The Beginning

Agnes de Mille's success as a dancer, choreographer, writer, and speaker was largely due to her upbringing. She was born in New York in 1905 to William Churchill de Mille and Anna George ("Agnes"). Both her grandfather and father were famous playwrights. Her father decided to move to California to progress his career into motion pictures. In 1915 Agnes and her mother and sister joined her father in California. Once they moved her life became even more glamorous. Her family promoted a life in the arts and made sure their children were able to attend shows and surrounded with the arts. When she was only thirteen years old she saw "Pavolova dance, a rapturous experience that was the real beginning of her fixation with becoming a dancer" (Long). De Mille attended a small private school, the Hollywood School for Girls, with a lot of other famous people's children ("Agnes"). She later attended college at UCLA and then moved to New York with her mother and sister to pursue her dream of being a dancer ("Agnes"). 

http://www.agnesdemilledances.com/biography.html

 

Her true inspiration and drive began after meeting Louis Horst, who was the collaborator for dancer Martha Graham (Long). Her connection with Graham allowed them to develop a friendship, and she eventually wrote a biography for Graham. With the new experiences and inspirations that New York brought de Mille, her career began. She danced in many pieces, but her first work as a choreographer was in 1932, at just 27 years old (Long).

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