13 Facts About Bertram Ross

Bertram Ross was an American dancer best known for his work with the Martha Graham Dance Company, with which he performed for two decades.

Bertram Ross was Martha Graham's longtime dance partner and the originator of male roles in most of her major ballets from the 1950s and 1960s, including Adam in Embattled Garden, and both Agamemnon and Orestes in Clytemnestra.

Bertram Ross was introduced to the performing arts at an early age.

Bertram Ross attended Oberlin College, then spent World War II as a mapmaker for the Army.

Bertram Ross began taking classes at Martha Graham's School under the GI Bill.

In 1966, when Martha Graham fell ill, Bertram Ross was named co-director of the company, first with Robert Cohan, then with Mary Hinkson, both veteran Graham dancers.

Bertram Ross left the company in 1973, reportedly due to artistic differences with Protas.

Bertram Ross held classes at Juilliard, New York University and the Mary Anthony Studio.

Bertram Ross staged solo dance-theater projects, including Noah and Raymond Duncan, a portrait of Isadora Duncan's brother.

Bertram Ross sang a comic Irving Berlin number Cohen Owes Me $97, which he intoned in the thick Yiddish accent for which Berlin had written it.

Bertram Ross met Wallowitch through mutual friends in the arts community; both were already familiar with each other's work.

Bertram Ross had suffered from Parkinson's disease in later years.

Bertram Ross is buried beside Wallowitch, who died in 2007, at Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, New York.