Jack Cole (choreographer)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jack Cole (1911 - 1974) , born John Ewing Richter, was an American choreographer, and is known as the father of theatrical jazz dance.
Cole virtually invented the idiom of American Show Dancing known as "Theater Dance." He developed an entirely personal mode of jazz-ethnic-ballet that prevails as the dominant look of and technique for dancing in today's musicals, films, nightclub revues, television commercials and music videos.
Born in New Brunswick, New Jersey , Cole is remembered as the prime innovator of the theatrical jazz dance heritage. Early on he decided to pursue dance with the Denishawn Dance Company led by Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn. Cole also performed with Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman, but eventually left the modern dance world for commercial dance career in nightclubs, performing with Alice Dudley, Anna Austin and Florence Lessing.
Cole is credited with choreographing the Broadway shows Magdalena, Carnival in Flanders, Kismet, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Kean, Donneybrook!, Jamaica, and Man of La Mancha. His filmwork includes Moon Over Miami, Cover Girl,Tonight and Every Night, Gilda, The Merry Widow, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, There's No Business Like Show Business, The I Don't Care Girl, Thrill Of Brazil, Down To Earth, Kismet, Les Girls, and many others. He was most famous in Hollywood for his work with Rita Hayworth and Marilyn Monroe.
Jack Cole's unmistakable style endures in the work of Gwen Verdon, Bob Fosse, Jerome Robbins, Gower Champion, Peter Gennaro, Michael Bennett, Tommy Tune, and countless other dancers and choreographers.
