Heintze, Ann

Ann Holloway Heintze, who was a professional dancer and dance teacher, developed a warm and mutually supportive relationship with her aunt Katherine Anne Porter. Mrs. Heintze began writing to her aunt at the age of fourteen, and they continued to correspond throughout Porter's life. They traveled extensively together: in 1958, to Mexico; in 1963, to France and Italy; and, in 1964, to Mexico again.

Ann Heintze was born on June 16, 1921, in Houston, Texas, the daughter of Porter's older sister Gay and her husband T.H. Holloway. She grew up in Houston, and studied ballet at Katchy Ballet School through high school. In 1938, she joined the San Carlo Opera Ballet, dancing under the professional name of Anna Gay. In 1940, she married Walter Hemmerly, a fellow member of the San Carlo Opera and moved to New York City. While they were living in New York, Hemmerly joined the armed services. While Walter served in Europe during World War II, Ann taught ballet and took dance and Spanish lessons.

In 1945, she joined her aunt in Santa Monica, California, and studied with Bronislava Nijinska. Ann joined the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo in 1946, leaving the company to dance at Radio City Music Hall from 1947 to 1951, with time out to join the Ballet Russe at Convent Garden in 1947.

As a result of her work at Radio City Music Hall, she was invited to Venezuela in 1949 to perform briefly with the resident opera company; she returned to New York of the same year. Also in 1949, while still dancing at Radio City Music Hall, she divorced Walter Hemmerly. On April 21, 1950, Ann Holloway married Walter Heintze, a successful Swedish industrial designer. Mr. and Mrs. Heintze settled in New Canaan, Connecticut, and raised two sons, David (b. 1952) and Donald (b. 1954). In 1956, she opened her own ballet school, New Canaan Ballet School.

In 1987, Ann Holloway Heintze died.

From the guide to the Ann Heintze papers, 1945-1976, null, (Literature and Rare Books)

Niece of Katherine Anne Porter, ballerina, and ballet instructor.

From the description of Papers. 1945-1976. (University of Maryland Libraries). WorldCat record id: 23660586