Dance in History

Events in Music

The Fatal Dance Manias of Medieval Europe

1374-06-24 Sudden outbreak of St. John's Dance causes people in the streets of Aachen, Germany, to experience hallucinations and begin to jump and twitch uncontrollably until they collapse from exhaustion

Ballet of Peace

1668-02-07 Dutch Prince William III dances in premiere of "Ballet of Peace"

  • 1812-05-11 Waltz introduced into English ballrooms; some observers consider it disgusting and immoral
  • 1840-04-13 William Henry Lane ("Juda") perfects tap dance
  • 1896-04-25 Fight in Central Dance Hall starts fire at Cripple Creek, Colorado

Isadora Duncan

1900-03-17 American modern dancer Isadora Duncan gives her first Europen performance in London, England [1]

  • 1910-03-27 Fire during a barn-dance in Ököritófülpös, Hungary, killed 312
  • 1914-07-28 Foxtrot 1st danced at New Amsterdam Roof Garden, in NYC, by Harry Fox

Execution

1917-10-15 Dutch exotic dancer Mata Hari is executed by firing squad for spying for Germany during WWI at Vincennes near Paris

  • 1923-01-04 1st broadcast of "Barn Dance Show" (WBAP - Fort Worth Texas)
  • 1923-03-31 First dance marathon in New York City; Alma Cummings sets record of 27 hours with 6 different partners
  • 1924-01-06 Francis Poulenc's ballet "Les Biches", choreographed by Bronislava Nijinska, and danced by the Ballets Russe, premieres in Monte Carlo
  • 1924-04-19 "National Barn Dance" premieres on WLS Chicago

Lady, Be Good!

1924-12-01 George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin's 1st collaborative musical "Lady, Be Good!", featuring siblings Fred Astaire and Adelle Astaire as a brother and sister dance team, opens at the Liberty Theatre, NYC, runs for 330 performances

Lady, Be Good!

1925-09-12 George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin's 1st collaborative musical "Lady, Be Good!", featuring siblings Fred Astaire and Adelle Astaire as a brother and sister dance team, closes at the Liberty Theatre, NYC, after 330 performances

  • 1925-11-28 Grand Ole Opry premieres as WSM Barn Dance on WSM radio Nashville, Tennessee
  • 1926-02-02 3 men dance Charleston for 22 hours

Lady, Be Good!

1926-04-14 George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin's 1st collaborative musical "Lady, Be Good!", featuring siblings Fred Astaire and Adelle Astaire as a brother and sister dance team, opens at Empire Theatre, London's West End; runs for 326 performances

  • 1927-12-10 "Grand Ole Opry" first named as such during Barn Dance radio broadcast, in Nashville, Tennessee

Jeux d'Enfants

1932-04-14 Léonide Massine & Joan Miro's adaptation for dance of Georges Bizet's "Jeux d'Enfants" premieres with the Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo, at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo

King of Swing

1937-03-10 Benny Goodman unofficially crowned the “King of Swing” at New York City's Paramount Theater as his band plays before exuberant sell-out crowd filled with teenagers; unable to attend nightclub performances, kids dance in the aisles

The Incredible Flutist

1938-05-30 Walter Piston's dance work, The Incredible Flutist, written for the Boston Pops Orchestra, which premieres it, Arthur Fiedler conducting

"Symphonic Dances"

1941-01-03 Sergei Rachmaninoff's final composition "Symphonic Dances" premieres in Philadelphia, with Eugene Ormandy conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra

Symphonic Variations

1946-04-24 One-act ballet "Symphonic Variations" choreographed by Frederick Ashton with music by César Franck danced by Sandler's Wells Ballet debuts at Covent Garden, London

  • 1946-11-07 Katherine Dunham's song and dance revue "Bal Nègre" opens at Belasco Theater, NYC; runs for 54 performances
  • 1950-01-20 "Dance Me a Song" opens at Royale Theater NYC for 35 performances
  • 1950-02-18 "Dance Me a Song" closes at Royale Theater NYC after 35 performances

Rope Dancers

1957-11-20 Morton Wishengrad's dramatic play "Rope Dancers", starring Art Carney, Siobhán McKenna, and Theodore Bikel, premieres at Cort Theatre, NYC; runs for 189 performances

  • 1959-04-24 Netherland Dance Theater opens (Rudi of Dantzig & Cut Flier)

The Twist Dance Craze

1960-08-06 Chubby Checker performs his version of Hank Ballard's "The Twist" on "The Dick Clark Show", starting a worldwide dance craze

  • 1961-06-16 Soviet ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev defects to West at Le Bourget Airport in Paris, France

"The Twist"

1962-01-13 Chubby Checker's song "The Twist", credited with starting the Twist dance craze, goes to #1 in the charts two years after first reaching number one spot

Let's Dance

1962-10-18 Tony Sheridan & Beat Brothers (later known as The Beatles) record "Let's Dance" in Hamburg, Germany

  • 1964-08-15 WEWS-TV in Cleveland, Ohio first airs "The Big 5 Show", a teen dance and music program later syndicated as "Upbeat"
  • 1965-12-06 2 trucks crash into a crowd of dancers in Sotouboua Togo, kills 125
  • 1969-01-07 Dance Theatre of Harlem ballet school opens in a church basement
  • 1973-03-22 Joffrey Ballet revives Diaghilev's "Parade" at The City Center, NYC
  • 1983-03-25 Motown 25, a concert celebrating the anniversary of Motown records is taped for broadcast at the Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California; performers include: The Miracles; The Temptations; The Four Tops; Diana Ross and the Supremes; The Jackson 5; and Michael Jackson, who unveils his "moonwalk" dance move

Dance a Little Closer

1983-05-11 Alan Jay Lerner and Charles Strouse's musical "Dance a Little Closer" opens & closes at Minskoff Theater, NYC, after 1 performance

  • 1983-05-16 NBC broadcasts "Motown 25", a concert celebrating the anniversary of Motown Record held in Pasadena, California in March; performers include: The Miracles; The Temptations; The Four Tops; Diana Ross and the Supremes; The Jackson 5; and Michael Jackson, who unveils his "moonwalk" dance move

#1 in the Charts

1983-05-21 David Bowie's "Let's Dance" single goes #1

  • 1983-12-21 Musical "Tap Dance Kid" opens at Broadhurst Theater NYC for 669 performances

Preakness Stakes

1984-05-19 109th Preakness: Puerto Rican jockey Ángel Cordero Jr., aboard Gate Dancer wins his second Pimlico classic

  • 1985-08-11 "Tap Dance Kid" closes at Broadhurst Theater NYC after 669 performances

Music History

1985-09-18 Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical "Song and Dance", starring Bernadette Peters, opens at Royale Theater, NYC; runs for 474 performances and a Tony Award for Peters

  • 1986-11-08 Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical "Song and Dance", starring Bernadette Peters, closes at Royale Theater, NYC ,after 474 performances and a Tony Award for Peters

You Can Dance

1987-11-17 The Madonna compilation album "You Can Dance" is released

  • 1990-04-01 It becomes illegal in Salem Oregon to be within 2 feet of nude dancers
  • 1991-03-25 63rd Academy Awards: "Dances with Wolves", Kathy Bates & Jeremy Irons win
  • 1992-07-19 NYC ballet dancer Peter Martins is arrested for beating his wife
  • 1992-12-27 "Tommy Tune Tonite! Song & Dance Act" opens at Gershwin Theatre, NYC; runs for 10 performances
  • 1993-01-03 "Tommy Tune Tonite! Song & Dance Act" closes at Gershwin, NYC, after 10 performances

Music History

1994-07-23 American dancer, actor, and director Gene Kelly suffers a mild stroke

  • 2004-05-15 49th Eurovision Song Contest: Ruslana for Ukraine wins singing "Wild Dances" in Istanbul
  • 2007-06-10 Novelty dance song "I'm a Gummy Bear" by German band Gummibär released

Music History

2008-05-13 Jason Mraz releases his third studio album, 'We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things.'

Music History

2013-06-17 Dance hit "Wake Me Up" released by Swedish DJ and record producer Avicii with vocals by Aloe Blacc

Music History

2015-06-30 Misty Copeland becomes the 1st African American principal dancer of the American Ballet Theatre

  • 2016-12-02 Fire during a dance party at an illegally re=purposed warehouse in Oakland< California kills 36

Birthdays in Music

Birthdays 1 - 100 of 371

  • 1710-04-15 Marie-Anne de Cupis de Camargo, French dancer, born in Brussels, Spanish Netherlands (d. 1770)
  • 1724-02-29 Eva Marie Veigel [La Violette], Austrian ballet dancer and wife of actor David Garrick, born in Vienna, Austro-Hungarian Empire (d. 1822)
  • 1727-04-29 Jean-Georges Noverre, French dancer and choreographer (ballet d'action), born in Paris (d. 1810)
  • 1729-04-18 Gaétan Vestris, French ballet dancer, born in Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany (now Italy) (d. 1808)
  • 1733-03-05 Vincenzo Galeotti [Tomasselli], Italian dancer, ballet master (Royal Danish Ballet, 1775-1816), and choreographer (Amors og Balletmesterens Luner (The Whims of Cupid and the Ballet Master)), born in Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany (d. 1816)
  • 1741-12-08 Maximilien Gardel, French ballet dancer and choreographer (Menuet Reine), born in Mannheim, Electorate of the Palatinate, Holy Roman Empire (d. 1787)
  • 1748-08-31 Jean-Etienne Despreaux, French ballet dancer and composer, born in Paris (d. 1820)
  • 1758-02-04 Pierre-Gabriel Gardel, French ballet dancer and choreographer (In L'Offrande à la Liberté), born in Nancy, France (d. 1840)
  • 1760-03-27 Marie-Jean Auguste Vestris, French ballet dancer, born in Paris (d. 1842)
  • 1815-12-22 Lucien Petipa, French ballet dancer, born in Marseille, France (d. 1898)
  • 1817-05-11 (Francesca) "Fanny" Cerrito, Italian ballerina and choreographer (Rosida), born in Naples, Kingdom of the Two Sicilies (d. 1909)
  • 1819-03-11 Marius Petipa, French ballet dancer and choreographer (Don Quiotte), born in Marseille, France (d. 1910)
  • 1821-02-17 Lola Montez, Irish dancer and courtesan, born in Grange, Ireland (d. 1861)
  • 1821-09-17 Arthur Saint-Leon, French composer and dancer, born in Paris, France (d. 1870)
  • 1835-02-02 Luigi Manzotti, Italian mime artist, dancer, and ballet choreographer, born in Milan, Lombardo-Venetian Kingdom (d. 1905)
  • 1835-03-15 Eduard Strauss, Austrian dance band conductor, and composer, born in Vienna, Ausrtian Empire (d. 1916)
  • 1844-03-10 Pablo de Sarasate, Spanish violinist and composer (Spanish Dancer), born in Pamplona, Spain (d. 1908)
  • 1856-03-09 Eddie Foy Sr. [Edwin Fitzgerald], Irish-American actor, singer and dancer (A Favorite Fool), born in Manhattan, New York (d. 1928)
  • 1859-11-22 Cecil Sharp, British collector of English folk music and dance, born in London, England (d. 1924)
  • 1872-03-31 Sergei Diaghilev, Russian arts patron and ballet impresario (founder of the Imperial Ballet and Ballets Russes), born in Gruzino Novgorod, Russia (d. 1929)

Mata Hari (1876-1917)

1876-08-07 Dutch exotic dancer, courtesan and convicted German WWI spy, born in Leeuwarden, Netherlands

  • 1877-01-20 Ruth St. Denis, American ballerina (Dances of the 5 Senses), born in Newark, New Jersey (d. 1968)

Isadora Duncan (1877-1927)

1877-05-26 American free form/interpretative dancer, born in San Francisco, California

Bill Robinson (1878-1949)

1878-05-25 American actor and tap dancer (Stormy Weather; The Little Colonel), born in Richmond, Virginia

  • 1879-06-24 Agrippina J. Vaganova, Russian ballet dancer, and pedagogue (Fundamentals of the Classical Dance), born in Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire (d. 1951)
  • 1879-12-15 Rudolf von Laban, Czech-German choreographer (modern dance), born in Bratislava, Austria-Hungary (d. 1958)
  • 1880-02-14 Aida Overton Walker, African-American dancer and singer (In Dahomey, Salome), born in Richmond, Virginia (d. 1914)
  • 1880-04-26 Mikhail Fokine, Russian choreographer and founder of modern dance, born in Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire (d. 1942)
  • 1881-08-19 George Enesco, Romanian violinist, conductor, and composer (Romanian Dances), born in Liveni, Dorohoi, Romania (d. 1955)
  • 1882-01-22 Theodore Kosloff, Russian-born actor, ballet dancer and choreographer, born in Moscow, Russian Empire (d. 1956)
  • 1882-05-25 Harry Fox [Arthur Carringford], American vaudeville dancer, comedian and actor (Talent Scout), born in Pomona, California (d. 1959)
  • 1883-05-26 Mamie Smith, American vaudeville singer, dancer and actress (Crazy Blues), born in Cincinnati, Ohio (d. 1946)
  • 1884-01-12 Louis Horst, American dance choreographer and composer, born in Kansas City, Missouri (d. 1964)
  • 1885-02-26 Lili Green [Alice Sally Mary], Dutch English dancer, born in Bromley, England (d. 1977)
  • 1885-04-29 Wallingford Riegger, American cellist, composer (New Dance; Cooper Square), and educator, born in Albany, Georgia (d. 1961)
  • 1886-11-13 Mary Wigman, German dancer, choreographer, and teacher, born in Hanover, Germany (d. 1973)
  • 1887-05-02 Vernon Castle, English-American dancer, born in Norwich, Norfolk, England (d. 1918)
  • 1889-01-19 Sophie Taeuber-Arp, Swiss painter, sculptor and dancer, born in Davos, Switzerland (d. 1943)
  • 1890-03-12 Vaslav Nijinsky, Ukrainian legendary ballet dancer (Petroesjka - Ballets Russes) and choreographer, born in Kyiv, Russian Empire (d. 1950) [OS=Feb 28]
  • 1891-10-21 Ted Shawn, American modern dance pioneer and choreographer (Dance We Must), born in St. Louis, Missouri (d. 1972)
  • 1893-04-17 Irene Castle, American vaudeville, stage, and screen dancer, and animal rights activist, born in New Rochelle, New York (d. 1969)
  • 1893-07-25 Dorothy Dickson, American actress and dancer (Paying The Piper; Danny Boy), born in Kansas City, Missouri (d. 1995)
  • 1893-09-03 Florrie Rodrigo, Dutch dancer, choreographer, and teacher (Schepelingen), born in Amsterdam, Netherlands (d. 1996)
  • 1895-04-04 Arthur Murray [Moses Teichman], American ballroom dancer and businessman (Arthur Murray Dance Party), born in New York City (d. 1991)
  • 1896-08-09 Leonide Massine, Russian ballet dancer and choreographer (Diaghilev Ballets Russes, 1914-20), born in Moscow, Russian Empire (d. 1979)
  • 1896-09-10 Adele Astaire [Lady Charles Cavendish], American dancer and entertainer, sister of Fred Astaire (Last Man on Earth; Millie), born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 1981)
  • 1896-11-23 Ruth Etting, American stage, radio, and screen singer ("Shine On Harvest Moon"; "Ten Cents A Dance"), and actress (Roman Scandals; Ziegfeld Follies), born in David City, Nebraska (d. 1978)
  • 1896-11-28 Lilia Skala, Austrian actress (House of Games, Flashdance, Charly), born in Vienna, Austria-Hungary (d. 1994)
  • 1898-01-31 Fred Rich, Polish-American jazz pianist and dance band bandleader ("I'm Tickled Pink with a Blue-Eyed Baby"; The Abbott and Costello Show), born in Warsaw, Poland (d. 1956)
  • 1898-02-21 Vasily Vainonen, Russian ballet dancer and choreographer (Gayaneh), born in Saint Petersburg, Russia (d. 1964)
  • 1898-05-02 Henry Hall, British bandleader (BBC Dance Orchestra), born in Peckham, South London, England (d. 1989)
  • 1898-09-08 Queenie Smith, American character actress and dancer (Funny Side; Little House On The Prairie), born in Texas (d. 1978)
  • 1899-02-20 Leon Woizikowsky, Polish dancer (Ballets Russes, 1916-29), ballet master and teacher, born in Warsaw, Poland (d. 1975)

Fred Astaire (1899-1987)

1899-05-10 American stage and screen tap dancer, singer ("Night And Day"; "Cheek To Cheek"; "Let's Call The Whole Thing Off"), and actor (Royal Wedding; Easter Parade; Swingtime), born in Omaha, Nebraska

  • 1900-08-25 Mary Bruce, American tap dance teacher, born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1995)

Sammy Davis Sr. (1900-1988)

1900-12-12 American vaudeville dancer (Mr. Wonderful), born in Wilmington, North Carolina

  • 1901-01-31 Blaž Arnič, Slovenian composer (Ples čarovnic (The Dance of the Witches)), and pedagogue, born in Luče, Lower Styria, Austria-Hungary (now Slovenia) (d. 1970)
  • 1901-07-22 Charles Weidman, American choreographer and modern dancer (Candide), born in Lincoln, Nebraska (d. 1975)
  • 1901-10-24 Gilda Gray [Marianna Michalska], Polish-American stage and screen actress (Piccadilly), and dancer (The Shimmy), born in Krakau, Galicia, Austria-Hungary (d. 1959)
  • 1902-01-08 Gret Palucca, German dancer and choreographer (Silent Song), born in Munich, Germany (d. 1993)
  • 1902-02-09 Blanche Calloway, American jazz vocalist, bandleader (Twelve Clouds of Joy), civil rights activist, and broadcaster, born in Rochester, New York (d. 1978)
  • 1902-02-19 John Bubbles, American rhythm tap dancer (No Maps on My Taps), born in Louisville, Kentucky (d. 1986)
  • 1902-04-03 Henri Garat, French actor and singer (Les dieux s'amusent; Congress Dances), born in Paris, France (d. 1959)

George Murphy (1902-1992)

1902-07-04 American politician (US Senator, California), actor and dancer (MGM Parade), born in New Haven, Connecticut

  • 1903-02-04 Edwin Denby, American dance critic and poet (Snoring in N; Horse Eats Hat), born in Tientsin, China (d. 1924)
  • 1903-03-25 Frankie Carle [Francesco Carlone], American pianist, known as "the Wizard of the Keyboard", big band and dance orchestra leader, and songwriter ("Sunrise Serenade"; "The Golden Touch"), born in Providence, Rhode Island (d. 2001)
  • 1903-06-13 Filip Kutev, Bulgarian composer (State Ensemble for Folk Song and Dance), born in Aytos, Burgas (d. 1982)
  • 1904-01-03 Boris Kochno, Russian ballet dancer (La Chatte) and librettist, born in Moscow, Russia (d. 1990)
  • 1904-01-10 Ray Bolger, American dancer, actor, and singer (The Wizard of Oz - "Scarecrow"; Partridge Family - "Grandpa Renfrew"), born in Dorchester, Massachusetts (d. 1987)
  • 1904-02-29 Rukmini Devi Arundale (née Sastri), Indian dancer, educator (co-founder of Kalakshetra Academy), politician (Member or Parliament, 1952-62), and animal rights activist, born in Madurai, Madras Presidency, British India (d. 1986)
  • 1904-03-30 Akarova [Marguerite Acarin], Belgian dancer and choreographer (Les Biches), born in Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, Belgium (d. 1999)
  • 1904-04-03 Sally Rand, American burlesque dancer, vedette, and actress known for her ostrich feather fan and balloon bubble dances, born in Elkton, Missouri (d. 1979)
  • 1904-07-27 Anton Dolin [Sydney Francis Patrick Chippendall Healey-kay], British dancer (Girl From Petrovka), born in Slinfold, Sussex, England (d. 1983)
  • 1904-11-15 Tilly Losch, Austrian dancer and actress (Duel in the Sun, Garden of Allah), born in Vienna, Austria (d. 1975) [birth date disputed]
  • 1905-04-02 Serge Lifar, Russian-French dancer, choreographer (Paris Opera Ballet), born in Kyiv, Ukraine (d. 1986)
  • 1905-08-04 Boris Alexandrov, Soviet-Russian conductor (Alexandrov Ensemble, 1946-86), and composer, chiefly of patriotic and military music, born in Bologoye, Russian Empire (d. 1994)
  • 1905-09-01 Elvera Sanchez, Puerto Rican dancer (d. 2000)
  • 1905-09-18 Agnes De Mille, American dancer and choreographer (Oklahoma), born in New York City (d. 1993)
  • 1905-10-09 May Moxon, Scottish dance producer, born in Townhead, Glasgow (d. 1996)
  • 1905-10-15 Edna Deane (née Sewell) British dancer, choreographer and drama teacher, born in Orange Free State of South Africa (d. 1995)
  • 1905-12-14 Sydney Lipton, British dance band bandleader, born in London (d. 1995)
  • 1906-02-20 Jack Jackson, British trumpeter, dance band bandleader, and influential BBC disc jockey, born in Barnsley, Yorkshire, England (d. 1978)
  • 1906-03-17 Tamara Geva, Russian-born dancer and actress, born in St. Petersburg, Russian Empire (d. 1997)

Josephine Baker (1906-1975)

1906-06-03 American-French song and dance revue artist (Folies-Bergere), actress, and civil rights activist, born in St. Louis, Missouri

  • 1906-06-21 Helene Costello, American dancer and actress (Love Toy), born in New York City (d. 1957)
  • 1906-09-15 Kathryn Murray, American dancer (Arthur Murray Dance Party), born in Jersey City, New Jersey (d. 1999)
  • 1906-12-27 Oscar Levant, American pianist, composer and actor (An American in Paris; Dance of Life), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (d. 1972)
  • 1907-04-20 William Dollar, American ballet dancer and choreographer, born in St. Louis, Missouri (d. 1986)
  • 1907-11-03 Jim Hepburn, British tap-dancer and socialist, born in London, England (d. 1995)
  • 1908-01-12 José Limón, Mexican-American dancer and choreographer (The Moor's Pavane; I, Odysseus), born in Culiacán, Mexico (d. 1972)
  • 1908-06-24 Guru Gopinath, Indian classical dancer, born in Champakulam, Kuttanad (now Kerala), British India (d. 1987)
  • 1908-11-24 Ray Carter, American orchestra leader (Arthur Murray Dance Party), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1982)
  • 1909-04-09 Robert Helpmann, Australian actor, choreographer and dancer (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Don Quixote), born in Mount Gambier, South Australia (d. 1986)
  • 1909-04-23 (Frederick) "Erick" Hawkins, American modern ballet dancer, and choreographer (Martha Graham Dance Company, 1939-51; Erick Hawkins Dance Company, 1951-94), born in Trinidad, Colorado (d. 1994)
  • 1909-06-22 Katherine Dunham, American dancer (Casbah; Stormy Weather), choreographer (Metroplitan Opera, 1963; Joplin's Treemonisha, 1972), and social activist, born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2006)
  • 1909-08-25 Ruby Keeler, Canadian-American actress, singer, and dancer (Dames; 42nd Street), born in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia (d. 1993)
  • 1910-01-20 Nina Verchinina, Russian-Brazilian ballet dancer and choreographer, born in Moscow, Russia (d. 1995) [1]
  • 1910-05-23 (Benjamin) "Scatman" Crothers, American singer, musician ("I'd Rather Be a Hummingbird"), and actor (Chico and the Man - "Louie", The Shining), born in Terre Haute, Indiana (d. 1986)
  • 1910-12-25 David Lichine [Lichtenstein], Russian-American dancer and choreographer (Make Mine Music), born in Rostov-on-Don, Russia (d. 1972)
  • 1911-01-27 Benay Venuta [Benvenuta Rose Crooke], American actress, singer and dancer (Annie Get Your Gun, Call Me Mister), born in San Francisco, California (d. 1995)

Weddings in Music

  • 1848-03-20 King Louis I of Bayern abdicates to marry dancer Lola Montez

Mata Hari

1895-07-11 Dutch exotic dancer, courtesan and accused spy Mata Hari (18) weds Dutch colonial army Captain Rudolph MacLeod in Amsterdam

Isadora Duncan

1922-05-02 Dancer Isadora Duncan (44) weds Sergei Esenin (26)

James Cagney

1922-09-28 American stage and film actor, dancer, and singer James Cagney (23) weds American dancer Frances Vernon in NYC

Frank Lloyd Wright

1928-08-25 American architect Frank Lloyd Wright (61) weds Montenegrin dancer and writer Olga Ivanovna (27) in Rancho Santa Fe, California (his third marriage, her second), until his death in 1959

Ginger Rogers

1929-03-29 American actress and dancer Ginger Rogers (17) weds her dancing partner Jack Pepper (26); divorce in 1931

Lou Costello

1934-01-30 American comedian and actor Lou Costello (27) weds American burlesque dancer Anne Battler (21)

  • 1934-11-13 American actress and dancer Ginger Rogers (23) weds "All Quiet on the Western Front" actor Lew Ayres (25); divorce in 1940

Nat King Cole

1937-01-27 Musician Nat King Cole (17) weds dancer Nadine Robinson in Ypsilanti, Michigan

Dylan Thomas

1937-07-11 Welsh poet and writer Dylan Thomas (22) marries dancer Caitlin McNamara (22) in Penzance, Cornwall

Guy Gibson

1940-11-23 RAF pilot Guy Gibson (22) weds show dancer and actress Eve Moore in Penarth’s Anglican Church

Vera-Ellen

1941-02-04 American dancer and actress Vera-Ellen (19) weds fellow American dancer Robert Hightower; divorce in 1946

Louis Armstrong

1942-10-12 American jazz musician Louis Armstrong (41) weds fourth and final wife, American Cotton Club dancer Lucille Wilson (28), at singer Velma Middleton's home in St. Louis, Missouri, until his death in 1971 [1]

  • 1948-05-15 American dancer and actress Cyd Charisse (26) weds American pop singer Tony Martin (34)

Louis Jordan

1951-11-14 American swing musician Louis Jordan (43) weds dancer Vicky Hayes

Jerry Lewis

1983-02-13 Film genius Jerry Lewis (56) marries 2nd wife dancer SanDee Pitnick

Andrew Lloyd Webber & Sarah Brightman

1984-03-22 Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber (36) weds singer and dancer Sarah Brightman (23) in Hampshire, England

  • 1987-05-16 American singer David Crosby (45) weds Jan Dance (35) at Hollywood Church of Religious Science in Los Angeles, California

Tom Selleck

1987-08-07 American "Magnum, P.I." actor Tom Selleck (42) weds second wife British actress and dancer Jillie Mack (29) in Incline Village, Nevada

  • 1992-06-06 "The Montel Williams Show" talk show host Montel Williams (35) weds burlesque dancer Grace Morley

Prince Rogers Nelson

1996-02-14 American singer Prince Rogers Nelson (37) weds belly dancer Mayte Garcia (22) in Minneapolis; divorce in 1999

Paula Abdul

1996-10-25 American pop singer-dancer Paula Abdul (33) weds sportswear designer Brad Beckerman (30) at Beverly Hills Four Seasons Hotel; divorce in 1998

Wayne Brady

1999-04-05 Talk show host Wayne Brady (26) weds dancer Mandie Taketa

Jennifer Lopez

2001-09-29 American singer-actress Jennifer Lopez (32) weds dancer-choreographer Cris Judd (32) in Calabasas, California; divorce in 2004

LeAnn Rimes

2002-02-23 "Blue" country and pop singer LeAnn Rimes (19) weds backup dancer Dean Sheremet (21) at Perkins Chapel in Dallas, Texas

Britney Spears

2004-09-18 Pop star Britney Spears (22) weds rapper-dancer Kevin Federline (26) in Studio City, California

Michael Flatley

2006-10-14 "Celtic Tiger" choreographer Michael Flatley (48) weds fellow dancer Niamh O'Brien at St. Patrick's Church in Fermoy, Ireland

  • 2007-09-01 "Dancing with the Stars" TV personality Alec Mazo (29) weds fellow dancer Edyta Sliwinska (28) in San Francisco, California

Natalie Portman

2012-08-04 Actress Natalie Portman (31) weds ballet dancer and choreographer Benjamin Millepied (35) in Big Sur, California

  • 2012-08-18 "Melrose Place" actor Grant Show (50) weds "The Campaign" actress and former ballet dancer Katherine LaNasa (45) at The Oak Grove at Ribbit Tree & Plant Nursery in Topanga, California
  • 2013-09-06 Actor Josh Charles (41) weds ballet dancer and author Sophie Flack at a private residence in Manhattan, New York City
  • 2013-09-29 Actor and musician Jackson Rathbone (28) weds burlesque dancer Sheila Hafsadi in Malibu, California
  • 2013-10-12 Former Guns N' Roses Matt Sorum (52) weds singer and dancer Adriane Harper in Palm Springs, California
  • 2013-12-10 American "So You Think You Can Dance" dancer Stephen "tWitch" Boss (31) weds fellow SYTYCD alum Allison Holker (25) at SYTYCD creator Nigel Lythgoe's Villa San Juliette Vineyard and Winery in Paso Robles, California, until his death in 2022
  • 2015-06-18 Dancing with the Stars pro dancer Lindsay Arnold (21) weds highschool sweetheart Samuel Lightner Cusick in Salt Lake City
  • 2015-07-11 Professional dancer Kevin Clifton (33) weds fellow dancer Karen Hauer (33) at One Great George Street in Westminster

Misty Copeland

2016-07-31 Ballet dancer Misty Copeland (33) weds attorney Olu Evans in Laguna Beach, California

Elliot Page

2018-01-03 Canadian actress Ellen Page reveals she has married Canadian dancer and choreographer Emma Portner; divorce in 2021


Divorces in Music

Nat King Cole

1948-03-22 American musician Nat King Cole (29) divorces dancer Nadine Robinson after 11 years of marriage

José Ferrer

1953-07-07 Actor José Ferrer divorces dancer and actress Phyllis Hill after 5 years of marriage

Andrew Lloyd Webber & Sarah Brightman

1990-01-03 Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber (41) divorces singer/dancer Sarah Brightman (29) after almost 7 years of marriage

Prince Rogers Nelson

1999-02-14 American singer Prince Rogers Nelson (40) divorces belly dancer Mayte Garcia (25) after 2 years of marriage

Wayne Brady

2007-07-02 Dancer Mandie Taketa divorces talk show host Wayne Brady (34) due to irreconcilable differences after 8 years of marriage

Marilyn Manson

2007-07-05 Burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese (34) divorces rocker Marilyn Manson (38) due to irreconcilable differences after a year of marriage

Britney Spears

2007-07-30 Pop star Britney Spears (25) divorces rapper-dancer Kevin Federline (29) due to irreconcilable differences after over two years of marriage

LeAnn Rimes

2010-06-19 Backup dancer Dean Sheremet (29) divorces Grammy Award-winning singer LeAnn Rimes (27) after nearly eight years of marriage


Deaths in Music

Deaths 1 - 100 of 242

  • 1770-04-28 Marie-Anne de Cupis de Camargo, French dancer, dies at 60
  • 1787-03-11 Maximilien Gardel, French ballet dancer and choreographer (Menuet Reine), dies at 45
  • 1808-09-27 Gaétan Vestris, French ballet dancer, dies at 79
  • 1810-10-19 Jean-Georges Noverre, French dancer and choreographer (ballet d'action), dies at 83
  • 1816-12-16 Vincenzo Galeotti [Tomasselli], Italian dancer, ballet master (Royal Danish Ballet, 1775-1816), and choreographer (Amors og Balletmesterens Luner (The Whims of Cupid and the Ballet Master)), dies at 73
  • 1820-03-26 Jean-Etienne Despreaux, French ballet dancer and composer, dies at 71
  • 1822-10-16 Eva Marie Veigel [La Violette], Austrian ballet dancer and wife of actor David Garrick, dies at 98
  • 1842-12-05 Marie-Jean Auguste Vestris, French ballet dancer, dies at 82
  • 1870-09-02 Arthur Saint-Leon, French composer and dancer, dies at 48

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

1897-04-03 German composer and conductor (Hungarian Dances; A German Requiem), dies at 63

  • 1898-07-07 Lucien Petipa, French dancer/choreograph/ballet leader, dies
  • 1899-06-10 Ernest Chausson, French Romantic composer (Poème; Solitude dance le bois), dies in a bicycling accident at 44
  • 1905-03-15 Luigi Manzotti, Italian mime artist, dancer and ballet choreographer, dies at 70
  • 1910-07-01 Marius Petipa, French ballet dancer and choreographer (Casse-noisette), dies at 92
  • 1916-12-28 Eduard Strauss, Austrian composer (318 dances), dies at 81

Mata Hari (1876-1917)

1917-10-15 Dutch exotic dancer, courtesan and convicted German WWI spy, executed by firing squad at 41

  • 1918-02-15 Vernon Castle [Blyth] English-American vaudeville, stage, and screen ballroom dancer, and fighter pilot, dies in a plane crash at 30
  • 1924-06-23 Cecil Sharp, British collector of English folk music and dance, dies at 64

Isadora Duncan (1877-1927)

1927-09-14 American free form/interpretative dancer, dies at 50 due to her scarf becoming entangled in her car's wheel

  • 1927-11-01 Florence Mills [Winfrey], American cabaret singer, dancer and comedian, known as 'the Queen of Happiness', dies of tuberculosis at 31
  • 1928-02-16 Eddie Foy Sr. [Edwin Fitzgerald], Irish-American actor, singer and dancer (A Favorite Fool), dies at 71
  • 1929-01-29 La Goulue [Louise Weber], French can-can dancer (Moulin Rouge), known as the Queen of Montmartre, dies at 62
  • 1929-03-15 Clarence "Pinetop" Smith, American jazz pianist and singer (Boogie Woogie Piano), dies of a gunshot wound in a dance-hall fight at 24
  • 1929-08-19 Sergei Diaghilev, Russian ballet director (founder of the Ballets Russes), dies freom complications of diabetes at 57
  • 1941-04-17 Al Bowlly, South African-British dance band vocalist ("Midnight, The Stars, And You"), and bandleader, dies in a German bombing raid of London at 43
  • 1942-08-22 Mikhail Fokine, Russian ballet dancer and choreographer, dies at 62
  • 1946-09-16 Mamie Smith, American vaudeville singer, dancer and actress (Crazy Blues), dies at 63

Bill Robinson (1878-1949)

1949-11-25 American actor and tap dancer (Stormy Weather; The Little Colonel), dies at 71

  • 1950-04-08 Vaslav Nijinsky, Ukrainian legendary ballet dancer and choreographer, dies in London at 60
  • 1951-11-05 Agrippina J Vaganova, Russian ballet dancer and pedagogue (Fundamentals of the Classical Dance), dies at 72
  • 1952-07-27 W de Basil [US Voskresenski], Russian ballet dancer, dies
  • 1954-12-20 Emilis Melngailis, Latvian choral composer, folklorist, and conductor (Latvian Song and Dance Festival), dies at 80
  • 1956-09-08 Fred Rich, Polish-American jazz pianist and dance band bandleader ("I'm Tickled Pink with a Blue-Eyed Baby"; The Abbott and Costello Show), dies at 58
  • 1956-11-22 Theodore Kosloff, Russian-born actor, ballet dancer and choreographer, dies at 74
  • 1958-07-01 Rudolf von Laban, Czech-German choreographer (modern dance), dies at 78
  • 1958-12-01 Patricia "Boots" Mallory, American dancer and actress (Handle With Care), dies from chronic throat disease at 45
  • 1958-12-29 Doris Humphrey, American dancer and choreographer (Dances of Women), dies at 63
  • 1959-02-20 Ray McDonald, American stage and screen tap dancer, dies choking on food at 38
  • 1959-07-20 Harry Fox [Arthur Carringford], American vaudeville dancer, comedian and actor (Talent Scout), dies at 77
  • 1961-04-02 Wallingford Riegger, American cellist, composer (New Dance; Cooper Square), and educator, dies from head injuries in a dog walking accident at 75
  • 1961-11-01 Joan McCracken, American stage and screen actress, dancer and comedienne (Oklahoma!; Claudia: Story of a Marriage), dies of a heart attack at 43
  • 1963-11-19 Carmen Amaya, Spanish flamenco dancer, dies at about 50
  • 1964-01-23 Louis Horst, American dance choreographer and composer, dies at 80
  • 1964-05-10 Carol Haney, dancer (Pantomime Quiz), dies at 35
  • 1968-07-21 Ruth St. Denis, American modern dance pioneer and teacher (Dances of the 5 Senses), dies at 91
  • 1969-01-25 Irene Castle, American vaudeville, stage, and screen dancer, and animal rights activist, dies at 75
  • 1970-02-01 Blaž Arnič, Slovenian composer (Ples čarovnic (The Dance of the Witches)), and pedagogue, dies in a car crash at 69
  • 1970-08-23 Nel Roos, Dutch ballerina and dance teacher, dies of a heart attack at 55
  • 1971-09-22 Yvonne St Clair, American dancer, dies at 57
  • 1972-12-02 José Limón, Mexican-American dancer and choreographer (The Moor's Pavane; I, Odysseus), dies of cancer at 64

Betty Grable (1916-1973)

1973-07-02 American singer, dancer, pin-up girl and actress (I Wake Up Screaming, How to Marry a Millionaire, Gay Divorcee), dies of lung cancer at 56

  • 1974-05-23 Kathleen Cannell, American fashion and dance writer, dies at 82

Josephine Baker (1906-1975)

1975-04-12 American-French song and dance revue artist (Folies-Bergere), actress, and civil rights activist, dies of a cerebral hemorrhage at 68

  • 1978-01-15 Jack Jackson, British trumpeter, dance band bandleader, and influential BBC disc jockey, dies at 71
  • 1979-03-15 Leonide Massine, Russian ballet dancer and choreographer (Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, 1914-20), dies at 82
  • 1981-07-27 Ray Harrison, dancer (American Song), dies at 64

Vera-Ellen (1921-1981)

1981-08-30 American actress and dancer (White Christmas; Big Leaguer; On the Town), dies of cancer at 60

  • 1981-09-03 Mary Jane DeZurik, American country singer and hillbilly yodeler (The Cackle Sisters - National Barn Dance, Grand Ole Opry), dies at 64
  • 1982-02-27 Malika Sabirova, Soviet Tajik ballet dancer, dies at 39
  • 1982-11-27 Filip Kutev, Bulgarian composer (State Ensemble for Folk Song and Dance), dies at 79
  • 1983-07-12 Edwin Denby, American dance critic and poet (Snoring in N, Horse Eats Hat), dies at 80
  • 1983-11-25 Anton Dolin [Sydney Francis Patrick Chippendall Healey-kay], British dancer (Girl From Petrovka), dies at 79
  • 1984-02-09 (Tanjore) Balasaraswathi, Indian classical dancer, dies at 65
  • 1984-09-19 June Preisser, American acrobatic dancer and actress (Babes in Arms; Strike Up the Band), dies in a car crash at 64
  • 1984-10-25 Pascale Ogier, actress (Ghost Dance), dies of a heart attack at 24
  • 1985-05-02 Hal LeRoy [John LeRoy Schotte], American vaudeville, Broadway and film dancer (Ziegfeld's Follies of 1931), dies at 71 after surgery
  • 1985-09-06 Jane Frazee [Mary Jane Frehse], American actress, singer, and dancer (Beautiful But Broke, Beulah), dies at 70 of pneumonia
  • 1986-02-01 Dick James [Leon Vapnick], British dance band vocalist and Beatles' music publisher (Northern Songs), dies of a heart attack at 65
  • 1986-02-28 William Dollar, American ballet dancer and choreographer, dies at 79
  • 1986-04-01 Erik Bruhn, Danish dancer (National Ballet of Canada), dies at 57
  • 1986-05-18 John Bubbles Sublett, American tap dancer (Black & Bubbles), dies at 84
  • 1986-09-28 Robert Helpmann, Australian actor, choreographer and dancer (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Don Quixote), dies at 77
  • 1986-11-22 (Benjamin) "Scatman" Crothers, American singer, musician ("I'd Rather Be a Hummingbird"), and actor (Chico and the Man - "Louie"; The Shining), dies of lung cancerat 76
  • 1986-12-15 Serge Lifar, Russian-French dancer, choreographer (Paris Opera Ballet), dies at 81
  • 1987-01-15 Ray Bolger, American dancer, actor, and singer (Wizard of Oz - "Scarecrow"; Partridge Family - "Grandpa Renfrew"), dies of bladder cancer at 83
  • 1987-02-28 Nora Kaye, American ballet dancer, and Broadway and film choreographer, dies of cancer at 67
  • 1987-04-20 Antony Tudor, English dancer and choreographer (American Ballet Theater), dies at 78

Fred Astaire (1899-1987)

1987-06-22 American stage and screen tap dancer, singer ("Night And Day"; "Cheek To Cheek"; "Let's Call The Whole Thing Off"), and actor (Royal Wedding; Easter Parade; Swingtime), dies of pneumonia at 88

  • 1987-10-09 Guru Gopinath, Indian classical dancer, dies at 79
  • 1987-12-12 Enrique Jorrín, Cuban charanga violinist and pop-dance music composer, considered the father of the cha-cha-chá, dies at 60

Sammy Davis Sr. (1900-1988)

1988-05-21 American vaudeville dancer (Mr. Wonderful), dies at 87

  • 1988-12-22 (Thomas) "Tucker" Smith, American stage and screen dancer, singer and actor (West Side Story - "Ice"), dies of cancer at 52
  • 1989-01-27 Bayani Casimiro, Filipino dancer and actor [Okey Ka Fairy Ko!], dies at 70
  • 1989-08-23 Helen le Clerq, Dutch dancer and choreographer, dies at 57
  • 1989-10-28 Henry Hall, British bandleader (BBC Dance Orchestra), dies at 91

Sammy Davis Jr. (1925-1990)

1990-05-16 American vaudeville, stage, and screen dancer, singer ("The Candy Man"), actor (Ocean's 11), and Rat Pack member, dies of throat cancer at 64

  • 1990-09-16 Steve Condos, tap dancer, dies of a heart attack at 71
  • 1991-03-03 Arthur Murray [Moses Teichman], American ballroom dancer and businessman (Arthur Murray Dance Party), dies at 95 of pneumonia
  • 1991-07-03 Irina Nijinska, Russian American dancer, dies at 77
  • 1991-08-09 Corrie Hartong, Dutch dance pioneer, dies at 85
  • 1991-08-12 Irene Campbell, British actress/dancer (Wicker Man, St Justice), dies
  • 1991-08-20 Betty Bowden, British dancer and actress (Vote for Nigel), dies at 86
  • 1991-11-10 Tutte Lemkow, dancer and director (Capt Paradise; I Am A Camera), dies at 73
  • 1991-12-27 Edward M Love, American Broadaway dancer and choreographer, dies of AIDS at 43
  • 1992-01-28 Clark Tippet, American dancer and choreographer (American Ballet Theatre), dies at 37
  • 1992-03-20 Frank Westbrook, American Broadway dancer and choreographer, dies at 82
  • 1992-05-02 Joey Cuevas, American movie dancer, dies at 34
  • 1992-09-07 Indra Kamadjojo [Broekveld], Indon/Dutch dancer (Stille Kracht), dies
  • 1992-10-26 Jerome Andrews, American-French dancer and choreographer, dies at 84
  • 1992-10-28 Joan Maloney Rio, dancer, dies of cancer at 57