Caccialanza, Gisella (1914–1998)

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Caccialanza, Gisella (1914–1998)

American ballet dancer. Name variations: Giselle Caccialanza; Gisella C. Christensen. Born Sept 17, 1914, in San Diego, California; died July 16, 1998, in San Bruno, California; m. Lew Christensen (dancer, died 1984).

Trained and worked with Enrico Cecchetti in Milan (1925–28); toured in US with Albertina Rasch's dance troupes; joined Balanchine's newly formed American Ballet and created roles in his Serenade (1934), Le Baiser de la Fée (1937), Ballet Imperial (1941) and Four Temperaments (1946); danced with Ballet Caravan in premieres of Harlequin for President (1936), Promenade (1936) and The Soldier and the Gypsy (1936); danced with husband Lew Christensen at San Francisco Ballet in CA, before retiring to teach and coach.