Thalia Mara
Thalia Mara Mahoney was an American ballet dancer and educator who authored 11 books on the subject.Biography
Mara was born Elizabeth Simons in Chicago in 1911, the daughter of Russian Jewish parents Louis B. Simons and Lillian Newman Simons, who emigrated in 1906. After beginning her performance career in Chicago, Mara traveled to Paris in 1927. Together with her husband Arthur Mahoney, in 1962 they established the National Academy of Ballet and Theatre Arts in New York. After living in New York, Mara moved to Jackson, Mississippi, where she helped found the USA International Ballet Competition. She authored eleven books on ballet, as well as founded the Thalia Mara Arts International Foundation.Legacy
In recognition of her contributions, in 1994 the Jackson, Mississippi Municipal Auditorium was renamed Thalia Mara Hall.
Another performance space, the Thalia Hall in the Pilsen Historic District located at 18th Street and Allport Street on Chicago's Lower West Side, is also named for her.Works
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