Ivy Baxter

Ivy Everlyn Allan Baxter (March 3, 1923 – January 9, 1993) was a pioneer in the field of Jamaican dance. She was the first person to combine modern dance with Jamaica's African folk dance. Her work celebrating African cultural roots contributed to the Jamaican independence movement's creation of a national identity.

Biography Ivy Baxter was born on March 3, 1923, in Spanish Town, Jamaica. She attended Wolmer's Girls School in the 1940s, where she learned English country dance. Around this time, she also converted to Catholicism. During the 1930s and 40s, Baxter studied classical ballet, tap, and character dancing at a Kingston dance studio.

Upon returning to Jamaica, Baxter worked as a physical education teacher. Baxter started the "barefoot movement," separating her dance from the colonial, European folk dance taught in Jamaican schools. She was the first Jamaican choreographer to combine African folk dance with modern expressionist dance.

In 1966, Baxter became the dance adjudicator for Jamaica Welfare. In this position, Baxter was introduced to Jamaica's rural communities and their dance styles. She also interacted with festivals and Jamaican folklore. Her work helped instigate the 1962 Jamaica Independence Festival and the creation of the Jamaica School of Dance. The Ivy Baxter Dance Company officially closed in 1967. She was also a Commander of the Order of Distinction.

Personal life Baxter developed diabetes, leading to her losing a toe. Baxter died in Kingston, Jamaica of diabetic neuropathy or kidney failure on January 9, 1993.