She danced and toured with the Katherine Dunham Company in the early 1940s.[2] In the course of touring, Christiani met the independent avant-garde filmmaker, Maya Deren,[3] and was given a role in Deren’s film Ritual in Transfigured Time (1946). Deren was the main character in the film and Christiani danced the role of Deren’s alter ego, their images interchanging in black and white counterpoint to the dancer Frank Westbrook.[4][5]Anaïs Nin was also in the film.[6]
Footage of Christiani from this film was included in the documentary In the Mirror of Maya Deren (2002) by Martina Kudlacek.[2]
Christiani and Deren became close friends, sharing the bond of being uprooted from their native lands as children and coming to America.[7]
^ ab"Rita Christiani". IMDb. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
^ abcMcCann, Bob (2009). Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television. McFarland Publishing. p. 80. ISBN9780786437900. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
^Nichols, Bill (2009). Maya Deren and the American Avant-Garde. University of California Press. p. 131. ISBN9780520227323. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
^Nichols, Bill (2009). Maya Deren and the American Avant-Garde. University of California Press. p. 141. ISBN9780520227323. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
^Baena, Rosalia (2014). Transculturing Auto/Biography: Forms of Life Writing. Routledge. pp. 75–76. ISBN9780415759496. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
^"Ritual in Transfigured Time". IMDb. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
^Boelhower, William (2013). New Orleans in the Atlantic World: Between Land and Sea. Routledge. p. 205. ISBN9780415849722.
^Clark, Veve A.; Johnson, Sara E., eds. (2006). Kaiso! Writings by and about Katherine Dunham. Madison WI: University of Wisconsin Press. p. 126. ISBN9780299212742. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
"Ritual in Transfigured Time (1946)". YouTube. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
April 12, 2024
rita, christiani, 1917, 2008, trinidad, born, american, dancer, appeared, american, films, during, 1940s, born, 1917, december, 1917port, spain, trinidaddiedmay, 2008, 2008, aged, brooklyn, yorkoccupation, danceractressyears, active1940s, contents, biography, . Rita Christiani 1917 2008 was a Trinidad born American dancer who appeared in American films during the 1940s Rita ChristianiBorn 1917 12 22 December 22 1917Port of Spain TrinidadDiedMay 23 2008 2008 05 23 aged 90 Brooklyn New YorkOccupation s DancerActressYears active1940s Contents 1 Biography 2 Filmography 3 References 4 External linksBiography editChristiani was born in Port of Spain Trinidad on December 22 1917 1 She danced and toured with the Katherine Dunham Company in the early 1940s 2 In the course of touring Christiani met the independent avant garde filmmaker Maya Deren 3 and was given a role in Deren s film Ritual in Transfigured Time 1946 Deren was the main character in the film and Christiani danced the role of Deren s alter ego their images interchanging in black and white counterpoint to the dancer Frank Westbrook 4 5 Anais Nin was also in the film 6 Footage of Christiani from this film was included in the documentary In the Mirror of Maya Deren 2002 by Martina Kudlacek 2 Christiani and Deren became close friends sharing the bond of being uprooted from their native lands as children and coming to America 7 Her other film appearances include The Black Swan 1942 starring Tyrone Power and Maureen O Hara Road to Morocco 1942 starring Bob Hope and Bing Crosby and the musicals Thank Your Lucky Stars 1942 and Happy Go Lucky 1943 2 After working in films and as a dancer Christiani may have been a nurse in Chicago 8 Christiani died on May 23 2008 in Brooklyn New York 1 Filmography editTales of Manhattan 1942 young woman uncredited Road to Morocco 1942 dancer uncredited The Black Swan 1942 dancer uncredited Happy Go Lucky 1943 as herself Cabin in the Sky 1943 dancer uncredited I Walked with a Zombie 1943 friend of Melise uncredited Thank Your Lucky Stars 1943 Ice Cold Katie Ritual in Transfigured Time 1946 as herselfReferences edit a b Rita Christiani IMDb Retrieved September 18 2017 a b c McCann Bob 2009 Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television McFarland Publishing p 80 ISBN 9780786437900 Retrieved September 18 2017 Nichols Bill 2009 Maya Deren and the American Avant Garde University of California Press p 131 ISBN 9780520227323 Retrieved September 18 2017 Nichols Bill 2009 Maya Deren and the American Avant Garde University of California Press p 141 ISBN 9780520227323 Retrieved September 18 2017 Baena Rosalia 2014 Transculturing Auto Biography Forms of Life Writing Routledge pp 75 76 ISBN 9780415759496 Retrieved September 18 2017 Ritual in Transfigured Time IMDb Retrieved September 18 2017 Boelhower William 2013 New Orleans in the Atlantic World Between Land and Sea Routledge p 205 ISBN 9780415849722 Clark Veve A Johnson Sara E eds 2006 Kaiso Writings by and about Katherine Dunham Madison WI University of Wisconsin Press p 126 ISBN 9780299212742 Retrieved September 18 2017 External links editRita Christiani at IMDb Ritual in Transfigured Time 1946 YouTube Retrieved September 18 2017 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rita Christiani amp oldid 1217836501, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
