Gamson, Annabelle (1928–)

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Gamson, Annabelle (1928–)

American concert dancer. Name variations: Annabelle Gold. Born Aug 6, 1928, in New York, NY.

Trained with Julia Levien, a disciple of Anna and Irma Duncan dance groups; made professional debut at 16 with Katharine Dunham's concert group at Café Society Uptown in New York City; joined Jerome Robbins' road company as understudy in On the Town; appeared on Broadway in Finian's Rainbow (1947), Arms and the Girl (1950), and Make Mine Manhattan (1948); moved to Paris for several years with then husband; returned to NY (c. 1955) and soon performed once more on Broadway in Pipe Dream (1955), on tv on "The Ed Sullivan Show" and "Lamp Unto My Feet"; appeared in concerts for Anna Sokolow, with American Ballet theater, and Ballet Theater Workshop; stepped back from performance career (1960s) to teach and work with opera companies from time to time; returned to stage with Isadora Duncan revival (1970s) when she presented own choreography in solo concerts and began holding lecture-demonstrations with Julia Levien (1972). Works of choreography include First Movement (1976), Five Easy Pieces (1976), Portrait of Rose (1976), Dances of Death (1978) and Two Dances (1979).