Vanoye William Aikens (27 November 1922 – 24 August 2013), also known as Van Aikens, was an American dancer and actor. He was known for his work with fellow dancer Katherine Dunham, with whom he danced internationally on stage and screen.
Vanoye Aikens | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of Vanoye Aikens by Annemarie Heinrich, 1958. | |
| Born | 27 November 1922 Georgia, USA |
| Died | August 24, 2013 (aged 90) Los Angeles, California, USA |
| Burial place | Jonesboro, Georgia, USA |
| Known for | Dancing with the Katherine Dunham Company |
Biography
editAikens was born in Georgia[1] on 27 November 1922.[citation needed] He attended Morehouse College but was unable to complete his degree due to financial issues.[2] He went on to serve in the U.S. Navy.[1]
Afterwards, he traveled to New York City,[1] where Katherine Dunham Company dancer Lenwood Morris encouraged him to audition for the dance troupe.[3] He joined the troupe as a student in 1943. He went on to perform on Broadway with the company through the 1940s and 1950s, as well as tour through United States, Europe and South America until the troupe disbanded in 1963.[2]
After the dance group was disbanded, Aikens briefly worked in film as an actor, singer, and dancer.[2][3] He then taught dance as a lecturer at the Danshögskolan in Sweden, as well as in Germany and Spain until the mid-1980s.[citation needed] Later, he returned to the United States, where he worked with Katherine Dunham and the Alvin Ailey Dance Company in Los Angeles.[3]
Aikens died in Los Angeles on August 24, 2013. He is buried in Jonesboro, Georgia.[2][4]
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Role | Director(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | Mambo | Dancer (uncredited) | Robert Rossen |
| 1960 | The Revolt of the Slaves (La rivolta degli schiavi) | Iface (credited as "Van Aikens") | Nunzio Malasomma |
| 1961 | Barabbas (Barabba) | Prisoner in Mines (uncredited) | Richard Fleischer |
| 1961 | The Story of Joseph and His Brethren (Giuseppe venduto dai fratelli) | Slave on the hunting expedition (uncredited) | Irving Rapper, Luciano Ricci |
| 1961 | Rage of the Buccaneers (Gordon, il pirata nero) | Does not appear (credited as "Van Aikens") | Mario Costa |
| 1961 | The Giant of Metropolis (Il gigante di Metropolis) | Dancer (uncredited) | Umberto Sarpelli |
| 1961 | Goliath and the Vampires (Maciste contro il vampiro) | Amahil (credited as "Van Aikens") | Sergio Corbucci, Giacomo Gentilomo |
| 1961 | Tropico di notte | Dancer (credited as "Van Aikins") | Renzo Russo |
| 1962 | Eve (Eva) | Nightclub dancer (credited as "Van Eicken") | Joseph Losey |
| 1962 | Sodom and Gomorrha | Specialty Dancer (uncredited) | Robert Aldrich |
| 1963 | Cleopatra[1] | Dancer (uncredited) | Joseph L. Mankiewicz |
| 1971 | I Eat Your Skin | Robey | Del Tenney |
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Katherine Dunham dancer Vanoye Aikens dies at 96". San Diego Union-Tribune. 2013-08-28. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
- ^ a b c d "VANOYE AIKENS (1917 - 2013)". Marshall Dance Company. Retrieved 2024-03-10.
- ^ a b c "La Danse Noire Magazine Premier Issue No 1". La Danse Noire. 2015-01-07. p. 34. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
- ^ Warren, Charmaine Patricia (2013-09-12). "Katherine Dunham dancer Vanoye Aikens passes". New York Amsterdam News. Retrieved 2024-03-10.
External links
edit- Kisselgoff, Anna (January 17, 1979). "Katherine Dunham Gala Is Occasion for Nostalgia". The New York Times. Retrieved March 11, 2024.