November 20
Born Today:
Ram Gopal
Solo Indian dancer Ram Gopal (c.1912-2003) combined classical Indian dance styles with ballet in his choreography. He toured internationally before and after WWII, aided by performer/dance scholar La Meri (1898-1988).
Also Born Today: Ballerina Alexandra Danilova (1903-1997) is best remembered for performing with the Ballets Russes. Maya Plisetskaya (1925-2015) is best known for dancing with the Bolshoi Ballet. Postmodern choreographer and composer Meredith Monk (1942-) creates large scale avant garde performances, often in site-specific locations. Ballerina NaTalia Johnson (1983-) danced with Dance Theatre of Harlem, Debbie Allen (1950-) and many other entertainers and retired in 2013 to found a school. Freelance ballet dancer Sergei Polunin (1989-) is best known for performing in a dance film set to the song Take Me to Church in 2015.
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Movie: Yolanda and the Thief released in 1945
Dance Premiere: The Four Temperaments in 1946
Broadway Premiere: Cabaret in 1966