Mary Anthony: SONGS (1956) part III, “To Each His Own”

Choreography: Mary Anthony

Music: First String Quartet, Claude Debussy

Costumes: Eileen Holding

Dancers: Gia T. Cacalano, Pamela Dent, Mary Ford, John S. Giudice, John Passafiume, Jon T. De Vries, Warner Williams 

Notators: Virginia Doris & Robin Hoffman, courtesy Dance Notation Bureau

MARY ANTHONY, (1916 to 1914), (SONGS (1956) part III, “To Each His Own”), is recognized as one of the leaders of the Modern Dance Movement as a dancer, choreographer and exceptional teacher. She was the recipient of many awards including: the Bessie Award, Martha Hill Award, the American Dance Guild Award, and was entered into the Dance Hall of Fame in 2011 as part of the New Dance Group Installation at the National Museum of Dance in Saratoga Springs, NY. Ms. Anthony began her career on scholarship with Hanya Holm in the early 40’s. She was an original member of The New Dance Group and danced in concerts with Joseph Gifford and appeared in many Broadway Shows. She staged and danced a leading role in the London production of Touch and Go (1949), which resulted in a long association as choreographer for Italian Musical Theater. In 1956 she founded the Mary Anthony Dance Theatre. Choreographic Highlights: The Wind (1947), Lady Macbeth (1948), The Devil in Massachusetts (1952), Threnody (1956), Songs (1956), The Purification (1957), In the Beginning (Adam and Eve) (1960-70), and Seascape (1975). She choreographed two television series: Look up and Live and Lamp unto My Feet. Ms. Anthony's choreography has been performed by the Pennsylvania Ballet, the Bat-Dor Company of Israel, the Dublin City Ballet, the National Institute for the Arts of Taiwan, Dancefusion of Philadelphia and 360º Dance Company of New York City. Mary Anthony taught at her own studio in New York City for over 50 years. In 2013 a Tribute to Mary Anthony was presented at the 92nd Street Y, honoring her legacy in modern dance and her 97th Birthday. Mary Anthony has been an extraordinary presence in the dance community and the artistry and depth of her choreography is timeless.

Eve Gentry: Tenant of the Street (1938)*

Original choreography: Eve Gentry reconstructed with the help of Michele Larsson and Mary Anne Newell 

Dancer: Mary Anne Newell 

*(This performance was made possible through the generous support of Patricia Lovetta Lambert and Frederich Dahlquist)

EVE GENTRY, (1909-1994), (Tenant of the Street, 1938) — a New Dance Group board member and teacher, choreographed numerous solo works which the NDG presented. She was a principal dancer with the Hanya Holm Dance Company from 1936-1942 and directed her own company in New York from 1942-1968. She performed extensively throughout the United States for many years. She was a co-founder of the Dance Notation Bureau in NYC. Ms. Gentry was an early student and close associate of the therapist Joseph H. Pilates; in 1991, with Joan Breibart and Michele Larsson, she founded the Institute for the Pilates Method in Santa Fe, NM where she continued her work until her death in 1994.

Ronne Aul: Blues (1962)

Choreographed and danced by: Ronne Aul 

Music: Ray Charles, “Sweet Sixteen Bars”

RONNE AUL, (Blues, 1962), a creative soloist, was a guest artist with the Dudley-Maslow-Bales and New Dance Group Companies. He has taught and choreographed internationally, and has toured extensively in Europe and South America. As an actor Mr. Aul was known for his roles in Totòsexy (1963) and Bara en kypare (1959) among others. Mr. Aul founded the Ballet Martiniquais and served as resident teacher-choreographer for the Centre Martiniquais de la Danse in Martinique.

Talley Beatty: Mourner's Bench, from “Southern Landscape” (1947)

Choreography: Talley Beatty 

Music: There is Balm in Gilead 

Sung by: The Tuskeegee Institute Choir 

Dancer: Paul B. Sadler, Jr.  

(Courtesy of Philadanco, John Myers Brown, Artistic Director)

TALLEY BEATTY, (1918-1995), (Mourner's Bench, 1947) was presented by the New Dance Group, premiering his "Danse au Nouveau Cirque Paris, 1897" in 1963. Mourner’s Bench is an excerpt from Mr. Beatty’s first ballet, Southern Landscapes, which takes a dramatic look at the end of the reconstruction period marked by the destruction of the thousands of cooperative farms that had been created after the Civil War. Mr. Beatty was a principal dancer with Katherine Dunham, making his choreographic debut with NBC, performing Black, Brown and Beige to Duke Ellington's score. Mr. Beatty has choreographed musicals and theater pieces, and more than 50 of his dances have been performed throughout the world. His works are in the repertory of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Philadanco, the Boston Ballet, Ballet Hispanico and numerous other companies. Mr. Beatty was the 1993 recipient of the Samuel H. Scripps American Dance Festival Achievement Award.

More performances to come.