William "Bill" Como (November 10, 1925 â€" January 1, 1989) was the
editor-in-chief of Dance Magazine during the period of 1970â€"1988,
when it was "the publication of record", crucial for linking many
developments in dance into "a dance world", through
culturally-burgeoning decades that rank among the most important
theater-arts epochs of the twentieth century.William Como, born in
Williamstown, Massachusetts, was drafted into the US army, straight
from high school, at age eighteen, to serve in the Philippines during
World War II. On his release from service in 1945, he enrolled at the
American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. From 1948 to 1953
he worked as a model, dancer and actor in New York and California, but
in 1953 left his contracts for personal reasons, finding employment as
a “gofer†for Dance Magazine, at $60/week. Associate publisher
Jean Gordon soon recognized his potential, and promoted him to sales
manager in 1954, then to advertising manager and assistant to the
publisher: posts he held from 1961 to 1969. In May 1968 Como also
became, for eleven years, Editor-in-Chief of After Dark, a NYC
entertainment magazine, which he developed from Ballroom Dance
Magazine. With the owner of Dance Magazine, Rudolph Orthwine's,
passing, and Gordon's assuming ownership, in late 1969 Como succeeded
Lydia Joel as Editor-in-Chief, joined by Managing Editor Richard
Philp, in Dance's small office on West 42d Street. Under Jean Gordon's
and Bill Como's command the magazine soon grew in importance, becoming
the main national source of information linking the dance worldâ€"and,
through its growing influence, a forceful shaper of that world
nationally and internationally, as it championed small and regional
dance companies. Como was involved in other initiatives for promoting
excellence in, and appreciation of, ballet in the United States. Along
with Walter Terry (see Modern dance) and others, Como was one of the
founders, in 1979, of the USA International Ballet Competition in
Jackson, Mississippi, held every four years.With the assistance of
Philp and with Herbert Migdoll’s designs, Como introduced a
distinguishing feature to Dance Magazine: a separate monthly
Portfolio, printed on heavy stock paper, dedicated to prominent people
in the dance world, historical repertoire, events and institutions.
Many of these are, in effect, condensed monographs, of permanent
research value. He wrote a regular one-page "Editor's Notes" column
for the magazine and published articles and introductions to books. In
later years he had a weekly half-hour "Performance Today" program with
National Public Radio. Bill Como did not live to write his planned
autobiography, which, given his great sociability and his publishing
positions, would have provided a lively and informative window on an
important epoch in the history of theater arts.William Como died in
hospital of late-diagnosed lung cancer on January 1, 1989, toward the
end nursed by Raoul Gelabert. Presumably it was during this time that
Gelabert told Anatomy for the Dance to Como. A "William Como Dance
Magazine Scholarship", awarded yearly, has been established.
editor-in-chief of Dance Magazine during the period of 1970â€"1988,
when it was "the publication of record", crucial for linking many
developments in dance into "a dance world", through
culturally-burgeoning decades that rank among the most important
theater-arts epochs of the twentieth century.William Como, born in
Williamstown, Massachusetts, was drafted into the US army, straight
from high school, at age eighteen, to serve in the Philippines during
World War II. On his release from service in 1945, he enrolled at the
American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. From 1948 to 1953
he worked as a model, dancer and actor in New York and California, but
in 1953 left his contracts for personal reasons, finding employment as
a “gofer†for Dance Magazine, at $60/week. Associate publisher
Jean Gordon soon recognized his potential, and promoted him to sales
manager in 1954, then to advertising manager and assistant to the
publisher: posts he held from 1961 to 1969. In May 1968 Como also
became, for eleven years, Editor-in-Chief of After Dark, a NYC
entertainment magazine, which he developed from Ballroom Dance
Magazine. With the owner of Dance Magazine, Rudolph Orthwine's,
passing, and Gordon's assuming ownership, in late 1969 Como succeeded
Lydia Joel as Editor-in-Chief, joined by Managing Editor Richard
Philp, in Dance's small office on West 42d Street. Under Jean Gordon's
and Bill Como's command the magazine soon grew in importance, becoming
the main national source of information linking the dance worldâ€"and,
through its growing influence, a forceful shaper of that world
nationally and internationally, as it championed small and regional
dance companies. Como was involved in other initiatives for promoting
excellence in, and appreciation of, ballet in the United States. Along
with Walter Terry (see Modern dance) and others, Como was one of the
founders, in 1979, of the USA International Ballet Competition in
Jackson, Mississippi, held every four years.With the assistance of
Philp and with Herbert Migdoll’s designs, Como introduced a
distinguishing feature to Dance Magazine: a separate monthly
Portfolio, printed on heavy stock paper, dedicated to prominent people
in the dance world, historical repertoire, events and institutions.
Many of these are, in effect, condensed monographs, of permanent
research value. He wrote a regular one-page "Editor's Notes" column
for the magazine and published articles and introductions to books. In
later years he had a weekly half-hour "Performance Today" program with
National Public Radio. Bill Como did not live to write his planned
autobiography, which, given his great sociability and his publishing
positions, would have provided a lively and informative window on an
important epoch in the history of theater arts.William Como died in
hospital of late-diagnosed lung cancer on January 1, 1989, toward the
end nursed by Raoul Gelabert. Presumably it was during this time that
Gelabert told Anatomy for the Dance to Como. A "William Como Dance
Magazine Scholarship", awarded yearly, has been established.
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