Alfred Brooks Oral History, 2004 February 25

Item

Identifier: D009.03.0005.00001

Staff Only

Abstract

With the assistance of a former student, Ann Musman Quigley, Alfred Brooks recalls his early years in Kansas City, Mo., and his studies at the Juilliard School. He relates his career with Hanya Holm and her dance troupes, and talks about dancing with Charles Weidman and Doris Humphrey. He taught dance in New York with Holm and later with his wife, Maxine Munt, before moving to Denver.

Dates

2004 February 25

Creator

Friends of the Carson-Brierly Dance Library (Organization)

Digital Repository

Alfred Brooks Oral History

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Biographical / Historical

Born in Kansas City, Al Brook was an accomplished musician, attending the University of Virginia and then Julliard with a major in performance and composition. A summer program at Cunnington School in Massachusetts exposed Al to plays, chamber music, and modern dance. Returning to New York, he took eurhythmics classes and was invited to dance with Hanya Holm's company. Al was in the Air Force in WWII and upon his return to Hanya's company, he met Maxine Munt, his future wife, at a summer session at Colorado College. They married in 1950 and opened a studio in mid-twon New York City. In 1960, their building was scheduled for demolition do Brooks and Munt moved to Denver, CO, opening The Changing Scene. The Changing Scene operated as a theatre, dance studio, and apartment. For 33 years the pair produced world premiers of experimental theater, dance, art, film, and performance art. The facility closed in 2000. Al Brooks passed away in 2005.