Ruth Page (ballerina) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ruth Page
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Page, photographed by Charlotte Fairchild, from an advertisement for Cantilever Shoes, 1922
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| Born | March 22, 1899 Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
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| Died | April 7, 1991 (aged 92) |
| Occupation | Ballerina, choreographer |
Ruth Page (born March 22, 1899, died April 7, 1991) was an amazing American ballerina (a female ballet dancer) and choreographer (someone who creates dance routines). She was known for making new and exciting dance pieces, often inspired by American stories and ideas.
Contents
Life and Career of Ruth Page
Early Life and Training
Ruth Page was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1899. She started her professional dance training with many famous teachers. Some of her teachers included Jan Zalewski, Adolph Bolm, and Enrico Cecchetti. She also learned from Harald Kreutzberg and Mary Wigman.
First Steps on Stage
Ruth Page made her first professional appearance on Broadway in 1917. The next year, she toured South America with Anna Pavlova’s Company. In 1919, she danced in Chicago's Auditorium Theater. She performed in The Birthday of the Infanta by John Alden Carpenter.
A Busy Dance Career
For the next 40 years, Ruth Page danced non-stop! She performed with many groups, including Adolph Bolm’s Ballet Intime. She also danced on Broadway in Music Box Revue and with Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes. She worked with the Metropolitan, Ravinia, and Chicago Operas. She also danced with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and Les Ballets Americains.
Ruth Page also created dances for almost all these companies. In 1947, she choreographed the Broadway show Music in My Heart. She also directed and choreographed her own dance companies in Chicago. She continued this work into the 1970s.
New Ideas in Dance
In 1937, Ruth Page created An American Pattern. This ballet is seen as the first "feminist" ballet made in the United States. It explored themes important to women.
From 1943 to 1946, she tried something new called "danced poems." These works combined her love for poetry and movement. She called this project Dances with Words and Music. These performances allowed her to express her own feelings as a woman. They also helped challenge old ideas about women in ballet.
Ruth Page created hundreds of dance works. These included ballets about American life. She also made her unique "dances with words and music." A very special part of her work was turning operas into ballets. She believed that dance could "sing" the story of an opera. She translated the words into movement in an abstract way.
Famous Collaborations
In 1965, she choreographed a big production of The Nutcracker. This show was performed every year until 1997. It featured many of the world's greatest dancers.
Ruth Page danced with famous partners like Bentley Stone and Walter Camryn. She also worked with many great composers and designers. Some of these included Aaron Copland, Darius Milhaud, and Isamu Noguchi.
In 1962, the famous dancer Rudolf Nureyev chose Ruth Page's Chicago Opera Ballet for his first performance in New York City. Her ballets have been performed by dance companies across the United States. These include Chicago, Milwaukee, and New York. They have also been performed in Europe.
Dance on Screen
Ruth Page filmed her ballets throughout her career. Several of them, like Frankie & Johnny and The Merry Widow, became award-winning television films. As early as 1958, her Chicago Opera Ballet dancers appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show.
In the 1960s, her choreography was often shown on live television. She created a TV version of Georges Bizet's opera Carmen as a ballet. She made many ballets set to the music of famous opera and classical composers. These included Ludwig van Beethoven (Sonata Pathetique) and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (Romeo and Juliet, The Nutcracker).
Two award-winning documentaries have been made about her life: Ruth Page: An American Original and Ruth Page: Once Upon a Dancer. Her work and legacy are kept in major archives. These include the Dance Division at Lincoln Center.
Ruth Page's Legacy
After she stopped actively choreographing, Ruth Page created the Ruth Page Foundation. This foundation started the Ruth Page Foundation School of Dance. Today, it is known as the Ruth Page Center for the Arts.
Ruth Page was married to Thomas Hart Fisher from 1925 to 1969. She later married artist Andre Delfau from 1983 until her death in 1991. She is buried in Graceland Cemetery in Chicago. Her brother, Irvine H. Page, was a well-known doctor and scientist.
Ruth Page Center for the Arts
The Ruth Page Center for the Arts continues Ruth Page's vision. It is a place for dance education and performances.
Ruth Page Civic Ballet
The Ruth Page Civic Ballet is a special youth performance company. It is part of the Ruth Page School of Dance. This company helps talented young dancers bridge the gap between training and professional performance.
The Civic Ballet gives advanced dance students chances to perform. This helps them continue their training. Dancers in the company often go on to join professional dance companies around the world. Guest artists and choreographers also join the Civic's dancers in performances.
A highlight of the Civic's schedule is their annual performance of The Nutcracker. This show has been a tradition since 2003. It recreates Ruth Page's original full-length ballet from 1965. The show features beautiful dancing, costumes, and magical settings. It brings joy to children and families during the holidays.
Ruth Page Award
The Ruth Page Center for the Arts gives out the Ruth Page Award. This award has been given since 1986. It honors individuals or groups who show artistic excellence in dance. The award helps support their artistic journey.
A special committee chooses the award winner. This committee includes members from the Chicago dance community. It also has past Ruth Page Award winners and staff from the Ruth Page Center for the Arts.
Here are some of the people who have received the award:
- 2019: Jenai Cutcher
- 2014: Diane Rawlinson
- 2012: Sid Smith
- 2011: Patti Eylar
- 2010: Chicago Dancing Festival and its founders: Lar Lubovitch, Jay Franke, and David Herro
- 2009: Pamela Crutchfield and Bill T. Jones
- 2008: Peggy Sutton and the Mayfair Academy of Fine Arts
- 2007: Gail Kalver, Harriet Ross, and Salme H. Steinberg
- 2006: Billy Siegenfeld
- 2005: Margaret Nelson and Scott Silberstein
- 2004: Keith Elliott and Dance For Life
- 2003: Dame Libby Komaiko
- 2002: Cheryl Mann
- 2001: Davis Robertson for choreography
- 2001: Paul Christiano, for choreography of Miracle, Interrupted
- 1986: Carol Russell
- Claire Bataille
- Jan Erkert
- Winifred Haun
- Timothy O'Slynne
- Venetia Stifler
- Maia Wilkins
See also
In Spanish: Ruth Page para niños
