September 4
Born Today:
La Argentina
Antonia Mercé y Luque, also known as La Argentina (1890-1936), initially studied ballet, but when she turned 14, she began studying Spanish dances and is credited with formalizing traditional folk techniques and regional dances. She was beloved by Kazuo Ohno (1906-2010), an early Butoh dancer, who dedicated a solo to her memory.
Also Born Today: Bauhaus artist and choreographer of the avant-garde Triadic Ballet, Oskar Schlemmer (1888-1943). Hollywood Golden Age dancer/actress, Mitzi Gaynor (1931-) starred in films such as There’s No Business Like Show Business (1954) and South Pacific (1958). Dancer/actress Khandi Alexander (1957-) performed on Broadway in shows such as Chicago (1975), and Dancin’ (1978), in films such as A Chorus Line (1985), before appearing in multiple TV shows.