Bertram Ross (November 14, 1920 – April 20, 2003) was an American dancer best known for his work with the

Martha Graham Dance Company The Martha Graham Dance Company, founded in 1926, is known for being the oldest American dance company. Founded by Martha Graham as a contemporary dance company, it continued to perform pieces, revive classics, and train dancers even after Graham's ...

, with which he performed for two decades. He was

Martha Graham Martha Graham (May 11, 1894 – April 1, 1991) was an American modern dancer and choreographer. Her style, the Graham technique, reshaped American dance and is still taught worldwide. Graham danced and taught for over seventy years. She wa ...

’s longtime dance partner and the originator of male roles in most of her major ballets from the 1950s and 1960s, including Adam in Embattled Garden, and both Agamemnon and Orestes in Clytemnestra. After leaving Graham's company, Ross taught, choreographed and formed his own dance company. In later life, he toured in a cabaret duo with his real life partner, the composer and pianist John Wallowitch.

Early life

Ross was born Bertram Ross Prensky in

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

. He was introduced to the

performing arts The performing arts are arts such as music, dance, and drama which are performed for an audience. They are different from the visual arts, which are the use of paint, canvas or various materials to create physical or static art objects. Perform ...

at an early age. At the urging of his mother, he studied piano, but initially was more interested in painting. He attended

Oberlin College Oberlin College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college and conservatory of music in Oberlin, Ohio. It is the oldest Mixed-sex education, coeducational liberal arts college in the United S ...

, then spent

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

as a mapmaker for the

Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

. In 1947, he returned to New York to continue painting studies at the

Art Students League The Art Students League of New York is an art school at American Fine Arts Society, 215 West 57th Street in Manhattan, New York City, New York. The League has historically been known for its broad appeal to both amateurs and professional artists ...

. Shortly thereafter, he discovered Martha Graham.Lewis Segal, ''Bertram Ross, 82; Was Leading Graham Dancer for 20 Years'', ''Obituaries'', ''The New York Times'', April 25, 2003 http://articles.latimes.com/2003/apr/25/local/me-ross25

Dance career

Ross began taking classes at Martha Graham's School under the

GI Bill The Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, commonly known as the G.I. Bill, was a law that provided a range of benefits for some of the returning World War II veterans (commonly referred to as G.I.s). The original G.I. Bill expired in 1956, bu ...

. When he received a scholarship from

Connecticut College Connecticut College (Conn College or Conn) is a private liberal arts college in New London, Connecticut. It is a residential, four-year undergraduate institution with nearly all of its approximately 1,815 students living on campus. The college w ...

he took dance classes there as the first male student, then toured briefly with the Dudley-Maslow-Bales Dance Trio. In 1949, Graham invited Ross to join her company. In 1953, he first partnered her as

Oedipus Oedipus (, ; grc-gre, Οἰδίπους "swollen foot") was a mythical Greek king of Thebes. A tragic hero in Greek mythology, Oedipus accidentally fulfilled a prophecy that he would end up killing his father and marrying his mother, thereby ...

, to her

Jocasta In Greek mythology, Jocasta (), also rendered Iocaste ( grc, Ἰοκάστη ) and also known as Epicaste (; ), was a daughter of Menoeceus, a descendant of the Spartoi Echion, and queen consort of Thebes. She was the wife of first Laius, t ...

, in the ballet ''

Night Journey The Israʾ and Miʿraj ( ar, الإسراء والمعراج, ') are the two parts of a Night Journey that, according to Islam, the Islamic prophet Muhammad (570–632) took during a single night around the year 621 (1 BH – 0 BH). With ...

''.

Merce Cunningham Mercier Philip "Merce" Cunningham (April 16, 1919 – July 26, 2009) was an American dancer and choreographer who was at the forefront of American modern dance for more than 50 years. He frequently collaborated with artists of other discipl ...

had left the troupe in 1951, so she needed replacements for some of his roles. Graham was 59 years of age at the time, Ross, 33. Ross' superb technique, powerful, dignified stage presence, and craggy good looks, also garnered him lead parts in many of Graham's new choreographic works. Among these were Adam in ''Embattled Garden'', St. Michael in ''Seraphic Dialogue'', Agamemnon and Orestes in ''Clytemnestra'' and Brother Sun in ''Canticle For Innocent Comedians''. In total, Ross originated 35 roles in the repertory. Critics described some of his characters in Graham's psychosexual dramas as "colorful and even lurid." The dancer himself is quoted as saying, "Every night and twice on matinee days I was beaten, beheaded, blinded and castrated - and it was wonderful! I never missed a performance." A few of the performances are documented: Martha Graham Bertram Ross 1961

Appalachian Spring ''Appalachian Spring'' is a musical composition by Aaron Copland that was premiered in 1944 and has achieved widespread and enduring popularity as an orchestral suite. The music, scored for a thirteen-member chamber orchestra, was created upon c ...

'' (1958) - Graham's ''Appalachian Spring'' was filmed for television and presented by WQED Pittsburgh. The cast includes Graham as The Bride, Ross as The Revivalist, Stuart Hodes as The Husbandman, Matt Turney as the Pioneer Woman, and Yuriko, Helen McGehee, Ethel Winter, Miriam Cole as The Revivalist's Flock. The piece features an original score by

Aaron Copland Aaron Copland (, ; November 14, 1900December 2, 1990) was an American composer, composition teacher, writer, and later a conductor of his own and other American music. Copland was referred to by his peers and critics as "the Dean of American Com ...

. ''A Dancer's World'' (1957 TV movie documentary) - Another documentary filmed and initially aired by WQED. Designed as an introduction to Graham's work and narrated by the choreographer, the film shows the company in the studio demonstrating various aspects of her creative approach and technique. ''Martha Graham: An American Original in Performance'' (1957 documentary) - The 90-minute film includes three historic performances, ''A Dancer's World'', ''Appalachian Spring'' and ''Night Journey'', the legend of Oedipus with Ross in the starring role. ''

'' (1960 documentary short) - The black and white film by Austrian director

Alexander Hammid Alexandr Hackenschmied, born Alexander Siegfried George Hackenschmied, known later as Alexander Hammid (17 December 1907, Linz – 26 July 2004, New York City) was a Czech-American photographer, film director, cinematographer and film edito ...

was released as part of a monograph, ''Films on Ballet and Modern Dance: Notes and a Directory'', published by the

American Dance Guild The American Dance Guild (A.D.G.) was founded in 1956, as the Dance Teachers' Guild by twelve dance teachers in New York City to promote the art of dance in the United States by educating the American public and by maintaining standards of teach ...

. ''Martha Graham: The Dancer Revealed'', ''American Masters'' (1994 TV Series documentary) - The documentary chronicles Graham's life and work. Ross and former company members, among others, provide commentary. In 1966, when Martha Graham fell ill, Ross was named co-director of the company, first with Robert Cohan, then with

Mary Hinkson Mary De Haven Hinkson (March 16, 1925 – November 26, 2014) was an African American dancer and choreographer known for breaking racial boundaries throughout her dance career in both modern and ballet techniques. She is best known for her work ...

, both veteran Graham dancers. Ross and Hinkson kept both the troupe and school operating during Graham's absence. Both resigned when she returned with a new director, non-dancer Ronald Protas. Ross left the company in 1973, reportedly due to artistic differences with Protas.

After Graham

After leaving the Martha Graham Dance Company, Ross performed as a guest artist with other dance companies, taught

Graham technique Graham technique is a modern dance movement style and pedagogy created by American dancer and choreographer Martha Graham (1894–1991). Graham technique has been called the "cornerstone" of American modern dance, and has been taught worldwi ...

and choreographed. Ross held classes at

Juilliard The Juilliard School ( ) is a private performing arts conservatory in New York City. Established in 1905, the school trains about 850 undergraduate and graduate students in dance, drama, and music. It is widely regarded as one of the most elit ...

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then-Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, the ...

and the Mary Anthony Studio. During the 1970s and 1980s, he toured with his own troupe, Bertram Ross Dance Company, for which he created dances such as ''Totem'' and ''Vanya: Three Pastels''. Ross also staged solo dance-theater projects, including ''Noah'' and ''Raymond Duncan'', a portrait of

Isadora Duncan Angela Isadora Duncan (May 26, 1877 or May 27, 1878 – September 14, 1927) was an American dancer and choreographer, who was a pioneer of modern contemporary dance, who performed to great acclaim throughout Europe and the US. Born and raised in ...

's brother. After Graham’s death, he re-created several of her pieces for the Graham company. He also took on a few acting roles. In 1961, he appeared as the character Haman in an episode titled ''Esther'' on the ''Lamp Unto My Feet'' TV series. In 1962, he performed in one episode, ''Splendour in the Rice'', on the Canadian comedy series ''The Wayne and Shuster Hour''. In the Amy Greenfield film ''Antigone/Rites of Passion'', he performed the dual roles of Oedipus and

Creon Creon may refer to: Greek history * Creon, the first annual eponymous archon of Athens, 682–681 BC Greek mythology * Creon (king of Thebes), mythological king of Thebes * Creon (king of Corinth), father of Creusa/Glauce in Euripides' ''Medea' ...

. In 1973, he made his debut as a singer, when he jokingly performed with Wallowitch at the 10th anniversary of

The Ballroom ''The Ballroom'' ( pt, Chega de Saudade) is a 2007 Brazilian-French romantic drama film directed by Laís Bodanzky. The action is set in a dance hall (''gafieira'') in São Paulo, frequented by elderly people. Cast * Tonia Carrero as Alice *Leon ...

. Ross sang a comic

Irving Berlin Irving Berlin (born Israel Beilin; yi, ישראל ביילין; May 11, 1888 – September 22, 1989) was a Russian-American composer, songwriter and lyricist. His music forms a large part of the Great American Songbook. Born in Imperial Russi ...

number ''Cohen Owes Me $97'', which he intoned in the thick

Yiddish Yiddish (, or , ''yidish'' or ''idish'', , ; , ''Yidish-Taytsh'', ) is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated during the 9th century in Central Europe, providing the nascent Ashkenazi community with a ver ...

accent for which Berlin had written it. Audience response was so overwhelming, the club's owner suggested the pair form a duo. In 1984, Ross and Wallowitch began performing the two-man cabaret act, which included lesser-known songs by

Rodgers and Hart Rodgers and Hart were an American songwriting partnership between composer Richard Rodgers (1902–1979) and the lyricist Lorenz Hart (1895–1943). They worked together on 28 stage musicals and more than 500 songs from 1919 until Hart ...

Johnny Mercer John Herndon Mercer (November 18, 1909 – June 25, 1976) was an American lyricist, songwriter, and singer, as well as a record label executive who co-founded Capitol Records with music industry businessmen Buddy DeSylva and Glenn E. Wallich ...

and

Harold Arlen Harold Arlen (born Hyman Arluck; February 15, 1905 – April 23, 1986) was an American composer of popular music, who composed over 500 songs, a number of which have become known worldwide. In addition to composing the songs for the 1939 film ...

, combined with Wallowitch's musical parodies.Pamela Sommers, ''The Comic Rebirth of Bertram Ross'', ''The Washington Post'', July 6, 1984 https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1984/07/06/the-comic-rebirth-of-bertram-ross/4c7a5c1e-abe3-4234-8860-202b20e441a5/ They launched the routine at The Ballroom, then took it on the road across the U.S. and to London, where they appeared at Pizza on the Park, the venerable (now-closed) jazz venue. Not long before Ross' death, November 2002, the pair appeared at Danny's Skylight Room in Manhattan. Filmmaker Richard Morris captured the couple's 30+ year personal and professional union for the 1999 film '' Wallowitch & Ross: This Moment''. A CD of their cabaret act ''Wallowitch and Ross'' (Miranda Music) was released in 2003 to accompany the film. In 2016, "Wallowitch & Ross: This Moment" was entered into the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences film archive for permanent preservation.

Personal life

Ross made no secret of his

homosexuality Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" to peop ...

. He met Wallowitch through mutual friends in the arts community; both were already familiar with each other's work. They lived together for more than 35 years. Ross died from

pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severity ...

on April 20, 2003. He had also suffered from

Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that mainly affects the motor system. The symptoms usually emerge slowly, and as the disease worsens, non-motor symptoms becom ...

in later years. Ross is buried beside Wallowitch, who died in 2007, at

Kensico Cemetery Kensico Cemetery, located in Valhalla, Westchester County, New York was founded in 1889, when many New York City cemeteries were becoming full, and rural cemeteries were being created near the railroads that served the city. Initially , it was ...

Valhalla In Norse mythology Valhalla (;) is the anglicised name for non, Valhǫll ("hall of the slain").Orchard (1997:171–172) It is described as a majestic hall located in Asgard and presided over by the god Odin. Half of those who die in combat e ...

, New York.

References

External links

''Appalachian Spring'' as filmed for TV (1958)

Ross Singing ''Cohen Owes Me $97'' (excerpt)

''Night Journey'' as danced by Martha Graham, Bertram Ross and Paul Taylor (1961) on archive.org
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ross, Bertram 1920 births 2003 deaths American male dancers Modern dancers Martha Graham Gay entertainers LGBT people from New York (state) LGBT dancers United States Army personnel of World War II Oberlin College alumni People from Brooklyn Burials at Kensico Cemetery