Deborah jowitt carmen de lavallade biography
Dancer and choreographer Carmen de Lavallade was interviewed by dance critic Deborah Jowitt at the League of Professional Theatre Women's Oral History on.!
Carmen de Lavallade
American dancer and actress (born 1931)
Carmen de Lavallade (born March 6, 1931) is an American actress, choreographer and dancer.
For many years, she was associated with and married to Tony Award-winning actor, dancer, and director Geoffrey Holder. In 2017, she received the Kennedy Center Honors award for lifetime achievement and contributions to American culture.
Ms De Lavallade, known for her grace and elegance, has performed on the world's greatest stages, has been a dance and theatre treasure for more than six decades.
Early life
De Lavallade was born in Los Angeles, California, on March 6, 1931,[1] to Creole parents from New Orleans, Louisiana. She was raised by her aunt, Adele, who owned one of the first African-American history bookshops on Central Avenue.
De Lavallade's cousin, Janet Collins, was the first Creole/African descendant prima ballerina at the Metropolitan Opera.[2][3] The family was Catholic.[4]
De Lavallade began studying ballet with Melissa Blake at the age of 16.
After graduation from Thomas Jefferson High School in Los Angeles, she was awarded a