When she was 17 years old, Niles was hired as a dancer at the Capitol Theatre in New York City. She soon specialized in "exotic" dances meant to evoke Asian cultures, in spectacles choreographed by Alexander Oumansky. She and her sister danced recitals together in 1926-1927,[6] including two at Carnegie Hall.[7][8] At 22, she went to Spain, to study Spanish dance. She soon performed for King Alfonso XIII and Queen Victoria Eugenia.[9] Though her company toured in the United States in 1928-1929,[10][11] she stayed mainly in Europe, performing and learning until 1940, when the hazards of World War II sent her home to the United States.[12] In 1928 she wrote a syndicated series of essays that appeared in American newspapers, "How to Grow Graceful".[13]
She continued working as a dancer and teaching dance, mainly in Los Angeles, until her retirement after 1961.[14][15] In 1963 she choreographed a production of Turandot for the Redlands Bowl.[16] She was admired for her beauty and extravagant costumes as well as for her dance steps.[17]
Dance libraryedit
Niles and her husband collected an extensive library of books on dance. They sold the collection in 1971 to a library in Stuttgart.[18]
Personal lifeedit
Niles married her dance partner, fellow American Willis "Serge" Leslie, in 1930, in Paris.[19][20]
A bibliography of the dance collection of Doris Niles & Serge Leslie, 1966
Referencesedit
^"Doris Niles - New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909". FamilySearch. 9 August 1926.
^"Doris Niles - New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909". FamilySearch. 24 August 1928.
^"Ebell Books Doris Niles"[permanent dead link]Los Angeles Times (September 28, 1941): C5.
^"Artists Formerly of San Bernardino" San Bernardino County Sun (June 23, 1928): 17. via Newspapers.com
^Karen Bell-Kanner, Frontiers: The Life and Times of Bonnie Bird, American Modern Dancer and Dance Educator (Routledge 2013): 10. ISBN9781134423385
^"Doris Niles Gives Program of Dances"[permanent dead link]Boston Daily Globe (March 22, 1927): 8.
^"Niles Sisters in Solo Dances"[permanent dead link]New York Times (December 2, 1926): 24.
^"Nileses Give a Recital"[permanent dead link]New York Times (February 2, 1927): 22.
^"Dances for Royalty" Salt Lake Telegram (July 8, 1928): 19. via Newspapers.com
^"Doris Niles, Famous Spanish Dancer, Appears Next Friday"[permanent dead link]Atlanta Constitution (January 13, 1929): 12.
^"Doris Niles, Young American Dancer, Will Appear Here" Bismarck Tribune (February 14, 1929): 15. via Newspapers.com
^Betty Luerssen, "Costumes, Programs Salvaged By Continental Dance Couple"[permanent dead link]Christian Science Monitor (April 6, 1949): 14.
^Doris Niles, "Balance is Grace" Post-Crescent (December 26, 1928): 8. via Newspapers.com
^"Doris Niles Appealing in Dances"[permanent dead link]Los Angeles Times (May 11, 1953): B8.
^"On, Off Stage" San Bernardino County Sun (July 27, 1961): 18. via Newspapers.com
^"Doris Niles Sets Ballet for Bowl" San Bernardino County Sun (August 29, 1963): 21. via Newspapers.com
^"Duo Charms with Dances"[permanent dead link]Los Angeles Times (October 3, 1941): 17.
^Martin Bernheimer, "Stuttgart Buys L.A. Dance Library"[permanent dead link]Los Angeles Times (June 4, 1971): A7.
^"Native Daughter is Married in France" San Bernardino County Sun (May 31, 1930): 13. via Newspapers.com
^"Dance Pair Win Favor"[permanent dead link]Los Angeles Times (October 22, 1941): A10.
^Myrna Oliver, "Doris Niles; American Concert and Ballet Dancer" Los Angeles Times (November 26, 1998).
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Doris Niles.
A 1928 etching[permanent dead link] by Troy Kinney, a drawing of Doris Niles in a Spanish dance pose; in the collection of the Childs Gallery in Boston, Massachusetts.
Cornelius Conyn, Doris Niles, Interpreter of the Spanish Dance[permanent dead link] (C. W. Beaumont 1937).
Serge Leslie and Doris Niles, A Bibliography of the Dance Collection of Doris Niles & Serge Leslie, Part 2 (C. W. Beaumont, 1966).
Serge Leslie and Doris Niles, A Bibliography of the Dance Collection of Doris Niles & Serge Leslie, Part 3 (C. W. Beaumont, 1974).
Serge Leslie, A Bibliography of the Dance Collection of Doris Niles & Serge Leslie, Part 4 (C. W. Beaumont, 1981).
May 08, 2024
doris, niles, née, jones, 1905, november, 1998, american, dancer, from, 1922, issue, broadway, brevitiesborndoris, jones, 1905, 1905redlands, california, diednovember, 1998, 1998, aged, santa, paula, california, nationalityamericanoccupationdanceryears, active. Doris Niles nee Jones May 20 1905 November 15 1998 1 2 was an American dancer Doris NilesDoris Niles from a 1922 issue of Broadway BrevitiesBornDoris Jones 1905 05 20 May 20 1905Redlands California U S DiedNovember 15 1998 1998 11 15 aged 93 Santa Paula California U S NationalityAmericanOccupationDancerYears active1921 1961SpouseSerge Leslie Doris Niles at Radio City 1930 NYPL b12145900 5238038 Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Dance library 4 Personal life 5 Publications 6 References 7 External linksEarly life editNiles was born in Redlands California the daughter of banker Charles R Jones 3 4 Her younger sister Cornelia Niles also pursued a dance career and taught dance at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle 5 Career editWhen she was 17 years old Niles was hired as a dancer at the Capitol Theatre in New York City She soon specialized in exotic dances meant to evoke Asian cultures in spectacles choreographed by Alexander Oumansky She and her sister danced recitals together in 1926 1927 6 including two at Carnegie Hall 7 8 At 22 she went to Spain to study Spanish dance She soon performed for King Alfonso XIII and Queen Victoria Eugenia 9 Though her company toured in the United States in 1928 1929 10 11 she stayed mainly in Europe performing and learning until 1940 when the hazards of World War II sent her home to the United States 12 In 1928 she wrote a syndicated series of essays that appeared in American newspapers How to Grow Graceful 13 She continued working as a dancer and teaching dance mainly in Los Angeles until her retirement after 1961 14 15 In 1963 she choreographed a production of Turandot for the Redlands Bowl 16 She was admired for her beauty and extravagant costumes as well as for her dance steps 17 Dance library editNiles and her husband collected an extensive library of books on dance They sold the collection in 1971 to a library in Stuttgart 18 Personal life editNiles married her dance partner fellow American Willis Serge Leslie in 1930 in Paris 19 20 She died in Santa Paula California on November 15 1998 aged 94 years 21 Publications editA bibliography of the dance collection of Doris Niles amp Serge Leslie 1966References edit Doris Niles New York New York Passenger and Crew Lists 1909 FamilySearch 9 August 1926 Doris Niles New York New York Passenger and Crew Lists 1909 FamilySearch 24 August 1928 Ebell Books Doris Niles permanent dead link Los Angeles Times September 28 1941 C5 Artists Formerly of San Bernardino San Bernardino County Sun June 23 1928 17 via Newspapers com nbsp Karen Bell Kanner Frontiers The Life and Times of Bonnie Bird American Modern Dancer and Dance Educator Routledge 2013 10 ISBN 9781134423385 Doris Niles Gives Program of Dances permanent dead link Boston Daily Globe March 22 1927 8 Niles Sisters in Solo Dances permanent dead link New York Times December 2 1926 24 Nileses Give a Recital permanent dead link New York Times February 2 1927 22 Dances for Royalty Salt Lake Telegram July 8 1928 19 via Newspapers com nbsp Doris Niles Famous Spanish Dancer Appears Next Friday permanent dead link Atlanta Constitution January 13 1929 12 Doris Niles Young American Dancer Will Appear Here Bismarck Tribune February 14 1929 15 via Newspapers com nbsp Betty Luerssen Costumes Programs Salvaged By Continental Dance Couple permanent dead link Christian Science Monitor April 6 1949 14 Doris Niles Balance is Grace Post Crescent December 26 1928 8 via Newspapers com nbsp Doris Niles Appealing in Dances permanent dead link Los Angeles Times May 11 1953 B8 On Off Stage San Bernardino County Sun July 27 1961 18 via Newspapers com nbsp Doris Niles Sets Ballet for Bowl San Bernardino County Sun August 29 1963 21 via Newspapers com nbsp Duo Charms with Dances permanent dead link Los Angeles Times October 3 1941 17 Martin Bernheimer Stuttgart Buys L A Dance Library permanent dead link Los Angeles Times June 4 1971 A7 Native Daughter is Married in France San Bernardino County Sun May 31 1930 13 via Newspapers com nbsp Dance Pair Win Favor permanent dead link Los Angeles Times October 22 1941 A10 Myrna Oliver Doris Niles American Concert and Ballet Dancer Los Angeles Times November 26 1998 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Doris Niles A 1928 etching permanent dead link by Troy Kinney a drawing of Doris Niles in a Spanish dance pose in the collection of the Childs Gallery in Boston Massachusetts Cornelius Conyn Doris Niles Interpreter of the Spanish Dance permanent dead link C W Beaumont 1937 Serge Leslie and Doris Niles A Bibliography of the Dance Collection of Doris Niles amp Serge Leslie Part 2 C W Beaumont 1966 Serge Leslie and Doris Niles A Bibliography of the Dance Collection of Doris Niles amp Serge Leslie Part 3 C W Beaumont 1974 Serge Leslie A Bibliography of the Dance Collection of Doris Niles amp Serge Leslie Part 4 C W Beaumont 1981 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Doris Niles amp oldid 1205720485, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
