December 25
Born Today:
Liz Lerman
Choreographer Liz Lerman (1947-) was an early proponent of inclusive dance and her company, the Dance Exchange (1976-2011- Lerman’s tenure as Artistic Director), boasted a multi-generational roster of dancers of all abilities. Lerman’s Critical Response Process, developed to facilitate fruitful and respectful conversation about choreographic work in-progress, is a method utilized by practitioners all over the world to give constructive feedback to choreographers at any stage of their career.
Also Born Today: Tap dancer Eddie Rector (c.1897-1962) specialized in soft shoe and dancing on a fine layer of sand. Russian ballerina Olga Moiseyeva (1928-2021) danced with the Kirov Ballet from the late 1940s until retiring from the stage to coach in 1973. She was also featured in the 2006 documentary Ballerina.
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Broadway Premiere: Pal Joey in 1940