Bari Rolfe

Bari Rolfe (July 20, 1916 – October 19, 2002) was an American dancer, choreographer, mime artist, and educator. Rolfe studied mime in Paris, and beginning in the 1960s taught it at University of California, Los Angeles, California State University, Northridge, and University of Washington in Seattle. She wrote several books on mime.

Bari Rolfe
Bari Rolfe
BornJuly 20, 1916 Edit this on Wikidata
Chicago Edit this on Wikidata
DiedOctober 19, 2002 Edit this on Wikidata (aged 86)
Oakland Edit this on Wikidata
OccupationMime artist Edit this on Wikidata
Employer

Early life and education

Bari Rolfe was born on July 20, 1916, in Chicago, Illinois. The child of a chiropractor and dress designer, as a child Rolfe studied ballet and performed in nightclubs and vaudeville acts, as well as the Chicago World's Fair.[1] Her family moved to Los Angeles during World War II, and Rolfe continued dancing although her career was temporarily halted when she fell and was injured while performing at the Club Lido.[2][3][4][1]

Career as a mime and educator

In the 1950s Rolfe was living in San Francisco, where she saw a mime performance by Marcel Marceau. This inspired her to travel to Paris and study at Etienne Decroux's school and L'École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq.[5] Rolfe returned to the United States, and was teaching classes on mime in 1967 at the San Fernando Valley State College and University of California, Los Angeles.[6]

In the early 1970s Rolfe's articles on mime were appearing in the Los Angeles Times[7] and Chicago Tribune.[8] In 1973 Rolfe served as program coordinator for the first international mime institute to be held in the United States.[9] She authored books on mime and other topics related to theater, and was called the "Grandmother of the American mime world" at the time of her death in 2002.[10]

Political Life and Activism

Rolfe was one of the founders of OWL, the Older Women's League[10] and joined other progressive groups.[11]

Personal life and death

Rolfe lived in the Prudence Crandall House in Oakland, California, from 1977 until her death in 2002.[12] She died of kidney complications.[2]

Bibliography
  • Behind the Mask, 1977
  • Movement for Period Plays, 1985
  • History and Mystery of Mime, 1990
  • Actions Speak Louder, 1992
  • Mimes on Miming: An Anthology of Writings on the Art of Mime, 1980 (editor)

References
  1. "Bari Rolfe, 86; Expert on the Art of Mime". Los Angeles Times. 2002-11-03. Retrieved 2022-08-21.
  2. "Rolfe, Bari 1916-2002 | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2022-08-21.
  3. "19 Aug 1935, 3 - The Herald-Palladium at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2022-08-21.
  4. "10 May 1938, 10 - The South Bend Tribune at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2022-08-21.
  5. "BARI ROLFE, 86, AUTHOR AND EXPERT ON THE ART OF MIME". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved 2022-08-21.
  6. "16 Feb 1967, Page 4 - Valley News at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2022-08-21.
  7. "3 Jan 1971, 446 - The Los Angeles Times at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2022-08-21.
  8. "18 Mar 1973, 125 - Chicago Tribune at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2022-08-21.
  9. "20 Dec 1973, 1 - The La Crosse Tribune at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2022-08-21.
  10. "31 Oct 2002, 16 - Oakland Tribune at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2022-08-21.
  11. Buchanan, Wyatt (2002-10-29). "Bari Rolfe -- grand lady of mime". SFGATE. Retrieved 2022-08-21.
  12. Buchanan, Wyatt (2002-10-29). "Bari Rolfe -- grand lady of mime". SFGATE. Retrieved 2022-08-21.
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