08/07/2024
From my Wife Bethany Owen about a legendary choreographer she once was associated with that has passed away.
In Remembrance:
The below re Bobby Banas...Mr. Banas was the choreographer I was cast by & chosen to perform in a production that we did in Texas for a Democrat Convention Dinner. I was about 17 or 18 years old at the time & we rehearsed about 4 or 5 days at the Paul DeRolf Studios, learning about 5 dance numbers. I was in a cast of about 25 or 30 girls where we performed the dances in the outer spaces of a square shaped convention room. It was my first professionally paid job as a dancer cast in Hollywood, altho the job itself was out of town. If you read this obit story, they also reference his work with Michel Panaieff when he partnered Natalie Wood in Panaieff's LA ballet company. ( I was in Panaieff's OC company). I really didn't know his background at the time ...only that he was a top choreographer & as this very cute little guy who came on like an army sargeant trying to teach us girls a lot of choreography in a very short few days. It meant a great deal to me that I was cast in that production, as it was my first professional break out of Hollywood.
RIP Bobby Banas, you'll be remembered by so many for your contributions to the world of dance.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/bobby-banas-dead-west-side-story-mary-poppins-1235961835/?fbclid=IwY2xjawEgbsVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHaQ9fEMrTabgVhCVWjAEtw9MYG2C1vaQk9l2UROF4DDnUTFnnx7usUrJmw_aem_3wfA0D-Toq6K8E7iYsUy2w
Also an actor and choreographer, he famously did “The Nitty Gritty” on ‘The Judy Garland Show’ and was kissed by Marilyn Monroe in ‘Let's Make Love.’