Dorothy Alexander

Dorothy Alexander (born Dorothy Sydney Moses; April 22, 1904 – November 17, 1986) was an American ballet dancer, choreographer, teacher, and company director. She was founded what is now called the Atlanta Ballet in 1929.

Early life Alexander was born in Atlanta, Georgia, the daughter of Frank Hamilton Moses and Cora Mina Thibadeau. She was one of four children in her family. Her father was a traveling salesman, and served for a time as Atlanta City Clerk. In 1910, she suffered from osteomyelitis, which was treated with a full year of bed rest and a body cast. When she recovered, she began studying dance. Following a brief marriage to Marion Alexander, she founded the Dorothy Alexander Concert Group in 1929; it was renamed the Atlanta Civic Ballet in 1941, and became the Atlanta Ballet in 1968.

Alexander was an advocate for high-quality ballet organizations outside major artistic centers like New York. She found Atlanta to be a "lonely" place for a dance enthusiast, and she worked to support dance and dance education in Atlanta and around the country.

Awards and honors

Atlanta Woman of The Year in Arts Award, 1947 or 1960 Honorary doctorate from Emory University, 1986