Thalia Mara

Thalia Mara Mahoney ( Elizabeth Symons; June 28, 1911 – October 8, 2003) was an American ballet dancer and educator who authored 11 books on the subject.

Biography

Mara was born Elizabeth Simons in Chicago in 1911, the daughter of Russian émigré parents. After beginning her performance career in Chicago, Mara traveled to Paris in 1927. Together with her husband Arthur Mahoney, in 1962 she established the National Academy of Ballet and Theatre Arts in New York. Prior to that they ran Ballet Repertory in New York City. After living in New York, Mara moved to Jackson, Mississippi, where she helped found the USA International Ballet Competition. She authored eleven books on ballet, as well as founded the Thalia Mara Arts International Foundation.