Arthur L. Hall

Arthur L. Hall (April 18, 1934 – July 6, 2000) was an African American dancer, choreographer, and teacher.

Life and career Arthur Lee Hall was born on April 18, 1934 in Memphis, Tennessee. Son of Joshua Milton and Sally Yancey, Hall was raised by his maternal grandmother until age 9. He then moved to Washington, D.C. and was reunited with his mother; who remarried to Patrick Hall. In an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer Magazine in 1968, Hall recalls: "I had danced a little in school, even won some contests, but I didn't know any technique. I joined the school and later went on to the Katherine Dunham School in New York. At that time I wanted to do Indian dancing, but I realize now that I was searching for something I could dedicate myself to." Hall joined the US Army Special Services in 1956. During his station in Germany, he worked with Argentinian filmmaker Jorge Preloran on the dance film about racism entitled, The Invictorious One. Hall first visited Maine in 1977 as an invited artist-in-residence in the Gorham and Winthrop schools. The residency inspired the award-winning film, Snake Dance Teacher Dance. In 1980, Hall founded the People to People Dance Company for which he also served as Artistic Director. Hall said, "I've done the all-black dance company. Now I want to build an international company from the base here in Maine."