The memorial of star Ballerina Yvonne Mounsey who lost her battle to cancer Saturday at the age of 93, has been set to October 14. According to the Los Angeles Times the memorial will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Oct. 14 at L.A.'s Wadsworth Theatre at 11301 Wilshire Blvd. in Los Angeles.
She died in her home in Los Angeles on Saturday. Her daughter, Allegra Clegg of Pacific Palisades confirmed the news to the Associated Press.
The 98-year-old rose to prominence in the 1950s when she landed major roles in "George Balanchine"and "Jerome Robbins" in the New York City Ballet. She starred in various popular ballets such as "Prodigal Son," "Serenade," "The Cage," "Fanfare," "Swan Lake," "The Nutcracker" and "The Concert."In addition to performing in New York, she also danced for the esteemed British ballet company, "Ballet Russe De Monte Carlo."
She performed ballet professionally for many years, from 1939 to 1958. After this she returned to the West Coast where she started her own dance school - Westside Ballet in Santa Monica. She was born in 1919 in South Africa as Yvonne Louise Leibbrandt.
Her dance school released a statement announcing the death of Mounsey, "It is with great sadness that Westside Ballet announces the death of Yvonne Mounsey, founder of Westside Ballet. With a ballet career encompassing more than eight decades, she touched the lives of thousands through her dancing, her choreography, her teaching, and the example she set of a life well-lived. We will miss her very much.
