A Tribute to Choreographer Jack Cole

Among the unsung heroes of Hollywood history, choreographers are often overlooked by aficionados of both dance and film. Jack Cole, an innovator of jazz dancing (and one-time dance instructor at UCLA), presents a fascinating case. Neglected in most discussions of dance on film, Cole introduced radically modern ideas and forms to a sphere often treated as merely decorative, choreographing for both bodies and cameras. He infused the dance profiles of such screen personalities as Betty Grable, Mitzi Gaynor and Marilyn Monroe with unprecedented high style and graphic beauty. Tonight’s screening and discussion represent an appreciation of Cole’s contributions to dance on film, and a consideration of the screen choreographer’s craft.