Mary Anthony

Mary Anthony (11 November 1916, Newport, Kentucky – 31 May 2014, Manhattan) was an American choreographer, modern dancer, and dance teacher. Both her work as a dancer and choreographer were highly influenced by Martha Graham and Hanya Holm.

Born and raised in Kentucky, Anthony studied theater at Grinnell College in Iowa before pursuing studies in dance at the Hanya Holm School in New York City. She later studied dance with Martha Graham. From 1943 to 1949 she danced as a member of Hanya Holm's dance company. In 1949–50 she was a featured dancer in the Broadway musical Touch and Go, which was choreographed by Helen Tamiris. She danced in several productions with the New York City Opera during the 1950s and also choreographed several musicals in Italy during that decade.

In 1956 Anthony founded the Mary Anthony Dance Company. The company included two of her previous dance partners, Joseph Gifford and Cameron McCosh. The company presented Anthony's own choreography which frequently utilized literary sources as subjects. Her two most well known works were Lady Macbeth, after the Shakespeare play, and Threnody, based on John Millington Synge's play Riders to the Sea. During the 1970s her company reached a pinnacle of success with a group of highly dynamic dancers, including renowned dancer and teacher Ross Parkes.

In 1946 Anthony began teaching at the New Dance Group where she taught for many years. Several of her pupils became highly successful choreographers and dancers, including Ronald K. Brown, Ulysses Dove, Yuriko Kimura, Richard Kuch, Daniel Maloney, Donald McKayle, Arthur Mitchell, Elisa Monte, Anabella Lenzu, Ross Parkes, and Steve Rooks.

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