|
|
Stage Name |
Birth Name |
| Ms. Laurie Haile |
n/a |
Laurie danced professionally
in her younger years and appeared on television frequently as
well as many ballroom competitions in ballroom dancing. In her
later years she would teach, Judge and write and produce a huge
newsletter called the "Steplighter." She was very proficient
in all the American and Latin couple dances.
Laurie was known as the "Bird Lady of Burbank" as she
loved birds and had many in her residence. Towards the end, she
would mainly adjudicate competitions and teach ballroom dance
for Senior Citizens. Laurie was one of the sweetest ladies to
ever grace the ballroom dance floor and was loved by all.
|
Laurie Haile is
credited for "writing the book on dance" for Arthur
Murray and is credited for the naming of West
Coast Swing in California. On Murrays request, Haile proceeded
to document the dances being done in the local clubs. Here she
was to notice a different style of swing being done and named
it the Western version or West Coast version of swing.
This she reported back to Murray, which he began to teach it in
the late 1940s. Many people claim that Murray created West Coast
Swing, however, he was only one of the first studio's to include
it in his dance syllabus, thanks to Miss Haile.
Laurie also held the record for continuos turning, she did spot
pivots for one and a half hours. |