Transitions.

LILA ZALI

Lila Zali, founding artistic director of Ballet Pacifica, died of leukemia January 4, 2003, in Laguna Beach, California, where she had been a leader in the arts community for more than fifty years.

Zali was born Elisabeta Zalipskaya Levienne, in Tblisi, Georgia, in the Soviet Union on July 22, 1918.

After moving to the U.S., Zali became a soloist with Michael Mordkin's company, moving on in 1940 to Ballet Theater. Zali's Russian roots, however, remained strong, as did her love for nineteenthcentury Russian repertoire. After a brief stay in Ballet Theater, she transferred to Col. de Basil's Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo.

During a 1945 visit to Hollywood, she met and married Kolya Levienne, the cellist who had played The Swan for Anna Pavlova. Zali began to earn her living in the movies and in nascent television, but always managed to be involved in creative projects of her own. Among them was a small classical company called Ballet Musicale, which she formed with Michael Panaieff. It later became the Los Angeles City Ballet.

In 1959, Zali opened her own school in Laguna Beach. In 1962, she formed the Laguna Beach Civic Ballet, later renamed Ballet Pacifica. When the Pacific Regional Ballet Association was formed in 1965, her company became a charter member, and by 1968, she represented her region on the board of directors of the National Association for Regional Ballet. In 1987 the NARB national office was closed; Zali remained on board as president, to establish a secure transition to Regional Dance America.

She left no family, just legions of devoted students and former company members.--Doris Hering

CHARLENE TARVER

Charlene Tarver, 72, a modern dancer, teacher, and choreographer, died January 5, 2003, in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Tarver performed with New York's Shirley Broughton Dance Company, was resident choreographer for the Boys Club of New York from 1960-1965, and taught at the Hanya Holm School of Dance from 1960-1967. In 1970, Tarver settled in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, where she co-founded and directed the Alberta Contemporary Dance Theatre until 1978. She helped to create and direct a dance diploma program at Grant MacEwan Community College until her retirement in 1994, after which she choreographed and taught dance in Santa Fe. She is survived by her husband, daughter, son, and daughter-in-law.--Heather Wisner

NAN HARRIS KLINGER

Nan Harris Klinger, 71, a significant player in the establishment of pre-professional ballet companies, died January 29, 2003.

In 1966, Klinger was chosen for a Ford Foundation project to nurture ballet talent. As part of the project, New York City Ballet professionals adjudicated her students annually; Klinger credited her contact with George Balanchine as the inspiration to start her own ballet school. In 1975 Klinger established Ohio's Cuyahoga Valley Youth Ballet. In its twenty-seven years, the company has premiered nearly thirty original dances, and been home to more than 200 dancers.

Klinger is survived by six children and thirteen grandchildren.--Heather Wisner