Chicago dancer and choreographer.

Margot Grimmer, daughter of artists and designers Ann and Vernon Grimmer, was born in Glencoe, Illinois, in 1944. An active child, she began studying ballet early, and at fifteen she was advanced enough to join a company at the Starlight Theater in Kansas City. While still in high school she performed with the Music Theater in Chicago’s Highland Park, and continued to dance locally while taking college courses in English literature. Her career advanced and during the next years she danced with the Lyric Opera Ballet, the Ruth Page International Ballet, the New York City Ballet and the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, among others.

In 1972 Grimmer organized her own company, becoming the artistic director of the Margot Grimmer American Dance Company of Highland Park. In that year, after the sudden death of her friend, Eric Braun, she bought his school and as a tribute to him, named it the Eric Braun-Margot Grimmer American Dance School. The American Dance Company enjoyed great success with Chicago audiences and by 1980 Grimmer had choreographed sixteen original works and presented one hundred ballets. Known for her highly energetic, dynamic and original style, Grimmer leaned heavily toward multi-media presentations, with elements of ballet, modern, ethnic, jazz and even disco. She drew inspiration from many sources, incorporating current events and social influences for (in her words) “a total theater experience.”

Margot Grimmer has contributed much to the Chicago artistic scene, and many of her pupils have had successful dance careers. The Margot Grimmer American Dance Company received grants from the Illinois Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. Grimmer was listed in Who’s Who of American Women in 1977, and in 1979 was recognized by the British publication, The International Who’s Who of Intellectuals.