death in 1975. Unfortunately, racism prevented her talents from being wholly accepted in the United States until 1973.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Betsey Johnson through hard work and many ups and downs has carved herself a permanent name in fashion. Betsey Johnson was born in Wethersfield Connecticut on August 10, 1942. As a young child Betsey was a dancer who was very inspired by the costumes they wore. She started her college studies at Pratt University but graduated from Syracuse University. After college in 1964 she won a chance to be a guest editor for Mademoiselle Magazine.
Eleanor Lambert, known as the Empress of Seventh Avenue (Fashion Avenue), was born in Crawfordsville, Indiana in the year of 1903. She attended John Herron Art Institute in Indianapolis as well as the Chicago Art Institute, where she studied sculpture. ( "Eleanor Lambert Fashion - Culture Lifestyle”)While at school she also began doing fashion sketches or drawing and fashion reporting which eventually helped her begin a professional career in New York. Along the years, Lambert became known as one of America’s most outstanding publicists in fashion, interior design, contemporary taste, philanthropy and other areas of arts. ("Eleanor Lambert (1903-2003)."
The Charleston was performed as early as 1903 in the Southern States. As time went on it was being used as a regular cotillion step and finally made its way, as we know it today, into Harlem stage productions by 1913 says James P. Johnson. Henry “Rubber legs" Williams says it was the first dance he won a contest in the mid-teens. The show called “Shuffle Along” also had some Charleston dancing, but not yet recognized as such, they were just referred as the fastest dancers ever seen or a Colored Cast Revue. 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.
She worked as a maid in a traveling theatrical company, and then, in 1917, the twenty-six-year-old lied about her age to gain admission to the Morgan Academy, graduating from the high school the following year. (“Humanist Profile”) “During her years in school, Zora Hurston was frequently in debt through she worked all sorts of jobs from a manicurist…to a maid for distinguished black families” (I Love Myself When I am Laughing 9). Hurston worked with fellow artists in her time as well including Langston Hughes. “The engaging and gregarious Hurston, together with Langston Hughes and other writers, formed what they called the Niggerati and published the literary magazine, Fire! !, in 1926” (“Humanist Profile”).