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).
Marshall was born in Pittsburgh and sang and danced as a child. In an interview from June 2004 on the American Theatre Wing website, Marshall explains how she had no formal training but was cast as a Von Trapp with her brother and sister in The Sound of Music at a summer theatre company. What really inspired her to the world of dance was sneaking to watch the dance ensemble rehearse. After this experience, she began to take a ton of dance classes and began working as a dancer and a dance captain in Pittsburgh and in tours. Marshall got her start on Broadway being her brother Rob Marshall’s assistant on Kiss of the Spider Woman and then assisted on the revivals of She Loves Me and Damn Yankees.
Ehrich and his brother Theo began to pursue an interest in magic. Erich then chose a stage name, Harry Houdini chosen for his idol Robert Houdin. At 17, Ehrich, now known as Harry Houdini, left his family to pursue his magic career. By the age of twenty, Harry had been performing small acts throughout New York. In 1893, Harry met and married performer Wilhelmina Beatrice Rahner, who turned into harries assistant by the name of Beatrice Bess Houdini.
Piet Mondrian was born on March 7, 1872 in Amersfoort, The Netherlands. He was the second child of four; he had two brothers and one sister. His father was Pieter Cornelis Sr, who was a principal of an elementary school and an amateur artist. His father Mondrian Sr, planned for his son to become a drawing teacher so that he would be able to make a living for himself. Piet Mondrian won his licenses and was able to teach at primary and secondary schools, but his heart was set on becoming a painter.
Pierre Dulaine has been hailed as the “dancer and teacher extraordinaire” by the New York Times. He began an outreach program called “Dancing Classrooms” in the New York public schools and teaches the art of ballroom dancing to approximately 7500 children annually. His vision is to impart pride and self esteem and to inspire them to achieve whatever they put their minds to. He encounters the challenges of motivating kids but has been successful in bringing change to lives that otherwise might not have an opportunity to break out of the oppression of the inner city. His goal is to train to transform.
She decided to pursue a B.A. at Howard University with a concentration in classical literature, speech, and theater. All through her college years, she continued to dance at the university and with choreographer Michael Malone's dance troupe. Allen graduated from Howard University in 1971 with a degree in drama. She later relocated to New York City where she developed her talents as a dancer, actress, and singer.
Dance Homework – Research Task Katherine Dunham Katherine Dunham was born on June 22nd 1909. Dunham had many great talents as well as dance and choreography. She was an artist, anthropologist, author, manager, movie star, activist, producer, educator, wife and mother .She was inspired by caribbean dance and African culture which gave her the idea to bring them together. She became first interested in dance when she began studying ballet in 1928. She was then accepted to the University of Chicago in 1929 as an anthropology major in which she focused on dance.
She decided to write a book on her own to share her experiences and to help guide those that are considering a career in the arts. She states, “What I came up with in the end was not the story of my life, but the autobiography of my voice” (p. xvii). In the next few chapters she discusses her family, education and apprenticeship. She was raised in New York; both of her parents were musicians and her home was always filled with music. She wrote many songs and poetry, beginning in junior high.
In 1931 she opened a Wigman school in New York City, which became the Hanya Holm Studio in 1936. In addition to works for her own company, she choreographed musicals such as My Fair Lady (1956) and Camelot (1960). Hanya Holm made her own unique technique. Many other dancers used her technique. Some of these dancers are; Alwin Nikolais, Mary Anthony, and Don Redlich.
Soon after his birth in Rogers, Ailey, an only child, and his mother moved to nearby Navasota, where “where he started picking cotton at the age of five” (Dingus). (Alfores 2013 http://alflores.com/af_navasota.htm) In 1942, Ailey finally got his first taste of the arts when he and his mother followed the dust bowl movement of the 1930’s and migrated to California. Here Ailey soon “Became a devotee of live entertainment, hearing Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, and other greats” (Dingus). It was also here in Los Angeles where Ailey first developed his interest in dance “when a friend introduced him to the Hollywood studio of [iconic choreographer] Lester Horton” (Lester Horton) (Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival Archives http://www.danceheritage.org/horton.html). By 1949 Ailey was studying under Horton’s company, a company that is “believed to be the first racially integrated Dance Company in the United States” (Monsho).