The Writing’s on the Wall…
If you’d like to say something, this is the place. We welcome all thoughts and opinions.
If you’d like to say something, this is the place. We welcome all thoughts and opinions.
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The Dance History Project’s goal is to observe and preserve the history of dance making and performing in Southern California. The focus is on those events and artists, past and present, whose work has been important to the field of live professional dance in Southern California. It includes the contributions of dancers, companies, educators, presenters, artistic collaborators, historians, and critics. More...
NancyWang: Hello Michael. Alexander Our memory of you is so mixed with emotions. You had just approached our company Kalilang Kulintang to represent us as our agent. You had seen us a couple [...]
Denise Delgado-Torres: Please visit https://www.facebook.com/lillyaguilardancers/
Denise Delgado-Torres: Please visit https://www.facebook.com/lillyaguilardancers/
Denise Delgado-Torres: Hi! What is your name? I would like to invite you to my fb page: https://www.facebook.com/lillyaguilardancers/
yoro57: I remember you, Denise! I danced with your grandmother (and your mother) until about 1969 or 1970. Great memories!
AdamBasma: thank you
Denise Delgado-Torres: Hello I am Ms Aguilar’s granddaughter. Could you please email me? torresd@hotmail.com
Denise Delgado-Torres: Hello I am Ms Aguilar’s granddaughter. Could you please email me torresd@hotmail.com. Thank you!
Hello Michael. Alexander Our memory of you is so mixed with emotions. You had just approached our company Kalilang Kulintang to represent us as our agent. You had seen us a couple times in the SF Ethnic Dance Festival. We were thrilled and accepted. Then all hell broke loose when a guest choreographer staged a coup and we lost our company, instruments, bank account, props, costumes and she even took our history to claim as her own. We were so naive and crushed. We often think what could have been for our partnershship and our company if that had not happened. We were so distraught that I think we didn’t even let you know what happened. We took on some cultural shame! I’ve always wanted to apologize for that. So here we are. Sorry! [you probably don’t even remember us!] So glad to see you are thriving. We are too as Eth-Noh-Tec.
I remember you, Denise! I danced with your grandmother (and your mother) until about 1969 or 1970. Great memories!
Hi! What is your name? I would like to invite you to my fb page:
https://www.facebook.com/lillyaguilardancers/
thank you
Wynn English and Javier Garibay you may contact me via text 562.889.384. Unknown callers are silenced due to so many robo and annoying calls. Text is best.
Please visit https://www.facebook.com/lillyaguilardancers/
I danced with Lilly Aguilar.
Elsa
Please contact me!
Please visit https://www.facebook.com/lillyaguilardancers/
Hello Denise
My sister and I danced with miss Aguilar.
My sister is Anita Pacheco and me, Elsa.
I am trying to reach out to anyone who knew my mom Karen Mullin Shanley who taught dance at Orange Coast College from 1975-2000 and ran The Dancers Place in Tustin around 1978. She is celebrating a big birthday next month and am trying to locate former students and colleagues. Please email me at jcadysmom@gmail.com
Thanks
Melissa
Denise, if you have video, I’d like to get in touch with you as well. I work at USC and we are digitizing videos for a digital dance collection. My email is jgaribay@usc.edu
Hi Denise, do you know who Debbie Kay is below? I want to get in touch with her about the 16mm film she mentioned in a previous comment
PLEASE READ BIO TO RECEIVE DANCE PHOTOS
I am wondering if anyone studied at the Ballet studio, Ballet la Jeunesse, in Toluca Lake California around the early to mid sixties ?
Hello Denise!! I danced with your grandma, your mom and your aunt. Your mom was so nice to me. I stayed with you overnight when we moved to Whittier in 1968. I danced at your grandma’s house on Lindsey, the studio Montebello and of course Belvedere Park. Robin Ponce-Edgington
Hi Robin! I may have a photo or two of you! Please send me a IM on FB since we can’t get message notifications on this site.
To anyone who danced with Lilly Aguilar, Blanca, or my mother Rosemarie, please contact me!! I have sooooo many photos of dancers- most I do know but there are many that I don’t!
Debbie Kay no my grandmother, Lilly Aguilar passed in early 80s. I would love to see film that you found!
I would love to communicate with former dancers from Lichine Studio as those wonderful days of training with Tatiana and Irina are a part of my heart and soul. The fragrance of lilacs and bread wafting through the open windows is as clear in my memory as if it were yesterday. I am now 66 years old still dancing everyday and teaching. The memory of Joyce Cuoco in class has always been in my teaching as I have tended to hone in on those prodigy possibilities in children that otherwise have been overlooked. However I have learned from training my own daughter that prodigies have to be slowed down a bit to prevent them burning out too early as my daughter aspired to accomplish what she’d heard Joyce could do. She did accomplish this 14 pirouettes on pointe and phenomenal extension but she did burn out by 12 as Stanley Holden predicted, and returned la couple of years later but never resumed the original drive and direction one would have expected had she progressed more slowly. I would love to hear from those wonderful dancers 1967 on that formed the fond memories that remain with me today?
I too was a student of Lily Aguilar at Belvedere Park…
Hi Miguel, I am Ms Aguilar’s granddaughter. Could you send me an IM since we can’t get notifications on this site?
I was a student of Lily Aguilar, I was in the Tiny Tots, she is buried at Rose Hills, if you call main Rose Office you should be able to find more info….
The first choreographer I danced with, in 1956, was Olatunji Baba Tunji, in Harlem, NY. The next was Katherine Dunham 1964, to ’66, ending in Paris, Fr. Tally Beatty, Geoffrey Holder, Eleo Parmare, Donald McKayle, Lester Wilson & Anna Sokolow, were some of the iconic choreographers, I subsequently danced with, or in their companies.
I’ve written and presented my “BLACK DANCE HISTORY LECTURE & DEMONSTRATION” program, to 12th graders up to University students and older adults. It’s about all the 16 iconic choreographers, I’ve danced with in my lifetime!
http://www.trinaparkstribute.com
Does anyone know how to contact Gloria Bowen who taught ballet at UCLA in the late 1970’s – 1980’s? There are words of gratitude I would love to share with her. Many thanks! I am also be reached at 707.498.1123
I’m new to the group and delighted to have found this resource. I’m a historical kinesiologist and physical education teacher who researches the history of movement. My studies eventually led me to Ruth St. Denis and the Denishawn School of Dance. I have visited the archive special collections at UC Irvine and UCLA on Ruth St. Denis as well as the Krotona Institute in Ojai. I’m interested in finding any living decedents of Denishawn that might have been trained by people who studied there directly like Martha Graham, etc. Are there any elderly dancers that would be interested in talking to me about the art and quality of movement from the physical literacy standpoint? As a credentialed PE teacher, the “art of movement” is tragically missing from current physical education, and so is the quality of movement. If there are resources or any interest in providing me with some tips or information, I would appreciate it. Thank you, Ron Jones, MS, Valencia, CA 991-993-7874, ron@ronjones.org
Carol Warner,one of the original dancers from Gloria Newman Dance Theater, a beautiful, incredible, and energy filled dancer died on February 12, 2018, in Maine. RIP
I recently came across a large collection of
16mm color films from the 1950’s which
features various East LA dancers known
as La Paloma Dancers, some of the people
in the films include: Lily Aguilar, Odelia,
Rose Marie, Kathy, Helen Maganya,
Gloria Gomez, Dolores Castillo, and
others. These excellent and beautiful
color images were taken by William and Myrtle
Binkley who lived in Downey.
Can you help! These are precious films
of East LA dancers in the 1950’s when
most of these girls were pre-teen and teenagers.
Debbie 562-866-4203
Debbie, if you still have these films, please contact me at jgaribay@usc.edu
Don Bondi, my friend and dance partner for over 50 years, passed away on Aug. 8, 2017. It’s a personal loss to me but to the dance community. He will be missed.
I worked with Lois Ellyn for years. So happy to read her bio and see her beautiful photos
I’m 63 and had the honor of taking dance lessons with Corina Valdez and Lily Aguilar. Such fond memories. I also took private lessons with Miss Aguilars daughters, Rosemarie and Blanca.
is Lily Aguilar still alive?
do you have any contact for her?
debbie
Hello I am Ms Aguilar’s granddaughter. Could you please email me torresd@hotmail.com. Thank you!
I’m 67 and danced with Lily Aguilar and her daughter from 5 to 15. It all started in the Belvedere Park Gym.
Hello I am Ms Aguilar’s granddaughter. Could you please email me? torresd@hotmail.com
Gary Bates passed away on April 14. Go to the Facebook page for words by Fred Strickler
I was so happy to have found this site. I had the privilege to study ballet at Lichine in Beverly Hills under Irina Kosmovska and Tania Lichine. The school closed in 1981 or 1982, and I followed Irina to the Los Angeles Ballet School. I danced in the Los Angeles Junior Ballet for several years and at the age of 15, John Clifford offered my a corps position with the Los Angeles Ballet…both Damian Woetzel and myself were the youngest members of the ballet…this was back in 1983. I developed some health problems shortly thereafter and was sent away to school…I left my professional ballet career behind when I left Los Angeles. However, the amazing training I received from Irina, Tania, John Clifford and many others has stayed with me throughout my life…and I am eternally grateful to have been a part of the Southern California Dance movement in the late 70’s/early 80’s.
Kristen Carnochan-Sylvester
Don Bondi has a published book (Amazon.com) NEAR THE TOP OF THE STAIRS. It chonicles his life with particular emphisis on his varied dancing career as a teacher, choreographer, lighting designer for Kalidescope and member of Gloria Newman Dance Theatre, Bella lewitzky Dance Co. David Wood Dance Company, UCLA Dance Co., Choreogrephers Dance Ensemble, Marion Scott Spirit Dancers. Also his contributions in developing and implementing the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts Dance and developed a Theatre Arts program (Later became a music magnet) at Hamilton High School.
In honor of my mother, Rosemarie Aguilar-Delgado, I would like to acknowledge some of her dance partners, friends, and mentors: Jose Greco, Juan Talavera, Luisa Triana, Isabel Lorca, Margo, and all of the dancers affiliate with the Aguilar Dance Company and or Los Angeles Parks and Recreation Folklorico Classes!
I was so delighted to find this site and see so much of my early years brought back.
To Leslie Kimball; whenever I hear Schubert Impromptus I always think of you and how beautiful you were in that piece by Irina.
I too remember fondly Graduation Ball 🙂
I had the very good fortune to study with Carmelita Marracci in her later years. A Great teacher – we learned a heck of a lot more than dance. It’s wonderful to see her mentioned in your article.
Dancers in Concert was a short lived lived group who produced 2 Choreographer’s Concets in 1969 and 1970.
Carlton Johnson, Elsie Dunin,Ruby Milsap, EllenSiega, Don Bondi, Steven Peck,Larry Richardson were some of the dancers that paraticiated on these programs
Rose Polsky and Dancers had their Los Angeles premiere of BROKEN at the Los Angeles Theatre Center in June 1990. An extended duet in the piece by Rose and Don Bondi was augmented by dancers Antony Balcena, Elizabeteh Chandler, Sigmund Hightower, Jennifer Kim, and Wendy Pan,
Nan Friedman Dance Company presented INHABITANTS at the Hollyhock House in Barnsdall Art Park in June 1993. This was a site based outdoor theatrical dance about a multigenerational generation family performed around the reflecting pool and grass area at the back ao Hollyhock house. The dancers were Dawn Stoppiello, Scott Hendricks, Alwyn Hight Kusner, and Don Bondi
Would love to see information on the exquisite prima ballerina Karel Shimoff and her famous husband Tommy Rall
I am so very happy to have stumbled across this projects website and looking forward to learning as well as participating. Congratulations to the Steering Committee !
Rachel Rosenthal. RIP Your legacy is a flame
Claudia Chapline has a new book out published by Norfolk Press in San Francisco called ” Moving Out of Frame “, it deals with modern dance, art performance, installlatiion, feminism,
and public art in California
Thank you Tamara McCarty and especially Brad Matsuda for your tireless commitment publishing my 50 year old articles on the history of Balachine’s Ballet of Los Angeles.
Thank You for this site. Bobby Banas, What a gift. I really enjoy how you show us how talented he is!!! Aloha, Amy Kidd
Oleg Tupine taught Ballet for the Gloria Newman dance company at her studio in Anaheim in the
early 1960’s donbondi
Have danced with Stanley, Margaret many years, as well as Gene Marinaccio, Carmelita Maracci, Steven Peck Sayber and Dennon Rawles, Roland Dupree, Fanya Sage and so many more
The best years were 50’s,60’s,70’s,80’s, for dance in LA due to the major support (government and corporate) for the arts and helped it flourish
Hi, I have pictures of my Silayan Dance Company which I would like to share. Here is the link. So glad DHP is around for Los Angeles! Thank you! http://flickeflu.com/photos/45675801@N06
Very much appreciated Jan Deen’s photos.
John Clifford, it was good to see your bio on the website as well as read your comments and see your many contributions to dance in LA and
elsewhere. I look forward to more of your views and shared experiences.
Special appreciation to Brad M, our webmaster, for his perseverance in resolving the process of editing three decades of photographs into an essential collection that now appears on this site.
This is excellent project that will help to foster dance in LA and all of southern California for many years to come..
Everyone talks about Oleg Tupine and his contribution to ballet, but there is very little real information out there about him. I’m trying to find out the name of his studio in LA in the fifties. Anybody? I studied there. thanks
I’m pretty sure I took classes with Oleg Tupine when I was 9 in LA. It was 1957. Anyone know the name of his studio then? Mum used to watch every class because some handsome movie star’s child was in my class. (jeesh!) Anybody?
Who else took class at Stanley Holden Dance Center on Pico Blvd in West L.A. ? It was quite the dance scene back in the 80’s
The Jan Deen Dance Phototheatre-thank you so much for taking me there with those vibrant images.
Thank you guys for launching the dance phototheatre portfolio
What an exciting website! And what a thrill to see so many names from the past that bring up fond memories. I will try to contibute whatever I can from my decade there!
wonderful to know all you’ve been doing and accomplished. jabe warm recollections and send happy reards
Dear Don, a surprise and pleasure to find you again. Your notes are a real service. Wish you could tell even more. Jocelyn Knowles
My love for Modern Dance started as I took classes with Claudia Chapline at the IDEA Company 1974-’76. Wonderful memories.
This is a great site. Thank you.
Love this website. Thank you.
HI Don-
It was a pleasure being introduced to you yesterday by Joe Smoke at the LA Dance Summit. I would love to have a coffee! best Tonia Barber- Dance Camera West
Thank you Steering Committee! Wonderful site!
Nice to see this started!!!
Hello Don…would like to send you a lovely pic of us in one of Irina’s childrens’ ballets of the 1960s. My brother late Brother Greg and I danced with you then….all the best…Leslie Kimble Snow
It was a pleasure to read the bio and tribute by Oscar Nieto to Lola Montes. Lola was a fine and enduring force in Los Angeles. A skilled artist-teacher, she had high standards and was generous with her gifts.
Although her work lives on in her dancers, she is missed and remembered by many. Thank you Oscar for capturing Lola so well.
I studied under Don Hewitt and Joey Harris, I was a member of Joey Harris Company The Group in Los Angeles in the 70’s When He left California in the 80’s we lost track, does any one know where he went or his later history? Ballet and Joey changed my life and I would really like any info possible This site is amazing
for leo tee:
http://oahuleo.tripod.com/index.html
This is a wonderful site and I am so happy to have found it. My great-grandmother was Elizabeth Gellman! She spoke of her students often, including Stella Matsuda!!!
Thank you Fred, for this wonderful article on the tap renaissance. It is a great resource for tap students interested in learning more about tap’s history. I will be sure to pass the link on to all of my students! Bravo, Fred!!
Thrilled to have found this site! Thanks to all who have contributed.
Too many ruth St dennis pictures ,how about the male contingent Michio Ito , Ted Shaw both a part of the LA scene
Brad you are doing a GREAT job putting up this site -don bondi
So wonderful to read the new bios as they come in. Although I knew these people, I learned so much more about them. Thank you DHP for bringing this information to us.
Thank you for this site – what a great remembrance! I am looking to donate dance books – photos, college level or so.
Hoping to be able to contribute to this site with information about film and tv choreographers who made The Movies MOVE
lovely article but my name is spelled Mayes.
I am a Master Teacher of the Katherine Dunham technique (A member of her last professional company) 1964-’66
The Dance History project is a wonderful idea!
Thank you –
I am proud to be a part of this!
Thank you for creating this wonderful website-
Thank you for creating this.
Thank you.
Another dance name…..Elizabeth Lee Inouye – still teaching at Legacy Dance Academy.
This is terrific! Thanks to all who made it possible.
Beautiful beginning! What a marvelous opening for learning and appreciation.
I am honored to be a part of this. Thank you!
This is an excellent website and I am looking forward to exploring its possibilities. Thank you for getting this going!
So excited to be part of this effort…we all have pieces of the legacy to share. Brilliant, Fred!
The Website is wonderful and timely. I look forward to spending many hours in future investigating the rich heritage of Dance in So. Cal. Thanks to all of the creators and developers for this special gift!
Congratulations! Great beginnings. Looking forward to the future
Great website!! I am looking forward to seeing all of our history here.
The Website looks great. Excellent work! I look forward to learning more about a great many people and disciplines and simply remembering others and their contributions to the art.
All the best.
Don
Beautifully done Fred, and KUDOS to all participating on the steering committee! A stellar and timely accomplishment indeed!
Well done, Fred! An inspired idea up and running. It’s been a deep pleasure to work on this with you and all our wonderful colleagues.
Hello everybody, I am new to this website, it promises to be a great tool of communication between the different disciplines of the dance.
I am the Artistic Director of Ballet Folklorico viva Panama, and every year our organization produces a fundraising event for the administration of it.
This year we have a Gala Recognition to Distinguished Panamanians, among them we have, a Hollywood celebrity, a Judge of the Superior Court of Sacramento, an our especial Guest, Vicky Greco, an Entertaiment star of the musical “Viva El Zorro” lately in Salt Lake city. She will be opening our event with a musical from Mitzi Gaynor and she will need two or four guys who could open and accompany her in the musical. We are looking for 2 or 4 volunteers to help her.
Here are two links, one the one where she is perfoming in “Viva El Zorro” and the other is the video of the Mitzi Gaynor’s performance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fw7wpoNxkII
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuJEK1xHc1k&feature=BFa&list=PL2BEE6FF5EA8012DF
Please let me know if someone would be interested in helping us. Visit our website for more info: http://www.vivapanama.org
Thanks,
Victor Grimaldo.
great idea to illuminate the role of living or coming from the southern part of california. its history and influence has been great and continues to be so today. something about the atmostphiere climiate and freedom that encourages the art of the dance and the making of dancers and choreogrpahers.
As just a “fan” of dancing, I thoroughly enjoyed your web site. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks to Fred and all who have worked on this site. I am so delighted to be part of it.
As the director of a historic Early California folk dance group (Las Fiesteras), I am thrilled by this new website. Thank you to all involved, I look forward to returning often!
This is wonderful – thank you for putting this together!
Yay for Fred Strickler, the force behind this much needed web site.
I look forward to participting on this site!
I just saw the website for the first time. Beautiful motion and images on the front page! A magnificent beginning.
I have loved working on this website project and am grateful to the Steering Committee and all who have contributed to the creation of this website, especially Bad Matsuda who is responsible for the design. Thanks to all of you for your excellent work.