Fonaroff, Nina (1914–2003)
Fonaroff, Nina (1914–2003)
American-born dancer, choreographer and teacher. Born Mar 3, 1914, in New York, NY; died Aug 14, 2003, in London, England; dau. of Mark Fonaroff (violinist); studied ballet with Mikhail and Vera Fokine; studied stage costume and set design in Zurich and painting with George Grosz.
As a soloist in Martha Graham's company (1936–47), created the role of the child in Punch and the Judy and one of the Brontë sisters in Deaths and Entrances and danced in the premieres of Letter to the World and Appalachian Spring; taught at the Graham school; also served as assistant to Louis Horst (1937–50); had her own company (1946–53), choreographing such ballets as Of Tragic Gesture, Yankee Doodle, American Prodigy, Café Chantant and Of Wimmin and Ladies; choreographed Mr. Puppet for Alicia Markova and Anton Dolin (1949), among others; taught actors to dance at Neighborhood Playhouse; moved to London, where she taught at the London School of Contemporary Dance (1972–90).