September 22
Born Today:
Toni Basil
Multitalented Toni Basil (1943-) has had many careers in the dance world and beyond. She was a founding member of Don Campbell’s (1951-2020) West Coast Funk dance group, The Lockers, and as a singer, she had a hit song, Mickey (1982). In film, she appeared as one of the dancers in the musical Sweet Charity (1969) and she choreographed the iconic music video Once in A Lifetime for the Talking Heads (1980).
Also Born Today: Scholar of African diasporic dance and teacher Kariamu Welsh (1949-2021) earned a Doctorate of Arts in dance history and taught the African dance method of Umfundalai (translates to “essence”) at Temple University and was the artistic director of Kariamu & Company: Traditions.
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Movie: My Sister Eileen released in 1955
Broadway Premiere: Fiddler on the Roof in 1964