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- Cousin Janet Collins mentored de Lavallade, inspiring her pursuit of dance and overcoming barriers in classical ballet.
- At 16 she earned a scholarship to study with modern dance master Lester Horton, training in diverse disciplines.
- She joined Alvin Ailey’s company and performed as lead with Horton, shaping a foundational modern dance career.
- Broadway role in House of Flowers led to meeting and marrying collaborator Geoffrey Holder.
- Six-decade career included teaching at Yale, major company work, awards, and performing until age 88.
Carmen de Lavallade, a groundbreaking Black dancer and choreographer, died on Monday, December 29. The 94-year-old legend died at a hospital in Englewood, NJ, following a brief illness. Ms. Lavallade was the widow of dancer, actor, director, and choreographer Geoffrey Holder. Their son confirmed her passing.
A Family Member Inspired Lavallade’s Dance Aspiration
She was born Carmen Paula de Lavallade on March 6, 1931, in Los Angeles. Her family, originally from New Orleans, had migrated West in the 1920s. Her father, Leo, was a bricklayer and a postal worker. Her mom, Grace Grenot de Lavallade, passed away when the dancer was a teen.
Her cousin, Janet Collins, who broke glass ceilings to become the first prima ballerina at the Metropolitan Opera House in the 1950s, fueled Ms. de Lavallade’s interest in dance and served as her mentor. The aspiring dancer was dedicated to learning and took three buses to get to her classes in Hollywood.
It paid off: at the age of 16, she received a scholarship to study with modern dance master and Dance Theater of Los Angeles founder Lester Horton. She brought her high school buddy, Alvin Ailey, to class.
Ms. Lavallade performed as a lead dancer with Horton from 1949 until 1954, when she joined Alvin Ailey’s company. According to the New York Times, Lavallade said, “At Mr. HHorton’sschool, she soaked up his multidisciplinary approach, taking classes in ballet, modern and African dance forms, as well as acting, music and painting.”
Ms Lavallade’s Broadway Debut Led to Love
Her exquisite dance prowess caught the attention of influential people. Lena Horne helped introduce Ms. Lavallade to film roles in Hollywood. She acted opposite Harry Belafonte in Odds Against Tomorrow. A role in Otto Preminger’s Carmen Jones led to her being cast in the Broadway production of Truman Capote’s House of Flowers. It debuted in December 1954 with stars including Pearl Bailey, Diahann Carroll, and Alvin Ailey. During production, she met co-star Geoffrey Holder, and the two married in 1955, remaining an artistic power couple until he died in 2014. The two choreographed her signature solo, “Come Sunday.”
Her Career Spanned Six Decades
The prolific actor, dancer, and choreographer led her talent to several companies, including Donald McKayle, the American Ballet Theater, the Dance Theatre of Harlem, and the Metropolitan Opera. She joined the Yale School of Drama as a choreographer and performer-in-residence in the 1970s, before becoming a professor at the Yale Repertory Theater. She continued to dance throughout the decades, giving her final performance at 88.
Ms. de Lavallade and her work garnered numerous awards, including the Black History Month Lifetime Achievement Award, the Bessie Award, and the Rosie Award. She received the 2017 Kennedy Center Honors. Her legacy will continue to inspire creatives for decades to come.
Our sincere condolences go out to her family, including her son, Leo, and her sister, Yvonne de Lavallade Davis.
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