Titled “One Ballerina’s Day,” the self-penned cartoon showcased Moylan’s artistic versatility just as her professional career on Broadway and in pioneering ballet companies reached a pivotal juncture.
The Rise of Mary Ellen Moylan at the School of American Ballet
According to historical archives, she began performing principal roles as a teenager with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo under resident choreographer George Balanchine. Her 1946 career trajectory marked a significant expansion into theatrical dance. That year, Moylan stepped away from the Ballet Russe to collaborate with choreographer Antony Tudor on the Broadway musical The Day Before Spring.
Debuting Balanchine’s The Four Temperaments with Ballet Society
Following her Broadway stint, Moylan joined Ballet Society, the direct predecessor to the New York City Ballet. In November 1946, she originated a milestone role in the neoclassical repertoire by debuting as Sanguinic in George Balanchine’s landmark ballet The Four Temperaments.
Inside the July 1946 Issue of Dance Magazine
Moylan’s published cartoon appeared alongside extensive commentary documenting the post-World War II dance landscape. According to the July 1946 issue, the magazine featured specialized foot care guidance for performers written by podiatrist Dr. Horace Worrell. Elsewhere in the publication, acclaimed dancer and choreographer Anton Dolin answered common questions he heard from the parents of young dance students.
The same edition highlighted commercial and concert dance ventures of the era. It included a behind-the-scenes feature on a troupe of twelve dancers assembled by Jack Cole under permanent contract with Columbia Pictures to appear in dance numbers in its films as needed. Additionally, the magazine published critical reviews covering performances by Alicia Markova, Anton Dolin, La Meri, Pearl Primus, Anna Sokolow, and Merce Cunningham, alongside a profile of the artists who had taken the nightclub circuit by storm under the moniker Mata and Hari.
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