Nora Kaye

Nora Kaye-Ross (born Nora Kaye Koreff; January 17, 1920 – February 28, 1987) was an American prima-ballerina known for her ability to perform dramatic roles. Called the Duse of Dance after the acclaimed actress Eleonora Duse, she also worked in films as a choreographer and producer and performed on Broadway.

Early life Kaye was born Nora Koreff in New York City, the daughter of Russian Jewish immigrant parents, Louise (1895–1973) and Gregory Joseph Koreff (1893–1976). She later changed her surname to Kaye.

Her father, Gregory Koreff, was an actor with the Moscow Art Theatre and worked under Konstantin Stanislavski. At the age of five, Kaye began studying dancing under tutelage from Michel Fokine and three years later joined a ballet class at the Metropolitan Opera school where she continued her studies under Margaret Craske. When Kaye turned 15, she graduated from the Metropolitan Opera into its corps de ballet. and Two's Company (1952), a revue starring Bette Davis. She worked as an assistant on the musicals I Can Get It for You Wholesale (1962), Tovarich (1963), and On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1965).

Kaye married Michael Murray Van Beuren in 1943 (divorced) and married violinist Isaac Stern in 1948 (divorced). She was briefly engaged to Jerome Robbins in 1951. She married the film director, producer, choreographer and actor Herbert Ross in Majorca in August 1959. The couple founded Ballet of Two Worlds, which toured Europe in 1960 performing such Ross choreography as Persephone and The Dybbuk.

Kaye's producing credits include The Turning Point (1977), Nijinsky (1980), Pennies from Heaven (1981) and The Secret of My Succe$s (1987).

Death Kaye-Ross died from cancer in Los Angeles at age 67, and is buried with her husband Herbert Ross in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles. Their gravestone is inscribed "They Loved Each Other".