Gisella Caccialanza

Gisella Caccialanza (September 17, 1914 – July 16, 1998) was an American prima ballerina and teacher who danced in theater, opera and film productions. She studied ballet under Italian teacher Giovanni Rosi, and then with the great ballet teacher Enrico Cecchetti at La Scala in Milan, Italy. Caccialanza danced with Viennese choreographer Albertina Rasch, the School of American Ballet, the New Opera Company, and the San Francisco Ballet, with which she later taught and coached.

Biography Caccialanza was born to Italian American parents in San Diego on September 17, 1914. In 1925, Caccialanza was taken to La Scala to receive advanced training in ballet. he made her his goddaughter at her confirmation ceremony, This included performances in vaudeville houses, in motion picture prologues, the Grauman's Chinese Theatre and Radio City Music Hall. Caccialanza performed five times a day at Radio City Music Hall, and ballet dancer Serge Lifar persuaded her to audition for a new school run by George Balanchine. and The Four Temperaments in 1946.