Alexander, Dorothy (1904–1986)

American ballet dancer and choreographer. Name variations: Dorothea Sydney Moses. Born Dorothea Sydney Moses, April 22, 1904, in Atlanta, Georgia; died Nov 17, 1986, in Atlanta; graduated from Atlanta Normal Training School, 1925; studied at University of Georgia and Emory University; Oglethorpe College, BA in Education, 1930; studied dance during summers with Michel Fokine, Irma Duncan, Yeichi Nimura, Tatiana Chamié, Bronislava Nijinska, Ted Shawn, Hanya Holm, and at Sadler's Wells (now Royal) Ballet School in London.

Major contributor to regional ballet movement in US and founder of the Atlanta Ballet, studied dance in New York and London before opening her own studio in Atlanta, La Petite École de Dance (1921), now the Atlanta School of Ballet; introduced dance classes in Atlanta public schools (starting 1927) where she recruited dancers to join Dorothy Alexander Concert Group (1929), 1st regional ballet company, later becoming Atlanta Civic Ballet (1944) and Atlanta Ballet; worked as artistic director and principal choreographer for Atlanta Ballet, the country's oldest civic ballet, until retirement (mid-1960s); hosted 1st regional ballet festival (1956) bringing together companies from all over southeastern US, a festival which helped lead to the establishment of National Association for Regional Ballet (1963); choreographed such works as A Benefit Bridge Party, Gypsy Interlude, Kasperle; The Little Fairy Who Couldn't Dance, Pierrot's Song, Woman in War (late 1940s), Fireworks Suite (1956), Green Altars (1958), (with Hilda Gumm) Twelve Dancing Princesses (late 1950s), and Soliloquy (1963).