Nanette Bearden

Nanette Bearden (née Rohan; January 20, 1927 – August 10, 1996) was an American choreographer, dancer, artistic director, and model. She founded the Nanette Bearden Contemporary Dance Theater and the Romare Bearden Foundation.

Early life and education Nanette Rohan was born on January 20, 1927 on Staten Island, New York, one of eight daughters born to immigrants from French Saint Martin.

She studied modeling at the Fashion Institute of Technology In September 1954, she married the artist Romare Bearden.

Bearden later studied dance at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance, the Clark Center for the Performing Arts, and at the Luigi Dance Center. Bearden founded the Chamber Dance Group in 1976, which then became the Nanette Bearden Contemporary Dance Theatre in 1977. Nanette Bearden resolved to create a foundation in his name and his estate established a nonprofit organization, the Romare Bearden Foundation in 1990. She was its president from 1990 until 1996 when she died.