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Dance History

La Cage aux Folles’ Cagelles, 40 Years Later: Something About Sharing, Something About Always

Jim McDermott

Three pages from the March 1979 issue of Dance Magazine. At the center, a large black and white portrait of Maurice Béjart, under which an article titled "The Creators and the Interpreters" begins. To the left, a performance shot of Jorge Donn in practice clothes in the Balanchine style, surrounded by female dancers in white masks. To the right, a collage of performance shots from the same ballet, showing a dancer wearing enormous wings, another dressed like Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream, and more.

TBT: Maurice Béjart’s “Difficult” Ballet Dichterliebe

Courtney Escoyne

The February 1949 cover of Dance Magazine in triplicate. Janet Collins perches atop a pillar, knees bench and feet arched, her arms coming to middle fifth. She wears an elaborate but fitted costume and headpiece. Her image is in black and white, cut out against a red background. Cover lines to the left read, "Call Tomorrow by Jack Cole, Dancing in Israel, and The Dancer's Anatomy."

TBT: Why Black Ballerina Janet Collins Turned Down the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo

Courtney Escoyne

The cover of the January 1949 issue of Dance Magazine. In a black and white image, Gower Champion is seated in a tuxedo, seeming ready to leap to his feet as he glances over his shoulder at Marge Champion. Marge wears a flowing dress that flares around her as she jumps in back attitude, gaze directed down to Gower below her.

TBT: Marge and Gower Champion’s First Dance Magazine Cover

Courtney Escoyne

Apr 1

Audition: Bachelor of Dance (BAdance) at HfMDK Frankfurt, Germany

Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts

Apr 6

A.I.M by Kyle Abraham

The Performing Arts Center, Purchase College

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The cover of the December 1958 issue of Dance Magazine. A black and white image of Lotte Goslar shows her dressed in a shapeless white dress, a striped conical hat that ties below her chin, and dark flat shoes. She clutches a star-topped wand in both hands as she balances on one leg, looking over her shoulder as she leans forward and her working leg rises in a low back attitude.

TBT: Lotte Goslar Modeling a Hapless Fairy Godmother for an Animated Cartoon

Courtney Escoyne

The cover of the November 1968 issue of Dance Magazine. A black and white image of Eleo Pomar dancing atop a grassy hill with the streets and buildings of Harlem in the background is edited so the sky is bright yellow. It reads "Pearl Primus, Arthur Mitchell and Eleo Pomare discuss the artist in the community." Pomare takes a wide stance, knees bending and arms outstretched, contracting slightly as though keeping an invisible force at bay with his hands. Pomare wears a button down shirt with the sleeves rolled, unbuttoned over an undershirt and tucked into a pair of belted pants.

TBT: Eleo Pomare on Making Work for Black Audiences

Courtney Escoyne

An illustration in shades of red shows Indian dancer Uday Shankar in performance, crouching low to the ground with an upright torso, fingers splayed in intentional mudras as he glances toward the viewer from the corner of his eye. In the same red as the background is written, "The American Dancer, October, 1933, twenty-five cents."

TBT: The “Artistic Necromancy” of Uday Shankar

Courtney Escoyne

a male dancer standing on an outdoor stage lifting his arms over his head

The New York Public Library’s “Border Crossings” Exhibit is Part of a Developing Conversation About Modern Dance’s Radical Roots

Chava Pearl Lansky

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