Agnes de Mille

Agnes George de Mille (September 8, 1905 – October 7 1993) was an American dancer and choreographer. She was born in Harlem into a well-connected family of theater professionals (her uncle was Hollywood director Cecil B. DeMille and also the granddaughter of economist Henry George).

She had to convince her parents to let her take dancing lessons because she was considered a terrible dancer. She graduated from UCLA and moved to London in 1932 to study at Marie Rambert's Ballet Club.

In 1939 she was invited to join the American Ballet Theatre. There she created Black Ritual, the first ballet to use an all-black cast.

After that, she worked as choreographer on many major musicals and a number of films, including:

• Rodeo (1942)
• Oklahoma! (1943)
• Carousel (1945)
• Brigadoon (1947)
• Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1949)
• Paint Your Wagon (1951)

In 1953, she founded the Agnes de Mille Theater and wrote a number of dance books.

She suffered a stroke in 1975, but recovered after a long battle. She received the Handel Medallion for achievement in the arts in 1976.