DAN302_Holley

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Kaylee Holley DAN 302

About Glen Tetley: Glen Tetley, whose birth name was Glenford Andrew Tetley, Jr., was an American dancer born on February 3, 1926 in Cleveland, Ohio. Tetley went to medical school at Franklin and Marshall College, and discovered his passion for dance throughout his time there. After he graduated medical school in 1946, he pursued dance at New York University and the Metropolitan Opera Ballet School. He was trained by some of the best teachers, such as Martha Graham and Antony Tudor, in modern and ballet technique, and later went on to begin his dance career. His first performance opportunity was in Hanya Holm’s Broadway production of “Kiss Me, Kate” in 1948 followed by “Juno” ten years later, and eventually a movie called “I am a Dancer.” Tetley also danced with the Martha Graham Company, New York City Opera Ballet, John Butler’s American Dance Theatre, American Ballet Theatre, and Jerome Robinson’s Ballet: USA. Another big accomplishment was becoming an original member of the Joffrey Ballet.

After his performance career came to an end, he began choreographing himself. Because of his strong mix of modern and ballet training, his choreography ended up being a clear mix of the two, creating a new way of looking at dance. He’s best known for his piece “Pierrot Lunaire,” which was performed as his choreographic premier in 1962. Throughout his choreographic career, Tetley created over fifty “ballets” for multiple dance companies, including his own. He eventually moved to Europe in 1969 because he felt like there was more artistic freedom. He ended up taking the job of Artistic Director at the Netherlands Dance Theatre and the Stuttgart Ballet. He worked and danced for a while until moving back to North America to work for the National Ballet of Canada. After a long, fulfilling dance career, Glen Tetley died on January 26, 2007 in West Palm Beach, Florida due to skin cancer. My Inspiration: Glen Tetley inspired me and challenged me to become confident in whatever style I love, and to go at life full force. He did what he wanted to do and made life worth living. I was astounded at his determination and his passion, and I hope to make myself known in a similar way that he did. What I’ve gained the most out of this research is the inspiration to create what I want to create and be proud of it.

Glen Tetley


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