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Wigman, Mary

(Encyclopedia)Wigman, Mary, 1886–1973, German dancer, choreographer, and teacher. After studying with Rudolf von Laban, Wigman performed in Germany and opened her own school in Dresden (1920). She became the most...

Perry, Antoinette

(Encyclopedia)Perry, Antoinette, 1888–1946, American actress, manager, producer, b. Denver, Colo. Perry began her career as an actress. She later produced several successful plays with Brock Pemberton, including ...

danse macabre

(Encyclopedia)danse macabre: see Death, Dance of. ...

hula

(Encyclopedia)hula, traditional Hawaiian dance usually performed standing with symbolically descriptive arm and hand movements and gracefully sensual undulations of the hips; it is also done in a sitting position. ...

Pastor, Tony

(Encyclopedia)Pastor, Tony, c.1837–1908, American theater manager, b. New York City. Pastor appeared on the stage from childhood and became an experienced acrobat, dancer, and singer. He opened his first theater ...

Lifar, Serge

(Encyclopedia)Lifar, Serge sĕrˈgā lēˈfär [key], 1905–86, Russian dancer, choreographer, director, teacher, and dance historian, b. Kiev. Lifar studied briefly with Bronislava Nijinska, but he was primarily ...

Robinson, Bill

(Encyclopedia)Robinson, Bill, 1878–1949, African-American tap dancer popularly known as “Bojangles,” b. Richmond, Va., as Luther Robinson. An influential virtuoso tap dancer, he was a tap innovator and repute...

Beck, Julian

(Encyclopedia)Beck, Julian, 1925–85, American theatrical director, actor, and producer, b. New York City. In 1948 he married Judith Malina, 1926–2015, also an American theatrical director, actor, and producer, ...

Wovoka

(Encyclopedia)Wovoka wōvōˈkə [key], c.1858–1932, Paiute, prophet of a messianic religion sometimes called the Ghost Dance religion. Also known as Jack Wilson, he was influenced by his father (a mystic) as wel...

Highland fling

(Encyclopedia)Highland fling, national dance of Highland Scotland. Composed in the duple rhythm of the strathspey, a variety of reel, it is characterized by the Scotch snap (a succession of sixteenth notes alternat...