Williams, Lavinia (1916–1989)

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Williams, Lavinia (1916–1989)

African-American dancer. Born in Philadelphia, PA, 1916; died July 19, 1989, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti; studied at Art Students League, 1935; m. Shannon Yarborough; children: Sara Yarborough (b. 1950, ballet dancer).

Danced with American Negro Ballet (1936–39), Agnes de Mille's American Ballet Theater (1940), then with Katherine Dunham Company (1940–45), where she was featured in numerous solos in such works as Rites de Passage, Bolero and Rara Tonga; appeared on Broadway in Cabin in the Sky, Show Boat, Finian's Rainbow, and My Darlin' Aida; appeared in film Stormy Weather (1943); toured Europe in Noble Sissle's revival of Shuffle Along (1945–46); founded Haitian Institute of Folklore and Classic Dance (1954) and became director of Haiti's Theatre de Verdure, remaining in Haiti for 26 years; worked to develop national schools of dance in Guyana (1972–76) and Bahamas (1976–80); returned to NY to teach dance at Alvin Ailey School.

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Williams, Lavinia (1916–1989)

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