Specter of Nijinsky haunts Republic Pictures’ “Specter of the Rose”
The photo captures the marvelous opening scene of “Specter of the Rose,” a ballet movie from 1946 and a precious artifact of high-Hollywood dance-schmaltz. Dame Judith Anderson, seated at left, knitting, plays “Madam La Sylph,” the ballet mistress whom Ben Hecht, in his at-once overheated and acerbic screenplay, refers to as “the remains of a ...
Glorya Kaufman joins Bernardo for the dance at the gym
It was mambo-mania Saturday night at the elegant Dorothy Chandler Pavilion when Los Angeles dance “angel,” Glorya Kaufman, posed with pleasure with George Chakiris, the Academy Award-winning star of “West Side Story.” Chakiris engaged in newsy dance conversation prior to a screening of the movie-musical masterpiece before a very full house of big-screen movie fans. ...
Rumble at “Last Remaining Seats” with “West Side Story”
We’re very thrilled to announce that arts·meme‘s Debra Levine will conduct a very special interview with the Academy Award-winning actor/dancer George Chakiris, a good friend of the blog, prior to the screening of West Side Story (1961) on Saturday June 14. The classic movie-musical is the jewel in the crown of this summer’s “Last Remaining ...
Oh yeah, Sammy!
The great dancer Sammy Davis Jr. … and oh yes, also the superb singer, actor and consummate cool guy … had a daughter! That lucky lady, Tracey Davis, has written a book, “Sammy Davis Jr.– A Personal Journey with My Father.” Swing on by (‘cuz everything about SD, Jr. is swingin’) Larry Edmund’s Bookshop on Hollywood ...
Choreographers stump for art form @ Television Academy 3
May
3
2014
On a rather blazingly hot Saturday morning, on the broad outdoor plaza that fronts the North Hollywood headquarters of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, a terrific threesome of ‘industry’ dancer/choreographers gave back, generously, to their art form. Derek Hough, Tabitha and Napoleon Dumo (@Nappytabs), all Emmy Award-winning choreographers, advocated for the art of ...
Savion Glover, sole survivor
I’ve been paying attention to Savion Glover since he incandesced onto the theatre scene in The Tap Dance Kid at age 12. His level of virtuosity, enhanced by a cheeky grin and genuine joy at being up there just doin’ it! as impossible to resist as a warm sunny day (I live in London, remember). ...
James Mitchell, who danced “Dream Curly” in OKLAHOMA! 1
We just lost Marc Platt, his strong dancer’s heart finally giving way, at age 100, on March 29, 2014. Platt originated the role of “Dream Curly,” a dancing doppleganger to the dramatic actor who plays the same role — the dancer picks up the plot line in choreographer Agnes deMille’s acclaimed “dream ballet” sequence created ...
Radio celebrates ballet man Theodore Kosloff
This cool guy is John Rabe. As host of KPCC-Pasadena’s “Off Ramp,” Rabe captures a mixed bag of hip stories in radio’s radiant realm as they tumble forth in the wee village of Los Angeles. This Saturday, March 8, at high noon, on 89.3 on your FM-radio dial [repeats Sunday 6 pm] Rabe’s “Off Ramp” ...
Meet Fanchon, a successful Los Angeles woman of dance
To pair with his biographical sketch on Fanchon published in the adjacent blog story, dance historian Larry Billman kindly provided arts·meme with photos of this slender and beguiling lady of arts and commerce. According to Billman, Fanchon, in her day, was an “industry” of Los Angeles dance: a successful Hollywood choreographer, producer, businesswoman and dance ...