Frances Ann Wessells (néeDavies; born August 18, 1919) is an American dancer, choreographer, and Associate Professor Emerita and founder of the dance department at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU).[1] She helped form the department of dance at VCU and was still teaching and dancing professionally in her late nineties.[2]
Frances Wessells was born into a family of professional musicians whose careers derailed with the demise of vaudeville and the coming of talkies.[citation needed] Her father worked for the Denver sanitation department.[3]
Career
Art criticism
In her writing as a dance critic for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, she reviewed many dance troupes and star performers, such as Lorry May of the Sokolow Dance Foundation.[4] For 25 years she was the dance critic for the Richmond Times-Dispatch.[citation needed]
In 2016, at its annual Artsie Awards gala at Virginia Repertory Theatre's November Theatre, with local acting/singing star Desirée Roots hosting, the Richmond Theater Critics Circle awarded Wessells the Liz Marks Memorial Award for Ongoing Contribution to Richmond Area Theater for her significant long-term contributions to the Richmond Art Community as a VCU professor of dance performance, choreography, and history. Wessells received the award along with Marie Goodman Hunter, an "African-American actor, singer and educator who helped break down racial barriers in teaching and performance in central Virginia."[8][9][10]
Dance performer
One of her earliest teachers was Hanya Holm.[1] Wessells performed in the Latin Ballet of Virginia's[11] 2016 production of The Legend of the Poinsettia.[12] Her nomination for an Artsie award was announced in 2016 by the Richmond Times-Dispatch.[13] Many of her performances have been demonstrations of the healthful importance of agility and strength gained from dancing at any age.[14] She has frequently performed with Robbie Kinter.[15][16] Wessells and Kinter performed Marda in 2008 at the Carpenter Center in Richmond,[17] and, in 2012, they participated together in the 10th Annual Richmond Choreographers Showcase produced by Starr Foster Dance Project at the Grace Street Theatre in Richmond.[18] Kinter choreographed Them, which was performed with Wessells at the Choreographers Showcase at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, University of Maryland.[19]
Wessells performed in March 2011 at Paris' Théâtre National de Chaillot. Jason Akira Somma, her 31-year-old dance partner, confirmed that the last of her three performances in Paris brought the audience to tears.[20]
Exhibitions
Wessells was a member of Artspace in Richmond, Virginia and an exhibitor at art6. She showed glass works in ThinkSmall3 sponsored by Artspace and art6.[21] In 2001, she exhibited stone and clay sculpture at Artspace.[22] In 2005, she participated in Fluxus/Redux at art6.[23] She was a model for a Susan Singer show of female nudes Not Barbie: A Celebration of Real Women, which represented stories of "birth, aging, pregnancy, middle age, scars, body modifications, and many other topics."[24]
Personal life
Wessells was married for 44 years to John Howard Wessells Jr., a speechwriter and friend to a succession of Virginia governors. The couple met in Colorado, when both were singing in a church choir. They had three sons before John Wessells' death in 1988.[25] She remarried, to John Bailey, a dancer, painter, and choreographer, who had been one of her students; they moved to Crozier, Virginia. He died in 2019.[26]
References
^ ab"Francis Wessells - VCUarts Department of Dance & Choreography". VCUarts Department of Dance & Choreography. Retrieved October 19, 2016.
^"Ninety-year-old dance instructor transported to a place where motion is poetry". VCU News. Retrieved October 19, 2016.
^"Francis Wessells has been in motion for 91 years".
^"About Lorry May". Sokolow Dance Foundation. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
^"Francis Wessells - VCUarts Department of Dance & Choreography". VCUarts Department of Dance & Choreography. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
^. www.slu.edu. Archived from the original on 26 August 2004. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
^Ballet, Richmond (September 10, 2013). "Minds In Motion Team XXL works with guest instructor Chris Burnside - Richmond Ballet News". Richmond Ballet. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
^"'Dreamgirls' wins Best Musical, six more Artsies at awards gala Monday". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
^""Dreamgirls" Bursts Through 2016 Artsies Awards". Style Weekly. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
^"Celebrating Excellence in Richmond-area Theatre". www.artsies.org. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
^"Latin Ballet of Virginia". issuu. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
^"Dance review: 'The Legend of the Poinsettia'". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
^"Richmond Theatre Critics Circle announces 'Artsie' nominees". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved October 19, 2016.
^"Frances Wessels A Portrait of 89 Years on Vimeo". Vimeo.com. 2010-11-30. Retrieved 2017-11-01.
^"Robbie Kinter - VCUarts Department of Dance & Choreography". VCUarts Department of Dance & Choreography. Retrieved November 8, 2016.
^"Madar". You Tube. August 10, 2008. Retrieved November 8, 2016.
^"10th Annual Choreographers Showcase". ShowClix. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
^"Robbie Kinter - VCUarts Department of Dance & Choreography". VCUarts Department of Dance & Choreography. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
^"Frances Wessells has been in motion for 91 years". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
^Frostick, Dana. "artspacegallery.org". www.artspacegallery.org. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
^Frostick, Dana. "artspacegallery.org". www.artspacegallery.org. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
^"Goings On July 12, 2005". franklinfurnace.org. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
^"Exhibit Reveals More Than Just Skin". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
^Robertson, Gary. "Francis Wessells has been in motion for 91 years". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved November 23, 2016.
^John Kelly (2019-02-11) [2019-02-10]. "Celebrating two men who left their marks on Washington in very different ways". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 1330888409.[please check these dates]
February 09, 2023
frances, wessells, frances, wessells, née, davies, born, august, 1919, american, dancer, choreographer, associate, professor, emerita, founder, dance, department, virginia, commonwealth, university, helped, form, department, dance, still, teaching, dancing, pr. Frances Ann Wessells nee Davies born August 18 1919 is an American dancer choreographer and Associate Professor Emerita and founder of the dance department at Virginia Commonwealth University VCU 1 She helped form the department of dance at VCU and was still teaching and dancing professionally in her late nineties 2 Frances WessellsBornFrances Ann Davies 1919 08 18 August 18 1919 age 103 United StatesEducationUniversity of DenverNew York UniversityOccupation s Dancer choreographer journalist professor company founderSpouse s John Wessells died 1988 wbr John Bailey died 2019 wbr Children3 Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 2 1 Art criticism 2 2 Education and teaching career 2 3 Dance performer 2 4 Exhibitions 3 Personal life 4 ReferencesEarly life EditFrances Wessells was born into a family of professional musicians whose careers derailed with the demise of vaudeville and the coming of talkies citation needed Her father worked for the Denver sanitation department 3 Career EditArt criticism Edit In her writing as a dance critic for the Richmond Times Dispatch she reviewed many dance troupes and star performers such as Lorry May of the Sokolow Dance Foundation 4 For 25 years she was the dance critic for the Richmond Times Dispatch citation needed Education and teaching career Edit Frances Wessells received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Denver and a Master of Arts from New York University She taught at Sweet Briar College for three years She was on the dance faculty at the University of Richmond for 25 years and at VCU for 30 years 5 In 2003 Wessells and Robbie Kinter performed for students of geriatric medicine in the medical school of St Louis University 6 Dancer Chris Burnside who taught at University of California Los Angeles and served as Chair of the Department of Dance and Choreography and Assistant Dean of Student Affairs in the VCU School of the Arts began his career studying and dancing with Wessells at VCU 7 In 2016 at its annual Artsie Awards gala at Virginia Repertory Theatre s November Theatre with local acting singing star Desiree Roots hosting the Richmond Theater Critics Circle awarded Wessells the Liz Marks Memorial Award for Ongoing Contribution to Richmond Area Theater for her significant long term contributions to the Richmond Art Community as a VCU professor of dance performance choreography and history Wessells received the award along with Marie Goodman Hunter an African American actor singer and educator who helped break down racial barriers in teaching and performance in central Virginia 8 9 10 Dance performer Edit One of her earliest teachers was Hanya Holm 1 Wessells performed in the Latin Ballet of Virginia s 11 2016 production of The Legend of the Poinsettia 12 Her nomination for an Artsie award was announced in 2016 by the Richmond Times Dispatch 13 Many of her performances have been demonstrations of the healthful importance of agility and strength gained from dancing at any age 14 She has frequently performed with Robbie Kinter 15 16 Wessells and Kinter performed Marda in 2008 at the Carpenter Center in Richmond 17 and in 2012 they participated together in the 10th Annual Richmond Choreographers Showcase produced by Starr Foster Dance Project at the Grace Street Theatre in Richmond 18 Kinter choreographed Them which was performed with Wessells at the Choreographers Showcase at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center University of Maryland 19 Wessells performed in March 2011 at Paris Theatre National de Chaillot Jason Akira Somma her 31 year old dance partner confirmed that the last of her three performances in Paris brought the audience to tears 20 Exhibitions Edit Wessells was a member of Artspace in Richmond Virginia and an exhibitor at art6 She showed glass works in ThinkSmall3 sponsored by Artspace and art6 21 In 2001 she exhibited stone and clay sculpture at Artspace 22 In 2005 she participated in Fluxus Redux at art6 23 She was a model for a Susan Singer show of female nudes Not Barbie A Celebration of Real Women which represented stories of birth aging pregnancy middle age scars body modifications and many other topics 24 Personal life EditWessells was married for 44 years to John Howard Wessells Jr a speechwriter and friend to a succession of Virginia governors The couple met in Colorado when both were singing in a church choir They had three sons before John Wessells death in 1988 25 She remarried to John Bailey a dancer painter and choreographer who had been one of her students they moved to Crozier Virginia He died in 2019 26 References Edit a b Francis Wessells VCUarts Department of Dance amp Choreography VCUarts Department of Dance amp Choreography Retrieved October 19 2016 Ninety year old dance instructor transported to a place where motion is poetry VCU News Retrieved October 19 2016 Francis Wessells has been in motion for 91 years About Lorry May Sokolow Dance Foundation Retrieved November 21 2016 Francis Wessells VCUarts Department of Dance amp Choreography VCUarts Department of Dance amp Choreography Retrieved 22 November 2016 Active Aging Dancer May be Grandma Saint Louis University www slu edu Archived from the original on 26 August 2004 Retrieved 14 January 2022 Ballet Richmond September 10 2013 Minds In Motion Team XXL works with guest instructor Chris Burnside Richmond Ballet News Richmond Ballet Retrieved November 21 2016 Dreamgirls wins Best Musical six more Artsies at awards gala Monday Richmond Times Dispatch Retrieved November 19 2016 Dreamgirls Bursts Through 2016 Artsies Awards Style Weekly Retrieved November 21 2016 Celebrating Excellence in Richmond area Theatre www artsies org Retrieved November 21 2016 Latin Ballet of Virginia issuu Retrieved 21 November 2016 Dance review The Legend of the Poinsettia Richmond Times Dispatch Retrieved 19 October 2016 Richmond Theatre Critics Circle announces Artsie nominees Richmond Times Dispatch Retrieved October 19 2016 Frances Wessels A Portrait of 89 Years on Vimeo Vimeo com 2010 11 30 Retrieved 2017 11 01 robbie kintner frances wessells Bing www bing com Retrieved November 8 2016 Robbie Kinter VCUarts Department of Dance amp Choreography VCUarts Department of Dance amp Choreography Retrieved November 8 2016 Madar You Tube August 10 2008 Retrieved November 8 2016 10th Annual Choreographers Showcase ShowClix Retrieved November 21 2016 Robbie Kinter VCUarts Department of Dance amp Choreography VCUarts Department of Dance amp Choreography Retrieved 21 November 2016 Frances Wessells has been in motion for 91 years Richmond Times Dispatch Retrieved November 20 2016 Frostick Dana artspacegallery org www artspacegallery org Retrieved November 21 2016 Frostick Dana artspacegallery org www artspacegallery org Retrieved November 19 2016 Goings On July 12 2005 franklinfurnace org Retrieved March 23 2019 Exhibit Reveals More Than Just Skin Richmond Times Dispatch Retrieved 19 October 2016 Robertson Gary Francis Wessells has been in motion for 91 years Richmond Times Dispatch Retrieved November 23 2016 John Kelly 2019 02 11 2019 02 10 Celebrating two men who left their marks on Washington in very different ways The Washington Post Washington D C ISSN 0190 8286 OCLC 1330888409 please check these dates Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Frances Wessells amp oldid 1106130476, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
