Several weeks ago I featured J.D. Toloff's photos of noted dancer Ruth St. Denis as "The Peacock". In my writeup I mentioned that Ruth St. Denis was 1/2 of Denishawn. Denishawn was a School of Dancing and its Related Arts, and also a Dance Company. This week's Toloff feature is from the other 1/2 of Denishawn - Ted Shawn. Ted Shawn was, without a doubt, the greatest male dancer who ever lived. A short biography of Ted Shawn can be found here:
Here is a vintage advertisement for Denishawn (photos not by Toloff):
And here for your enjoyment from 1914 is Ted Shawn as the god '"Pan" by J.D. Toloff:
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| Ted Shawn as "Pan" by J.D. Toloff |
I have also seen the photo in black and white:
I don't know if Toloff added the tinting, or it was added by someone else.
The glory that was Denishawn lives on today at Jacob's Pillow, in Becket, Massachusetts, in the Berkshires. Jacob's Pillow is a dance school, retreat, and theater founded by Ted Shawn. There is a good writeup on Jacob's Pillow here:
J.D. Toloff has left us many fine examples of the versatility of his work. His photos are superb whether taken indoors or out. The man was truly an artist.
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