Marie-Jeanne

Marie-Jeanne Godwin (née Pelus, August 12, 1920 – December 28, 2007) was an American ballet dancer. She was one of the first students of George Balanchine's School of American Ballet. Her dance career started at the Ballet Caravan in 1937, followed by stints at Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, American Ballet Caravan, Ballet International and Ballet Society, before becoming a founding member of the New York City Ballet, where she danced for one season. She then joined Grand Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas, before briefly returning to the New York City Ballet in 1953, and retired in 1954. She was associated with Balanchine throughout her career.

Early life and training Marie-Jeanne Pelus was born on August 12, 1920, in Manhattan, New York. She was the only child of a French milliner mother and an Italian chef father, both immigrants. Her teachers included Pierre Vladimiroff, Muriel Stuart, Dorothie Littlefield, , Ludmilla Schollar and Anatole Oboukhoff. Then, at Balanchine's request, she performed with Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo as a guest dancer, becoming the first American woman to dance with the company, even though she only appeared in two performances of Balanchine's Serenade, which Balanchine reworked to have all the female solos, previously performed by two or three dancers, to be danced by her and included an extra movement. She had also taught at University of Florida.