Julia Marcus

Julia Marcus (24 December 1905 - 17 July 2002) was a Swiss dancer and choreographer. 2Biography Julia Marcus was born on 24 December 1905 in St. Gallen, Switzerland. Marcus began her dancing career as a cabaret dancer in Switzerland and Germany. She went on to study under Rudolph von Laban, Elisabeth Duncan, and Mary Wigman. In 1931 she joined the Berlin City Opera ballet company under the direction of Lizzie Maudrik. Marcus was known for dark, dramatic performances in eccentric and expressionist dance. Her original works include Mexican-Aztec Suite (1930) and grotesque parodies of contemporary figures including Al Jolson (1931), which was performed in blackface, Adolf Hitler (1931), Gerhart Hauptmann (1932), and Gandhi (1933). In her parody pieces she wore masks that she created while working with Erich Goldstaub in Berlin. In her 1932 piece In Der Friedensengel, Marcus wore an oversized mask resembling Aristide Briand along with a tuxedo shirt and jacket with a white ballet tut