February 17
Born Today:
Ganjiro Nakamura II
Kabuki dancer Ganjiro Nakamura II (1902-1983) was a second-generation performer who, like his father, excelled in the regional Kamigata style, but he also became a famous onnagata (female impersonator), taking the name Gangiro II in 1946. He appeared in movies and on TV and in non-kabuki stage roles and in 1967 won the honored designation of an Intangible Cultural Property.
Also Born Today: Ballet dancer Todd Bolender (1919-2006), who performed with NYCB from 1936-1972, dancing in the original version of The Four Temperaments (1946) and later he led the Kansas City Ballet from 1981-1995.