Mary Ann (Wells) King (1894-1971) was born in Appleton, Wisconsin, and moved to Seattle in 1915. Ms. Wells was a charter member of the Soroptimist Club and in 1916 founded the ballet department at the Cornish School (now Cornish College of the Arts). From 1923 until her retirement in 1958 Ms. Wells ran her own studio, the Mary Ann Wells School of the Dance, opening at Sixth Avenue and Union Street, and later at 804 1/2 Pine Street. Many of her students went on to become professional dancers, such as Robert Joffrey (1930-1988), founder of the Joffrey Ballet.
Pictured here is a card announcing the opening of The Mary Ann Wells School of the Dance at Sixth Avenue and Union Street.
Caption information source: "Mary Ann Wells, dance teacher, dies," The Seattle Times, January 10, 1971, page 72
Physical Description: 1 announcement ; 7.75 x 10 in., folded to 7.75 x 5 in.
Additional Information: Digital copy of this item available thanks to funding from a 2016 Institute for Museum and Library Services grant. Metadata updated as part of a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services administered by the Library Services and Technology Act, through the Washington State Library, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State.
Credit: MOHAI, Mary Ann Wells Collection, 1971.5234.21
