Rosella Hightower, an Oklahoma-born ballerina of enormous flair and virtuosity who followed up a celebrated international career by founding the Centre de Danse Classique in Cannes, France, one of the worlds leading ballet schools, has died at her home in Cannes, her daughter said Tuesday. Miss Hightower was 88.
Her daughter, Dominique Monet Robier, told Agence France-Presse that her mother died overnight, late Monday or early Tuesday, after suffering several strokes.
Miss Hightower was adored in Europe. After winning praise in the United States during the 1940s for her performances with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, Ballet Theater (as American Ballet Theater was known then) and Col. W. de Basils Ballets Russes, she went to Europe with the Grand Ballet de Monte Carlo (later called the Grand Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas), and became the first 20th-century American ballerina to hold a leading place on the European stage.
Yet she remained proud of being not only an American ballerina but also a Native American ballerina, of Choctaw descent. She was one of five Oklahoma-born American Indian ballerinas whose careers began in the 1940s, the others being Yvonne Chouteau, Moscelyne Larkin and the sisters Maria Tallchief and Marjorie Tallchief.
In 1991 the State of Oklahoma honored the five dancers when it dedicated a mural depicting them, titled Flight of Spirit, in the Great Rotunda of the State Capitol in Oklahoma City.
Miss Hightower won acclaim as early as 1943, when her dancing in the Nutcracker pas de deux with Ballet Theater caused John Martin, the dance critic of The New York Times, to declare, Here, assuredly, is an American ballerina in the full sense of the term.
In 1947, as a member of the de Basil company, a theatrical emergency made Miss Hightower an overnight sensation. Alicia Markova had been scheduled to portray the title role in Giselle at the troupes opening performance on March 20 at the Metropolitan Opera House. But when Miss Markova fell ill, Miss Hightower, who had never danced the part before, learned it in only five hours. Her performance, Mr. Martin wrote, exhibited not only the assurance of the fine trouper but also the quality of the genuine artist. (Miss Markova died in 2004.)
She settled in Cannes, where in 1962 she opened the Centre de Danse Classique, soon recognized as one of Europes leading ballet schools. Miss Hightower also directed major companies, including the Marseilles Ballet (1969-72), the Ballet of the Grand Thtre of Nancy (1973-74) in France and La Scala Ballet (1985-86) in Milan.
Her daughter, Dominique Monet Robier, told Agence France-Presse that her mother died overnight, late Monday or early Tuesday, after suffering several strokes.
Miss Hightower was adored in Europe. After winning praise in the United States during the 1940s for her performances with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, Ballet Theater (as American Ballet Theater was known then) and Col. W. de Basils Ballets Russes, she went to Europe with the Grand Ballet de Monte Carlo (later called the Grand Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas), and became the first 20th-century American ballerina to hold a leading place on the European stage.
Yet she remained proud of being not only an American ballerina but also a Native American ballerina, of Choctaw descent. She was one of five Oklahoma-born American Indian ballerinas whose careers began in the 1940s, the others being Yvonne Chouteau, Moscelyne Larkin and the sisters Maria Tallchief and Marjorie Tallchief.
In 1991 the State of Oklahoma honored the five dancers when it dedicated a mural depicting them, titled Flight of Spirit, in the Great Rotunda of the State Capitol in Oklahoma City.
Miss Hightower won acclaim as early as 1943, when her dancing in the Nutcracker pas de deux with Ballet Theater caused John Martin, the dance critic of The New York Times, to declare, Here, assuredly, is an American ballerina in the full sense of the term.
In 1947, as a member of the de Basil company, a theatrical emergency made Miss Hightower an overnight sensation. Alicia Markova had been scheduled to portray the title role in Giselle at the troupes opening performance on March 20 at the Metropolitan Opera House. But when Miss Markova fell ill, Miss Hightower, who had never danced the part before, learned it in only five hours. Her performance, Mr. Martin wrote, exhibited not only the assurance of the fine trouper but also the quality of the genuine artist. (Miss Markova died in 2004.) She settled in Cannes, where in 1962 she opened the Centre de Danse Classique, soon recognized as one of Europes leading ballet schools. Miss Hightower also directed major companies, including the Marseilles Ballet (1969-72), the Ballet of the Grand Thtre of Nancy (1973-74) in France and La Scala Ballet (1985-86) in Milan.
