Ruth Page
Encyclopedia
Ruth Page was an American
ballerina
and choreographer, considered a pioneer in creating works on American themes. To the classical ballet vocabulary she added movements from sports, popular dance and everyday gestures.
Born in Indianapolis
, Ruth Page studied with Adolph Bolm
in New York, and after a tour of South America with the company of Anna Pavlova, she joined Bolm's Ballet Intime. In 1919 she came to Chicago
to dance the leading role in Birthday of the Infanta, based on a play by Oscar Wilde
, choreographed by Bolm to a score by John Alden Carpenter
. Page and Bolm appeared in a short experimental dance film Danse Macabre (1922) directed by Dudley Murphy
.
After dancing in a Broadway musical, she returned to Chicago in 1924 as principal dancer with Bolm's Allied Arts Ballet. From 1926 to 1931 she was principal dancer and choreographer for the Ravinia Opera Company. While dancing and directing the ballet ensemble for the Chicago Opera Company
(from 1934 to 1945, with several off-seasons), Page co-directed with Bentley Stone the Dance Project of the Works Progress Administration's Federal Theatre (1938 and 1939). From 1954 to 1969 she directed the ballet for Chicago Lyric Opera and toured America in the company known as Ruth Page's Opera Ballet, choreographing full-scale ballets on opera subjects. She was choreographer for several of Vladimir Rosing
's state centennial spectaculars, including The Kansas Story in 1961.
In 1965 Page choreographed a large-scale production of The Nutcracker
, which was presented annually through 1997 by the Chicago Tribune Charities in the Arie Crown Theatre. On retiring from active choreography, Page created the Ruth Page Foundation, which established the Ruth Page Foundation School of Dance, as it was originally known, and which later became the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, as it is known now (http://www.ruthpage.org/).
Page wrote an autobiography, Page by Page, which was published in 1978.
She was married to attorney Thomas Hart Fisher from 1925 to 1969 and to artist Andre Delfau from 1983 until the time of her death. She is buried in Graceland Cemetery
in Chicago. Page's brother, Irvine H. Page
, was a noted physician and scientest who married Beatrice Allen Page, who was, herself, a dancer and a published author and poet. Ruth Page's great-niece, Emily Page, is an artist who focuses much of her artwork on dance.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ballerina
Ballerina
A ballerina is a title used to describe a principal female professional ballet dancer in a large company; the male equivalent to this title is danseur or ballerino...
and choreographer, considered a pioneer in creating works on American themes. To the classical ballet vocabulary she added movements from sports, popular dance and everyday gestures.
Born in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, Ruth Page studied with Adolph Bolm
Adolph Bolm
Adolph Rudolphovitch Bolm was a Russian born American ballet dancer and choreographer....
in New York, and after a tour of South America with the company of Anna Pavlova, she joined Bolm's Ballet Intime. In 1919 she came to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
to dance the leading role in Birthday of the Infanta, based on a play by Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish writer and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s...
, choreographed by Bolm to a score by John Alden Carpenter
John Alden Carpenter
John Alden Carpenter was an American composer.-Biography:Born in Park Ridge, Illinois, Carpenter was raised in a musical household. He was educated at Harvard University, where he studied under John Knowles Paine, and was president of the Glee Club and wrote music for the Hasty-Pudding Club...
. Page and Bolm appeared in a short experimental dance film Danse Macabre (1922) directed by Dudley Murphy
Dudley Murphy
Dudley Murphy was an American film director. Murphy was born on July 10, 1897 in Winchester, Massachusetts...
.
After dancing in a Broadway musical, she returned to Chicago in 1924 as principal dancer with Bolm's Allied Arts Ballet. From 1926 to 1931 she was principal dancer and choreographer for the Ravinia Opera Company. While dancing and directing the ballet ensemble for the Chicago Opera Company
Chicago Opera Company
The Chicago Opera Company was a grand opera company in Chicago, organized from the remaining assets of the bankrupt Chicago City Opera Company, that produced six seasons of opera at the Civic Opera House from 1940 to 1946 . Fausto Cleva was artistic director 1944-1946, and until 1945 Fortune Gallo...
(from 1934 to 1945, with several off-seasons), Page co-directed with Bentley Stone the Dance Project of the Works Progress Administration's Federal Theatre (1938 and 1939). From 1954 to 1969 she directed the ballet for Chicago Lyric Opera and toured America in the company known as Ruth Page's Opera Ballet, choreographing full-scale ballets on opera subjects. She was choreographer for several of Vladimir Rosing
Vladimir Rosing
Vladimir Sergeyevich Rosing , aka Val Rosing, was a Russian-born operatic tenor and stage director who spent most of his professional career in England and the United States...
's state centennial spectaculars, including The Kansas Story in 1961.
In 1965 Page choreographed a large-scale production of The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker is a two-act ballet, originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The libretto is adapted from E.T.A. Hoffmann's story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King". It was given its première at the Mariinsky Theatre in St...
, which was presented annually through 1997 by the Chicago Tribune Charities in the Arie Crown Theatre. On retiring from active choreography, Page created the Ruth Page Foundation, which established the Ruth Page Foundation School of Dance, as it was originally known, and which later became the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, as it is known now (http://www.ruthpage.org/).
Page wrote an autobiography, Page by Page, which was published in 1978.
She was married to attorney Thomas Hart Fisher from 1925 to 1969 and to artist Andre Delfau from 1983 until the time of her death. She is buried in Graceland Cemetery
Graceland Cemetery
Graceland Cemetery is a large Victorian era cemetery located in the north side community area of Uptown, in the city of Chicago, Illinois, USA. Established in 1860, its main entrance is at the intersection of Clark Street and Irving Park Road...
in Chicago. Page's brother, Irvine H. Page
Irvine Page
Irvine Heinly Page was born in Indianapolis, Indiana and was an American physiologist who played an important part in the field of hypertension for almost 60 years....
, was a noted physician and scientest who married Beatrice Allen Page, who was, herself, a dancer and a published author and poet. Ruth Page's great-niece, Emily Page, is an artist who focuses much of her artwork on dance.
Winners of a Ruth Page award for choreography
- Venetia Stifler
- Timothy O'Slynne
- Maia Wilkins
- Jan ErkertJan ErkertJan Erkert is a dance-maker, teacher, author and Head of the Department of Dance at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.1-Dance Company:...
- Patti Eylar (2011)
External links
- Ruth Page Nutcracker Papers at Newberry LibraryNewberry LibraryThe Newberry Library is a privately endowed, independent research library for the humanities and social sciences in Chicago, Illinois. Although it is private, non-circulating library, the Newberry Library is free and open to the public...
- Ruth Page Works and Memorabilia at Newberry LibraryNewberry LibraryThe Newberry Library is a privately endowed, independent research library for the humanities and social sciences in Chicago, Illinois. Although it is private, non-circulating library, the Newberry Library is free and open to the public...