Dancer Scoogie Brown at Geoffrey Holder and Carmen de Lavallade’s wedding reception in Westport, Connecticut on June 26, 1955. Ms. Brown was a dancer from Trinidad and Tobago who performed with Mr. Holder and his Trinidad Dance Group. She would gain even more notoriety during the “calypso craze” in the 1950s with her dance partner, Leo Ryers, who was also a member of Mr. Holder’s troupe. Photo: Saul Mauriber, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. Ms. Brown also has a bit part in the 1956 film, “Carib Gold” which also starred Mr. Holder, Cicely Tyson, Diana Sands and the great Ethel Waters. The film is linked in the comment section.
Dancers Carmen de Lavallade and Geoffrey Holder (followed by Ms. de Lavallade’s sister, Elaine de Lavallade and Emery Lewis) on their wedding day, June 26, 1955. The wedding was hosted by theater legend Lucille Lortel at her estate in Westport, Connecticut and notables like Diahann Carroll, Josephine Premice, and Carl Van Vechten. Mr. Van Vechten’s assistant at the time, Saul Mauriber, took this photograph. Via:Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Carmen de Lavallade, dance legend and Vintage Black Glamour favorite (that’s her in the VBG avatar) turns 82 years old today! Ms. de Lavallade is still going strong today: she is still dancing and recently appeared on Broadway in “A Streetcar Named Desire.” This photo appeared in the October 1964 issue of Harper’s Bazaar and Ms. de Lavallade is wearing a beaded necklace by Coppola e Toppa.
Today is the 2nd anniversary of Vintage Black Glamour! I had the original idea in 2005, but the Tumblr blog, Twitter account @VintageBlkGlam and this Facebook page were born on January 17, 2011. I love VBG’s profile picture of Carmen de Lavallade on the cover of Hue in 1954, but I hope to have the cover of my Vintage Black Glamour book as the profile picture by the next anniversary. Keep your fingers crossed for me, won’t you? ;)
Cicely Tyson and Carmen de Lavallade in a scene from the 1959 film “Odds Against Tomorrow.” I made this screen grab for those of you who did not get through the 9-minute clip in the posts on Robert Earl Jones and Harry Belafonte. :)
Carmen de Lavallade in a 1967 advertisement for Coca Cola.
Dance legend Carmen de Lavallade turns 81 today! Here she is in the October 1964 issue of Harper’s Bazaar in a beaded necklace by Coppola e Toppa.
Carmen de Lavallade and Geoffrey Holder on their wedding day, June 26, 1955, with theater legend Lucille Lortel, who hosted the wedding on her estate in Westport, Connecticut. Photo by Carl Van Vechten.
Carmen de Lavallade and Geoffrey Holder, circa 1960s.
(via autumnsdaily)
Call her Carmen… De Lavallade
Carmen De Lavallade by Carl van Vechten c.1955
Carmen de Lavallade by Carl Van Vechten, March 3, 1955.
Harry Belafonte, Carmen de Lavallade, Cicely Tyson and Robert Earl Jones (father of James Earl Jones) in the 1959 Belafonte-produced film noir, Odds Against Tomorrow. The most fascinating 9 minutes you’ll spend today.
Legendary dancer Carmen de Lavallade on the cover of the June 30, 1954 issue of Hue magazine, a Johnson publication.
Legendary dancer Carmen de Lavallade 57 years ago on the June 30, 1954 issue of Hue magazine.
