22 Facts About Murray Louis

Murray Louis was an American modern dancer and choreographer.

Murray Louis was one out of five children and his mother died when he was eight years old.

Murray Louis was then sent to an orphanage until he was twelve.

Murray Louis graduated from Samuel J Tilden High School in 1944.

Murray Louis was discharged from the US Navy in 1946 and began to live in San Francisco, California.

Murray Louis then enrolled at Colorado College for a summer session conducted by Hanya Holm in 1949.

Murray Louis made his debut as the lead soloist in Nikolais' newly formed Playhouse Dance Company.

Murray Louis died in New York City on February 1,2016, at the age of 89.

Murray Louis's company was then chosen to represent the US State Department on a two-month tour of India in 1968.

Murray Louis created two works for Rudolph Nureyev which premiered on Broadway in 1978.

Murray Louis additionally worked in television in the United States and Europe.

In July 1987 PBS televised Nik and Murray Louis, an award-winning documentary film by Christian Blackwood, in their American Masters series.

Murray Louis had his collection of essays, Inside Dance, published by St Martin's Press and released a five-part film series, Dance as an Art Form, which is used as an introduction series for Educational Arts programs in the United States.

Murray Louis did not dance for 2 years after Nikolais' death.

Murray Louis had many accomplishments and received copious numbers of awards, recognitions, and honorary degrees.

Murray Louis received the Dance Magazine award in 1977, which was presented to him by his former dance instructor Hanya Holm.

Murray Louis received his first Honorary Degree from Indiana University in 1970, his Honorary Doctorate of Performing Arts from Ohio University in 1999, his second Honorary Degree from Rutgers University in 2000, and his third Honorary Degree from the Boston Conservatory in 2004.

In 1998 Louis started assembling his archives and they are now available at the Ohio University's Vernon R Alden Library in Athens, Ohio.

Murray Louis created more than one hundred works, performed in 20 nations and every state of the United States, and toured five continents.

Murray Louis is one of the few choreographers to have danced in his own creations and a variety of composers produced music for him and his performances.

Murray Louis choreographed to the music of Bach, Brahms, Schubert, Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky and many others composers.

Murray Louis lived and worked in New York City, New York.