Throwback Thursday and Otis Pearce

Throwback Thursday and Otis Pearce

Otis Pearce (or Pierce) was born in December 1912 in America. He became friends with Anton Dolin, the famous English ballet dancer who often performed with Alicia Markova. In a 1938 tour of the Ballet Russe to Australia, Otis Pearce is listed as an “accompanying person” – not one of the dancers.

This tour ended and the dancers, including Dolin, traveled back to Sydney for a farewell performance on April 27, 1939. One ballet featured a scene from Swan Lake in which Pearce made an appearance. He was described as the “gesturing but non dancing Evil Genius” – presumably Rothbart. This program does list Pearce as a “dancer”. This is the last time his whereabouts seem to be known.

Most of the Ballet Russe dancers then sailed from Australia to the United States, and Dolin ended his time with de Basil’s company. In America he joined a new company, Ballet Theatre (now ABT). But what happened to Otis Pearce?

See my previous blog about the mysterious dancing man of 1945 here:  http://balletwebb.blogspot.com/search?q=dancing+man+of+1945  Is this man Otis Pearce?

  

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Dance History Secret #257:

“Otis Pearce was an America who performed with the Ballet Russe and mysteriously disappeared.”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apKWLis1lxc

Quote of the Day:

“Not every puzzle is intended to be solved. Some are in place to test your limits. Others are, in fact, not puzzles at all...”
― Vera Nazarian, The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration

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Throwback Thursday and Dancing Man

Throwback Thursday and Dancing Man

The end of World War II was cause for celebration around the world. In Sydney Australia, a man was filmed dancing for joy in the street, but despite attempts to identify him, who he was (is), remains a mystery. Today’s link is a short clip of him – can you solve the mystery?

Several people have claimed to be the dancing man, including Frank McAlary, a retired lawyer. There are two witnesses who claim they saw him dancing at the time.

But there are other possibilities. Ern Hill makes claim to the dancing man title and states: “"The camera came along and I did a bit of a jump around."

Then there is Patrick Blackall who claims: "I'm the genuine dancing man," and even signed papers declaring this to be true.

But the dancing man’s identity has yet to be proven without a doubt.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets

Dance History Question #192:

“Who was the mysterious dancing man of 1945?”

Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ij9LkYCSujg

Quote of the Day:

“Our doubts are traitors,
and make us lose the good we oft might win,
by fearing to attempt.”
― William Shakespeare, Measure for Measure

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 Leave a comment about any instructions, ideas, or images that worked best for you!

My latest books are coloring books! They are available on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Family-Tree-Coloring-Debra-Rogers/dp/0980191947/

https://www.amazon.com/Frames-Borders-Backgrounds-Color-Rogers/dp/0980191955/

Want to know more about me? Read my interview at Ballet Connections:

http://www.balletconnections.com/?s=debrawebbrogers

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Throwback Thursday and Vera-Ellen

Throwback Thursday and Vera-Ellen

Vera-Ellen Westmeyer Rohe was born on February 16, 1921 in Norwood, Ohio. She began her dance training at age 9, but within only a few years she became one of the youngest Radio City Music Hall Rockettes. She also performed on Broadway.

In 1945 she was discovered by film producer Samuel Goldwyn and went to Hollywood to play opposite Danny Kaye in the film Wonder Man. She quickly established herself as a highly motivated, hard worker and she went on to dance with Gene Kelly (On the Town), and Fred Astaire (Three Little Words). But her most famous role was in the movie White Christmas with Bing Crosby.

She was married twice: first to actor and dancer Robert Hightower, then to Victor Rothschild, but both marriages ended in divorce. She lost her only daughter in 1963 to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Vera-Ellen is believed to have suffered from anorexia, and this may be why in White Christmas her neck is always covered – since anorexia ages the body, and the effects are readily seen in the neck.

Her last film was Let’s Be Happy in 1957, after which she retired from public life, but continued to take dance classes, partly as a treatment for her arthritis. Vera-Ellen died of cancer on August 30, 1981 in Los Angeles.

A biography called Vera-Ellen: the Magic and the Mystery was written by David Soren.

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Dance History Factoid #92:  

“Vera-Ellen is best remember for her role in the movie White Christmas.”

                Link of the Day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxGIHwpbKFU 

Quote of the Day:

“Dancing is like breathing-missing a day doing either is very bad.

-          Vera-Ellen

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Throwback Thursday and Gene Kelly

Throwback Thursday and Gene Kelly

Another dancer who changed the course of dance history:  Gene Kelly.  Famous for his roles in movie musicals of the 1940 and 1950s, he is often compared to Fred Astaire.  Both were innovators who added much to dance, but they were very different dancers.  Gene Kelly’s style was athletic, and earthy while Fred Astaire was elegant and smooth, and often performed in a tuxedo.

Gene Kelly brought the common man into dance in the movies.  He often performed in “real” clothes, and danced in every day settings (like a rainy street in Singin’ in the Rain which he did despite a 103 degree fever).

He worked behind the camera as well, working not only as choreographer, but also as director, writer and producer.  He experimented with new film techniques like double exposures, having dancers move toward the camera so they would look more three dimensional, and having camera movements synchronized with the musical beat. 

He also danced with a cartoon character, Jerry the mouse in the 1945 movie Anchors Aweigh.  For each second of the dance, twenty-four drawings Jerry were required.  According to Gene Kelly’s widow, Patricia Ward Kelly, when Gene was asked who his favorite dance partner was he said:  “Jerry the mouse.  Because he showed up on time and worked his little tail off.” 

From the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets:

Dance History Factoid #15:  

“Gene Kelly was famous for dancing in the movies of the 1940s and 1950s.  He also changed the way dance was done on film.”

                Link of the Day:  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceQZhXSBdmU&safe=active

 

Quote of the Day:

“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up.  The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.

-Thomas Edison

 

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