Gerald Arpino | |
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 Arpino in 1981 | |
| Born | Genarro Peter Arpino (1923-01-14)January 14, 1923 Staten Island, New York, U.S. |
| Died | October 29, 2008(2008-10-29) (aged 85) |
| Occupation(s) | Choreographer, dancer, director |
| Years active | 1950–2007 |
| Partner | Robert Joffrey |
| Career | |
| Former groups | Joffrey Ballet |
| Website | arpinojoffreyfoundation |
Gerald Arpino (January 14, 1923 – October 29, 2008) was an American dancer andchoreographer. He was the co-founder of theJoffrey Ballet and succeededRobert Joffrey as its artistic director in 1988.[1]
Born onStaten Island, New York, Gerald Arpino studiedballet withMary Ann Wells, while stationed with theCoast Guard inSeattle, Washington. Arpino first metRobert Joffrey at Wells's school. He studiedmodern dance withMay O'Donnell in whose company he appeared in the 1950s.[2]
In 1956, Arpino was a founding member of theRobert Joffrey Theatre Ballet with Robert Joffrey. He served as co-director of the company's school, the American Ballet Center, and was the leading dancer until an injury forced him to stop in 1963.[3] By 1965 he had choreographed five works for the company, and became the Joffrey's co-director and resident choreographer. In the first twenty-five years of the company's existence, Arpino had created more than a third of all its commissioned ballets.[4][5]
After the death ofRobert Joffrey in 1988, Arpino became the artistic director of the Joffrey Ballet and in 1995 moved the company to Chicago. In July 2007, he was named "Artistic Director Emeritus" as a search for a successor began. Arpino suffered from prostate cancer for seven months and eventually died on October 29, 2008.
Malcolm McDowell plays a character loosely based on Arpino in theRobert Altman filmThe Company, which had the participation of theJoffrey Ballet.
In 2014 Arpino was inducted into theChicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame.[6]
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