Williamson, Liz

Professional dancer and dance teacher, Liz Williamson (1919-1996) was well respected for her many years as a dance educator, as well as her efforts to promote jazz dance.

Born in North Carolina, she attended Radcliffe College as an undergraduate. She also received a graduate degree in dance from New York University. Williamson (her married name) later studied various dance forms, including modern, with Charles Weidman, Hanya Holm, Martha Hill, Huapala, and Martha Graham, but her mentor in jazz dance was Luigi. As a dancer, she performed in musical revivals at the New York City Center during the 1950s, as well as in summer stock and television. Williamson also had a successful career as a solo dancer and a nightclub cabaret act. In 1958, she performed Blues Suite as a member of Alvin Ailey's first dance company. Williamson performed under several names, including: Elizabeth Williamson, Elizabeth Williams, Liz Williamson, and Liz Williams. In 1959, she joined the faculty of the Dalton School, where she remained into the 1970s. From the 1960s until her death, Williamson taught the methods and theory of jazz dance to dance students and dance teachers at classes and at festivals in the United States and in several foreign countries. Numerous students learned her methods of "Happy Dancing!" She also served as judge at several competitions and received many awards and honors from various dance organizations. In 1973, she became the first artist-in-residence at the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, where she taught students jazz and choreographed The Many Faces of Jazz for 65 dancers. In 1979, she choreographed Shindig: The Sounds of the '60s on Stage for Downstairs at City Center. Williamson also wrote several articles on the history of jazz for Dance Magazine, as well as moderated or appeared on several panels on dance history and choreography.

Liz Williamson was born in 1919 in North Carolina. The granddaughter of Colonel James Hunter Young of Raleigh, N. C. Elizabeth Anne Ray attended the Palmer Memorial Institute where she met her future husband William Elliott Williamson. A member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, she graduated from Radcliffe College with honors and a degree in Romance Language. She graduated from New York University with a Masters of Dance. Liz Williamson studied dance, including modern, with Charles Weidman, Hanya Holm, Martha Hill, Huapala, and Martha Graham. Her jazz mentor was Luigi.

As a dancer, Liz Williamson performed in the New York City Center 1950s productions of Finian's Rainbow, Carmen Jones, and Faust . She appeared in the Cape May Playhouse's productions of The Follies of 1910 and The Boyfriend . In the 1950s she appeared with YMHA the Merry-Go-Rounders. She appeared on the Jackie Gleason Show in the 1953 production of Tawny ; on the Paul Winchell Show in 1953, and on NBC in the 1957 production Green Pastures . She also had a successful career as a solo dancer and a nightclub cabaret act. In 1958 she performed Blues Suite as a member of Alvin Ailey's first dance company. Liz Williamson performed under the names Elizabeth Williamson, Elizabeth Williams, Liz Williamson, and Liz Williams.

As a dance educator, Liz Williamson served on the faculties of Howard University, Tuskegee Institute, Young Women's Christian Association of Springfield Mass, and Bennett College of Greensboro, S. C. In 1948 she was appointed dance instructor at Fieldston of the Ethical Culture schools of New York. In 1959 she joined the faculty of the Dalton School where she remained into the 1970s. From the 1960s until her death, Williamson taught the methods and theory of jazz dance to dance students and dance teachers at classes and at festivals in the United States and in several foreign countries. Numerous students learned her methods of "Happy Dancing!" She also served as judge at several competitions. In 1973 she was the first artist-in-residence at the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival where she taught students jazz and choreographed The Many Faces of Jazz for 65 dancers. In 1979 she choreographed Shindig: The Sounds of the '60s on Stage for Downstairs at City Center. Williamson also wrote several articles on the history of jazz for Dance Magazine as well as moderated or appeared on several panels on dance history and choreography.

Among her awards and honors, in 1976 Liz Williamson received the Elsa Heilich Kempe Award for her contribution and dedication to the art of dance from the New York City Chapter of the Dance Masters of America. She also received the National Dance Association's Plaudit award for dedicated and inspiring teaching of dance. She was selected for inclusion in the First Edition of the Directory of Distinguished Americans for Contributions to the Art of Dance and was chosen for bibliographical entry into the American Biographical Institute's Book of Honor. In 1989 she received the Radcliffe College Alumnae Achievement Award.

Liz Williamson died of a heart attack at 76 on January 10, 1996 and was survived by her daughter Wonza and a grandson.