Marie Adair

Born :

Died : August 1995

Nationality : American

BALLET DANCER

Marie taught ballet at Sarah Lawrence College in Broxville, New York

1956

When Baba returned to the hotel, Margaret Craske's ballet dancers had their long-promised chance to perform for him. Baba had asked them in Myrtle Beach, "Do you want to dance for me?" and told them to be ready in two days. Although the dancers had not come prepared, they went to the beach and choreographed something together. They had no music, so they had to hum and clap out the rhythm. But Baba did not ask for their performance. Only when they arrived in San Francisco did he tell them, "Tomorrow afternoon at 2 P.M. you will dance for me."

Baba closed off the interview room for them. Only he, the mandali, Margaret Craske and Bili Eaton were present. Marie Adair, Tex Hightower, Bunty Kelly and Peter Saul performed a Highland fling, and Tex and Bunty did a dance entitled "Black Bottom." Marie Adair's solo "Dance of the Sun Maid," from "Land of the Midnight Sun," followed. Peter Saul brought some different shoes and danced solo for Baba. He was rewarded, as were the others, by Baba's warm embrace. Baba, happy and relaxed, commented, "I would just like to go on watching dancing like this!"  He posed with Margaret and the group for Charmian. Later in his suite he gave the dancers a few minutes alone with him. He joked with them and played his old trick on Margaret of slapping her cheek when she was not expecting it.

1958

Don Stevens announced the program, saying, "Baba, your words have a deep effect on us. We know there is no yesterday and no tomorrow, and we are giving this performance for you in the Eternal Now!"

Peter Saul, Viola Farber, Jean Cebrun, Marie Adair, Joe Fabian, Charles Hightower, Skipper Damon, Bunty Kelly, Naomi Westerfelt, Cynthia Mays and Zebra Nevins all performed for Baba. They danced several numbers for him, both solos and duets. It was as if the walls of the Barn faded away, and the space expanded. Another dancer, Donald Mahler, had come from Canada and served as stage-hand. After one number set in the 1920s, Skipper Damon gave Baba her cloche hat, and he put it on. Baba embraced Margaret Craske and each of the dancers, and also Don Stevens. He said, "I am pleased by this performance of my lovers, done with love for me." The group afterwards said that they had never danced as they danced that afternoon.