Helen Greenberg

Helen Muriel Greenberg passed away at age 94 on May 29, 2025. She was born in New York City on December 17, 1930 to Jenny and Simon Levine. She studied ballet from an early age with prominent Russian-American teachers Vitale Fokine and Vecheslav Swoboda and attended the Professional Children's School. At 17, she auditioned for Jerome Robbins, who chose her to dance in the Broadway musical "High Button Shoes." In 1948 she joined Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo for its 10th anniversary season at the Met. After several seasons on tour, she danced for Jerome Robbins in the original Broadway production of "The King and I" starring Yul Brynner and the musical revue "Two's Company" starring Bette Davis. In 1952, when choreographer Robert Joffrey brought his fledgling company to Jacob's Pillow, he invited Helen to dance the role of Demeter in his new ballet "Persephone." Joining American Ballet Theatre for tours in Europe and the U.S., Helen danced featured roles in "Fancy Free" and "Graduation Ball." After 1955, Helen taught dance students in La Jolla, Calif., Baltimore, Md., Washington, D.C., Baton Rouge, La., and Cincinnati. While raising a family in Baton Rouge, she appeared in community theatre productions as Liat in "South Pacific" and as Grandma Tzeitel in "Fiddler on the Roof." She recreated Robbins' "Small House of Uncle Thomas" ballet for the Baton Rouge Little Theatre production of "The King and I." In Cincinnati, she worked in retail sales at Gidding-Jenny Department Store and the Saks Fifth Avenue Fur Salon. Later in life, she continued her education as an avid student of language, poetry, and literature at area universities including the University of Cincinnati's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. She also took up drawing and painting, producing and exhibiting works in pen, charcoal, watercolor, and acrylic and oil paints. She frequently focused on the human body in motion as well as subjects from nature. She documented her many trips abroad in detailed journals. She was a member of Beth Adam Congregation. She is survived by daughters Lisa (Don) Akchin, Jan (Ross) Evans and Jill Greenberg as well as grandchildren Jonathan (Lisa) Akchin, Jennifer Akchin and Jordan, Mitchell and Morgan Evans as well as great grandchildren Margaret, Anne, Peter and Edmund Akchin. She was predeceased by two former husbands, Herbert W. Dickerman and David B. Greenberg, and a brother, Daniel Levine. Graveside services Friday, May 30 at 1:30PM at United Jewish Cemetery, 7885 Ivygate Lane, Montgomery, Ohio 45242. A gathering will take place immediately following services at the home of Jan and Ross Evans, 4083 Retreat Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45241. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to Pones, a dance organization, Pones, Inc. PO Box 76222, Highlands Heights, KY 41076

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Helen Greenberg

December 17, 1930 - May 29, 2025