Lewitzky, Bella (1915–2004)
Lewitzky, Bella (1915–2004)
American modern dancer and choreographer. Born Jan 13, 1916, in Llano del Rio, a utopian socialist colony in the Mojave desert, in CA; died July 16, 2004, in Pasadena, CA; dau. of Russian-Jewish émigrés; m. Newell Taylor Reynolds (architect), 1940; children: Nora Reynolds Daniel (dancer).
Modern-dance pioneer and outspoken champion of artistic freedom, trained with Lester Horton in Los Angeles during adolescence; performed with the Horton Dance Group for 14 years, creating roles in Lysistrata (1936), Salome (1937), Pasaremos (1938), A Noble Comedy (1940), The Beloved (1948), and others; taught at University of Southern California and California Institute of Arts after Horton's death; choreographed numerous solo pieces for concert recitals; formed own dance troupe for which she created original works (1966–97); called before House Un-American Activities Committee (1951), refused to identify acquaintances who might have been members of the Communist Party, replying defiantly, "I'm a dancer, not a singer." Works of choreography include On the Brink of Time (1969), Kinaesonata (1970), Pietas (1971), Bella and Brindle (1973), Voltage Controlled Oscillator (1975), Greening (1976), Recesses (1979) and Suite Satie (1980); received 1st California Governor's Award for Lifetime Achievement.