Delza, Sophia

American dancer, writer, and teacher of tai chi, Sophia Delza (1903-1996) had an exceptionally long and varied career.

Delza already had achieved prominence as an independent modern dance performer and choreographer by the mid-1940s, but after 1951 she embarked on a second career as an authority on tai chi and Chinese classical theater. Born Sophie Hurwitz, Delza grew up in Brooklyn, as a part of a large, extended family. Among her siblings were the future documentary filmmaker, Leo Hurwitz, and a sister, Elizabeth Delza (who also had a significant career in modern dance), who became Sophia's first dance teacher. Although Sophia studied science and anthropology at Hunter College and received her degree in 1924, she eventually decided to pursue a career in dance. She went to Europe, spending the majority of her time in Paris, where she studied character and folk dance forms, as well as composition at the Dalcroze School. After returning to the United States, Delza toured with the Doris Niles Company and she appeared in the 1928 edition of the Grand Street Follies with James Cagney as her dancing partner. Delza gave her first, well-received solo recital at New York's Guild Theatre in 1930, which was followed by subsequent seasons. She also performed Spanish dance from the late 1920s to the late 1930s and received a grant to study folk dance forms in Mexico. By the early 1940s, Delza had developed her "dance-monologue" format and was creating complete scripts for her modern dance programs, which often incorporated spoken word.

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