Dancers Over 40 Begins Second Season

Dancers Over 40 begins the second season of its popular series of panels and performances by honoring "Jack Cole, Still Alive and Kicking" on Monday, October 13th at 7:30 pm at The Leonard Nimoy Thalia at Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway at 95th Street.  Jack Cole is the man who gave Broadway, film and television a vocabulary and style of movement that is still imitated today.  Protégés Gwen Verdon, Chita Rivera, Carol Haney and Bob Fosse have passed down his legacy, and his influence can still be seen; even the MTV generation owes him a debt of gratitude.  This panel will be the first for DO40 to include multi-media, since Cole was a master on Film and Television as well as Theater.  The larger theatre DO40 to present Jack Cole, Still Alive and Kicking, to a even larger audience than their previous events.  The popularity of these panels exposes a need within the theatrical and dance community to preserve the History, the Legacy and the Lives of these important people – and the actors and dancers who made everything Work!

There will be clips of Cole's television and film work, with special guests Marge Champion (an incredible clip/number from a Cole-choreographed movie, "Three for the Show", 1955), Harvey Evans, choreographer Alan Johnson, and other Broadway performers from the 40s to today (tba).  DO40's member, Norma Doggett Beswick, was picked by Cole at 17 to perform in "Magdalena" (1948), and she will talk about her experience flying out to Los Angeles to audition for him.  Member Gemze deLappe assisted Cole in his revival of "Kismet", and member Stuart Hodes discussed his experiences in that show in DO40's first panel in May 2007. Documentary filmmaker and member Annette Macdonald and member and Cole biographer Svetlana Grody will also be featured.   (artists subject to change)

Along with honoring directors, choreographers and dancers, DO40's mission is also to assist dancers in need, and they have found a soul-mate in The Actors Fund. Beginning this fall, Dancers Over 40 will be donating a portion of their resources to Bebe Neuwirth's new initiative at the Actors Fund, The Dancers' Resource.  It was created to assist dancers in all aspects of their lives and career.  DO40 is not only promoting their own history and legacy, but will now help by donating yearly to this important fund to help dancers enrich their lives and continue their artistic journey.  DO40 is also a Resource, and to continue our Legacy by donating video from these events to the Jerome Robbins Dance Collection at the Lincoln Center Library for the Performing Arts and by working closely with the Actors Fund and The Dancers' Resource to ensure that the lives we live can be enriched and the legacy we leave will not be forgotten.

Tickets are only $15.00 for DO40 members, $35.00 for non-members and are available by calling Symphony Space at 212-864-5400 or going to their website, www.symphonyspace.org.   

Dancers Over 40, Inc. was created as a not-for-profit organization to provide a community of support in response to the fiscal -- as well as physical - needs of mature dancers, choreographers and related artists. The goals are to seek educational opportunities, present seminars, socials and panel discussions on topics important to mature dancers concerned about their ability to continue to live and work in a creative environment and continue the legacy to those dancers about to begin their journey.  Founded in 1994 by a group of Broadway dancers, the growing organization also publishes a newsletter.  Memberships are available for all (you do not have to be a dancer).  For more information as well as photos and features on DO40 events please go to the website:  www.dancersover40.org