William Weslow

William Weslow is an American dancer who split his career between ballet and musical theatre.

William Weslow
Born1925
Seattle, Washington, USA
OccupationDancer

Dance career

Weslow studied ballet with the noted teacher Mary Ann Wells, whose other students included Marc Platt and Tommy Rall.[1] He spent most of his career with the New York City Ballet, where he was promoted to soloist by 1960.[2] In addition to featured roles in George Balanchine's Night Shadows (or La Somnambula), Theme and Variations, The Prodigal Son, Western Symphony, and The Four Temperaments, Weslow also danced in ballets by Frederick Ashton, Todd Bolender, Willam Christensen, and Lew Christensen. At American Ballet Theatre, he was featured in Katherine Litz's The Enchanted. Some of his performances were filmed and have been archived at the New York Public Library.

On Broadway, Weslow was featured in Annie Get Your Gun and appeared in the original casts of four other musicals, including Call Me Madam, Wonderful Town, and Plain and Fancy. He also performed at Radio City Music Hall.

Weslow's television credits include being a regular on Your Hit Parade, as well as guest appearances on Omnibus and various specials.

Later life

By the late 1960s, Weslow had already gained a reputation as a skilled masseur, working with dancers like his friend Edward Villella.[3] After retiring from dance, Weslow became a successful massage therapist.[4]

Personal life

Weslow was involved at various times with photographer George Platt Lynes[5] and choreographer Jerome Robbins.[6]

References
  1. Sasha Anawalt, The Joffrey Ballet: Robert Joffrey and the Making of an American Dance Company (Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1998), 44n. ISBN 0-226-01755-9.
  2. John Martin, "Artists of the New York City Ballet in an Ever More Distinctive Setting," New York Times 21-2-1960: X10. ProQuest. Accessed 4-3-2008.
  3. Edward Villella, Prodigal Son: Dancing for Balanchine in a World of Pain and Magic (Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1998), 195, 197. ISBN 0-8229-5666-7.
  4. Deborah Blumenthal, "The Advantages of Massage," New York Times 15-5-1983: 337. ProQuest. Accessed 4-3-2008.
  5. David Leddick, Intimate Companions: A Triography of George Platt Lynes, Paul Cadmus, Lincoln Kierstein, and Their Circle (New York: Macmillan, 2000), 256. ISBN 0-312-27127-1.
  6. Greg Lawrence, Dance with Demons: The Life of Jerome Robbins (New York: Berkley, 2002), 163. ISBN 0-425-18347-5.

Further reading
  • "Weslow, William." In Barbara Naomi Cohen-Stratyner, Biographical Dictionary of Dance. New York: Collier Macmillan, 1982.

William Weslow at the Internet Broadway Database

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