September 26
Born Today:
Carolyn Brown
Dancer Carolyn Brown (1927-) was a founding member of the Merce Cunningham (1919-2009) postmodern dance company and performed with them from 1953 to 1973 and currently teaches and advises for the company. Her mother, Marion Rice (1904-1995) was a Denishawn dancer.
Also Born Today: Actor and “fastest Charleston dancer” George Raft (1901-1980). Arnie Zane (1948-1988) was a photographer and collaborator/partner of choreographer Bill T. Jones (1952). Ballet dancer Lawrence Leritz (1962-) performed with the NYCB, Joffrey Ballet, and on Broadway, but he is perhaps best known for his bestselling Total Stretch! exercise video.
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Broadway premiere: West Side Story in 1957
Movie: Damn Yankees released in 1958