Name Waldeen Falkenstein | ||
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Born February 1, 1913 ( 1913-02-01 ) Dallas, United States Died August 18, 1993, Cuernavaca, Mexico | ||
Waldeen (von) Falkenstein Brooke de Zatz better known as "Waldeen" (February 1, 1913 – August 18, 1993) was an American-born dancer and choreographer. Together with Anna Sokolow, Alicia Markova, Anton Dolin and Michel Descombey, she belongs to the great precursors of modern Mexican dance.
Biography
Waldeen was born in Dallas and joined the Japanese choreographer Seki Sano when he moved to Mexico. Afterwards she left Mexico but returned together with the dancer Winifred Widener to Mexico City in 1939, where they danced at the theater of fine arts (Spanish: Teatro de Bellas Artes). She was ordered to establish the Ballet de Bellas Artes, the ballet group of the theater, which she led until it was dissolved in 1947. At this time she had also an affair with Bodo Uhse and lived together with him, before he married Alma Agee.
Waldeen married Rodolfo Valencia, a theater director, and was invited by the revolutionary government of Cuba, where she stood from 1962 to 1965. In 1966 she established a further ballet company, known as the "Waldeen Ballet". Notable dancers of the company were Guillermina Bravo and Ana Mérida. She died in Cuernavaca.