Denise Jefferson facts for kids

Denise Adele Jefferson (born November 1, 1944 – died July 17, 2010) was an important American dance teacher. She was the director of the Ailey School, which is part of the famous Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, from 1984 until she passed away.

Early Life and Dance Dreams

Denise Jefferson was born in Chicago. When she was eight years old, she started learning ballet. She was a very skilled dancer. However, she decided not to become a professional ballet dancer. This was because she had never seen any dancers who were not white in ballet companies at that time.

She went to college and studied the French language. She earned her first degree from Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts. Later, she earned a master's degree from New York University. She also received a special scholarship to study at the Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance. Her professional dance career began when she joined Pearl Lang's Dance Theater.

Denise Jefferson had a daughter named Francesca Harper, who is a singer, dancer, and choreographer. Her sister, Margo Jefferson, is a writer who won a special award called the Pulitzer Prize. Margo used to write about theater for The New York Times.

Leading the Ailey School

In 1974, Denise Jefferson was hired by the Ailey School of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Ten years later, in 1984, Alvin Ailey himself chose her to be the school's director. She held this important job until she died in 2010.

Under her leadership, the Ailey School grew a lot. It became a large school with 3,500 students and 75 teachers. They taught many different dance styles, including classical ballet, jazz dance, and modern dance.

Denise Jefferson also created a special program with Fordham University. This program allowed students to get a college degree while also getting top-level dance training. Students would earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Fordham University. About half of their studies would be at the Ailey School, focusing on dance techniques and choreography. The other half would be regular college courses at Fordham.

Death

Denise Jefferson lived in Manhattan, a part of New York City. She passed away there on July 17, 2010, at the age of 65. She died from ovarian cancer. Her daughter, Francesca Harper, survived her.