American Women — Dance

  • Memorial for Anna Duncan, Isadora’s daughter

    This program seems to be a recording at dancer Anna Duncan’s (1894-1980) funeral or memorial. Anna Duncan was one of the adopted daughters of dancer/choreographer Isadora Duncan known as the “Isadorables,” born in Switzerland in 1895 as Anna Denzler. Part one is a reading of a tribute to Ms. Duncan, author and reader are unannounced…

  • Whatever became of Sally Rand / interviews by Richard Lamparski.

    Richard Lamparski interviews burlesque dancer and actress Sally Rand (1904 – 1979). Rand, nicknamed “Her Sexcellency,” was most famous for her ostrich feather fan dance, which was credited with making the 1933 Chicago World’s fair a financial success in the midst of the Great Depression. She talks about her days as a silent screen actress,…

  • The Velvet Sledgehammer: May 9, 1979

    This program contains a review of Alive!, a women’s jazz group from Berkeley, and a review of Edwina Tyler’s “A Piece of the World” dance and percussion performance. Merlin Stone presents a piece of Goddess lore (cut off). Community announcements. Fatima Kahlil from Turkey speaks about the veil of women in Iran, and finally author…

  • Interview with Katherine Dunham

    Interview with Katherine Dunham, African-American choreographer and founder of the Katherine Dunham Dance Company on October 26, 1974 in East St. Louis, Illinois. Dunham is interviewed by Gloria Van Scott at Southern Illinois University. From 1939 to 1957, Dunham’s dance group toured over 57 countries. Van Scott was at one time one of the dancers…

  • Blacks and the Washington D.C. ballet / Claire Haywood; interviewed by Naomi Eftis and Elaine Heffernan.

    Hosts Naomi Eftis and Elaine Heffernan interview Claire Haywood (d. 1978), artistic director of the Capitol Ballet Company, and co-founder, with Doris Jones, of the Jones-Haywood School of Ballet. The Jones-Haywood school, was founded in 1941 to give minority children an opportunity to study classical ballet at a time when opportunities were limited for African-American…

  • Modern dancer / Martha Graham ; interviewed by Emily Schiller and Ginny Roe.

    Dancer and choreographer Martha Graham (1894 – 1991) discusses her life and art with Emily Schiller and Ginny Roe of KPFK. She discusses the importance of myths and heroines, what it means to be a dancer and about the concept of “self-expression.”

  • Speaking of exotic dancing : unlearning to not speak / Zenia Daragahey and Donna Whitley ; interviewed by Betty Mayer and Marina Bostead.

    A discussion originally broadcast live November 15, 1971 on Unlearning to Not Speak. It brings out the differences between American nightclub “belly dancing” and the meaning of such dancing in Moroccan and Indian villages. And the subject of dance is but the point of departure for an interesting comparison of women’s lifestyles in these different…

  • Whatever became of : Alexandra Danilova / interviewed by Richard Lamparski.

    The Prima ballerina assoluta Alexandra Danilova (1907-1997) received Richard Lamparski in her Manhattan apartment. Madame discusses her life and career, and tells stories about Nijinsky, Pavlova, Isadora Duncan, and Diaghileff.

  • Yvonne Rainer on dance / interviewed by Liza Cowan.

    Yvonne Rainer, dancer, choreographer, and founder of dance company The Grand Union talks with Liza Cowan about the Judson Dance Theater, cross- influences in dance, music, and theater, the use of space and time in dance, and the dance audience. Originally broadcast live on “Electra Rewired”–this may be a later broadcast. Also see producer Liza…

  • Valerie Bettis interviewed by Baird Searles

    Valerie Bettis was a famous modern dancer, also known for her dance and acting appearances on Broadway, in films, and on television, but has consistently returned to her first source of fame: modern dance. She talks with Baird Searles about the many facets of her career, such as her performance with the World’s Fair of…