Dancer and Choreographer Helen Tamiris Photographed by Man Ray, ca. 1930

Here’s a beautiful set of photos the great dancer/choreographer, Helen Tamiris, taken by Man Ray from ca. 1930:

Helen Tamiris (1905–1966), trained in ballet, created dances that explored social issues and was among the first dancers to integrate influences from jazz and African-American culture, creating a suite of dances to Negro spirituals. She also choreographed for Broadway musical theatre.

An energetic advocate of dance, founded the Dance Repertory Theatre and was key in establishing the Works Progress Administration’s Federal Dance Project, a government-funded effort to stimulate the creation of dance during the Great Depression. Tamiris believed in creating dance that would be relevant and politically motivating for the working class of America.