Betty Meredith-Jones
A smiling white woman with dark hair
Betty Meredith-Jones, from a 1955 newspaper
Born
Betty Marguerita Meredith Jones

19 May 1908
Aberdare, Wales, U.K.
Died12 May 1996
Swansea, Wales, U.K.
Occupation(s)Dancer, dance educator, rehabilitation specialist

Betty Marguerita Meredith-Jones (19 May 1908 – 12 May 1996) was a Welsh dancer, dance educator, and rehabilitation specialist, a student and proponent of the work of Rudolf von Laban.

Early life and education

Meredith-Jones was born in Aberdare, the daughter of William Meredith Jones and Ellen Ada Jones.[1] Her father was a surgeon-dentist for the Aberdare Education Authority.[2] She was presented to Princess Elizabeth in 1939, during the future queen's tour of Wales.[3][4]

Meredith-Jones trained in dance with Rudolf von Laban, and with the Chartered Society of Massage and Medical Gymnastics.[5] She was a graduate of the Chelsea College of Physical Education.[6] She earned a master's degree at Columbia University.[7] In the 1960s she studied Laban movement analysis with Warren Lamb.[8]

Career

Meredith-Jones taught dance and physical education courses,[2] and choreographed shows for the Salisbury Arts Centre,[5] before 1952, when she moved to the United States to teach movement classes.[9][10] She created a rehabilitation program at Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital, promoting movement training for addressing Parkinson's disease.[11] She taught at Teachers College, Columbia University,[7] Oregon State University,[12] Stanford University,[13] the University of California, Berkeley,[14] Skidmore College,[15][16] Duke University,[17] and the New School for Social Research.[18] She also consulted on symbolic movement in liturgical contexts,[19] and taught movement classes for older women.[20][21]

Publications

  • "Understanding Movement" (1955)[22]

Personal life

Meredith-Jones lived in Rhossili in her later years.[7] She died in 1996, at the age of 87, at Singleton Hospital in Swansea.[23] There is a collection of her papers in the National Resource Centre for Dance at the University of Surrey.[24]

References

  1. Betty Marguerita Meredith Jones, in the Glamorganshire, Wales, Anglican Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1570-1994, via Ancestry
  2. 1 2 "'P. T.' Expert's Drama Lecture to Teachers". Aberdare Leader. 24 March 1951. p. 2. Retrieved September 5, 2023 via The British Newspaper Archive.
  3. "Work by Men's and Women's Clubs". Western Mail. 1939-06-12. p. 8. Retrieved 2023-09-05 via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Visit to Museum". Western Mail. 12 June 1939. p. 8. Retrieved September 5, 2023 via The British Newspaper Archive.
  5. 1 2 "Englishwoman to Give Dance Lecture Monday". The Eugene Guard. 1953-02-09. p. 9. Retrieved 2023-09-05 via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Consultant Service". Journal of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. 24 (3): 35. March 1953.
  7. 1 2 3 "B. Meredith-Jones, Dance Therapist, 87". The New York Times. 1996-05-19. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
  8. Davies, Eden (2007-05-07). Beyond Dance: Laban's Legacy of Movement Analysis. Routledge. p. 74. ISBN 978-1-135-51224-8.
  9. Stough, Ada Barnett (1965). Brighter Vistas: The Story of Four Church Programs for Older Adults : Case Study No. 18. U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Office of Human Development, Administration on Aging. p. 26.
  10. "Basic Movement Teacher to be Shown in Demonstrations Here on March 30". The Burlington Free Press. 1957-03-21. p. 20. Retrieved 2023-09-05 via Newspapers.com.
  11. Bradley, Karen K. (2018-08-06). Rudolf Laban. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-351-11704-3.
  12. "West Coast Dance Workshop". Journal of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation. 24 (2): 44. February 1953.
  13. "Modern Dance at Stanford". Journal of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation. 24 (12): 47. December 1953.
  14. "Women's Workshop Staff Completed". Journal of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation. 24 (5): 63. May 1953.
  15. "Workshop Features 28 Pupils". The Times Record. 1959-02-10. p. 7. Retrieved 2023-09-05 via Newspapers.com.
  16. "Skidmore Dance Teacher Will Present Program". The Post-Star. 1959-04-13. p. 5. Retrieved 2023-09-05 via Newspapers.com.
  17. "Physical Education Specialist to Visit Duke for 2 Weeks". The Herald-Sun. 1955-11-27. p. 6. Retrieved 2023-09-05 via Newspapers.com.
  18. "Meredith-Jones, Betty". Finding Aids, New School Faculty Vertical Files Collection, The New School Archives & Special Collections. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
  19. Taylor, Margaret Fisk (2009-11-01). A Time to Dance: Symbolic Movement in Worship. Wipf and Stock Publishers. pp. 25–26. ISBN 978-1-60899-131-0.
  20. "Workshop in Art of Movement and Relaxation Held at Riverside Church". Aging (127): 14. May 1965.
  21. Donnelly, Antoinette (1959-10-11). "Oldsters Off on Right Foot". Daily News. p. 98. Retrieved 2023-09-05 via Newspapers.com.
  22. Meredith-Jones, Betty (June 1955). "Understanding Movement". Journal of Health, Physical Education, Recreation. 26 (5): 14–59. doi:10.1080/00221473.1955.10628952. ISSN 0022-1473.
  23. "Betty Meredith Jones (death notice)". The Daily Telegraph. 1996-05-14. p. 20. Retrieved 2023-09-05 via Newspapers.com.
  24. "The Laban Archives and Special Collections". The Labanarium. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
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