Gemze de Lappe (b. February 28, 1922, Portsmouth, Virginia)[1] is an American dancer who worked very closely with Agnes de Mille and was frequently partnered by de Mille's favorite male dancer, James Mitchell.
Originally trained by Irma Duncan and Michel Fokine, de Lappe began her career in Fokine's company. Her Broadway musical theatre performance credits include Simon of Legree in the original production of The King and I (also in the film version), Paint Your Wagon (Donaldson Award winner), Juno, and The American Dance Machine. She also appeared in the original West End and first national companies of Oklahoma!, dancing the iconic role of Laurey in the 'Dream Ballet'. In the early 1950s, she briefly formed part of a dance team with Dean Crane.[2] De Lappe's long concert dance career included engagements with American Ballet Theatre and the Agnes de Mille Dance Theatre. [3]
De Lappe remains active as a choreographer and teacher, but is especially well-known for reconstructing the work of de Mille, Isadora Duncan, and Jerome Robbins. She recreated de Mille's choreography for the 1979 Broadway revival of Oklahoma! and choreographed Abe Lincoln in Illinois on Broadway. De Lappe regularly travels the country, recreating the original choreography for such shows as The King and I, Oklahoma!, Brigadoon, and Carousel for various professional, regional, and educational theatre companies. In Spring 2011, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts presented an accurate recreation of the original Broadway production of Oklahoma! De Lappe recreated the original choreography, two-time Tony Award nominated actor Terrence Mann directed, and John Mauceri, the school's chancellor and former director of the Hollywood Bowl orchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. [4]
For several years, she was a professor of dance at Smith College, and has held a number of visiting appointments since her nominal retirement. In 1989, Niagara University awarded her an honorary doctorate.
In 2007, she was awarded Tony Award Honor for Excellence in Theatre. [5]