Danton, who taught ballet until late in life, dies at 102

PETAL, Miss. (AP) — Henry Danton had an international career as a ballet dancer and teacher before moving to Mississippi late in life and continuing to teach even as he passed his 100th birthday. He was 102 when he died Feb. 9. A celebration of Danton’s life will be held March 20 at South Mississippi Ballet Theatre in Hattiesburg. Danton was a native of England and began his dance career in 1940. He danced with touring ensembles across Europe, Australia, Asia and South America and worked with national ballet companies in Venezuela and Colombia. He moved to Mississippi in the 1990s. He received a Mississippi Governor’s Arts Award in 2020.