Rosella Hightower (1920-2008)

HistoryRosella Hightower (1920-2008)

History : Rosella Hightower (1920-2008)

Born in Oklahoma (in the United States) to an Irish mother and an Indian father, Rosella Hightower became a Charleston and tap dance champion at the age of 7 and began studying classical dance at the age of 11. 

In 1938, as a professional dancer, she became the star of the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo and then went on to excell in all the ballets in the repertoire of the Marquis de Cuevas’s Grand Ballet company, particularly, Bronislava Nijinska’s Petrouchka and Sleeping Beauty. When the Marquis de Cuevas died, the Company disbanded. 

After 1961, Rosella Hightower devoted her time to teaching and in 1962 she opened the Centre de Danse Classique in Cannes which would later become the École supérieure de Danse de Cannes Rosella Hightower. 

From 1981 to 1983, she was Dance Director of the Paris Opera Ballet and in 1982, she revived two of the great ballets of the classical repertoire: Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker

Immerse in the Paris Opera universe

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