Rare 3-D Film of Legendary Modern Dance Pioneer, Carmen de Lavallade Restored 73 Years Later

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L-R Leo Holder, Bob Furmanek, Carmen de Lavallade
Kennedy Center Honoree de Lavallade's performance as lead female dancer in the first major interracial dance troupe, the Lester Horton Dancers, was captured on 3-D film and presumed lost forever

CLIFTON, N.J. - TelAve -- The 3-D Film Archive is thrilled to announce that the upcoming release of 3-D Rarities Volume III will include a rare treasure of significant cultural importance that has been rescued and restored for the world to see: an early filmed performance by modern dance pioneer, Carmen de Lavallade!

In a career spanning seven decades, de Lavallade's artistry extended beyond modern dance to touch the worlds of ballet, theater, television, and film. Beginning in Los Angeles as lead dancer for the racially integrated Lester Horton Dance Theater, her dynamic, expressive style captivated audiences of multiple generations. Her success culminated in 2017 when she was celebrated as an honoree at the 40th Annual Kennedy Center Honors.

Along her journey to that crowning acknowledgement, de Lavallade took part in something designed to showcase her inimitable style as well as the groundbreaking dance troupe as a whole. As announced by the entertainment trade Variety in March, 1953, producer Sol Lesser's latest 3-D film project, 3-D Follies, a compilation of 3-D shorts, was to begin filming.

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The article promised "Twelve dancers will be fronted by Carmen de Lavallade and James Truitte in three Latin numbers set to music by Les Baxter." This was to be the premiere section of the Caribbean Nights short, marking not only the film debut of the Lester Horton Dance troupe, but also the only directorial effort of footage shot under the direction of the groundbreaking dance pioneer Lester Horton.

Touted as the "first musical feature in 3-D," the film was photographed with the Stereo-Cine camera and slated for release on May 23, 1953 as a 90-minute feature to be distributed by RKO Studios. However, apart from one surviving segment featuring famed Burlesque dancer, Lili St. Cyr, the film was never completed, and the footage was scattered to the winds.

That all changed when 12 reels of unidentified 35mm films were brought to the attention of 3-D Film Archive founder, Bob Furmanek and his team. The small rolls of film contained the separate "left" and "right" images commonly used in the stereoscopy process, wherein the images are combined to create the 3-D depth effect.

"It didn't take long to realize we found the original assets to the unfinished 3-D short, Caribbean Nights, with the Lester Horton Dancers featuring Carmen de Lavallade and James Truitte," says Furmanek. "We were able to restore one complete dance number, a three-minute performance called the "Cumbia Candlelight Dance."

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Furmanek proceeded to share the news of the discovery with de Lavallade's son, Leo Holder, and the entire family was thrilled. On March 27, 2024, Furmanek and team privately screened the newly assembled footage for Ms. de Lavallade and it was truly a magical moment. After speaking of the lost film for seven decades, she was finally able to see it for herself. This extraordinary moment was captured by documentarian Sean Thrunk, and her reaction will also be included on the 3-D Rarities III release.

"Throughout my life, my mother would occasionally reminisce about a 3-D movie she took part in early in her career that, for all we knew, no longer existed," says Holder. "Needless to say, when I received the phone call that it had been found, we were absolutely thrilled. After all those years, I had the pleasure of watching my mother finally see the footage, and revisit her younger self in this early, seminal moment in her career."

Now, fans of de Lavallade, modern dance, and 3-D cinematography can enjoy this rare, historical footage as part of 3-D Rarities Volume III, available through Kickstarter at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/3dfilmarchive/3-d-rarities-volume-iii

As the 3-D Film Archive prepared the crowdfunding campaign for this latest release, they were saddened to learn of Carmen de Lavallade's passing on December 29, 2025. They are honored to pay tribute to the life and legacy of this truly extraordinary artist with the release of this vital piece of history.

For more information, contact Bob Furmanek at 3dfilmarchive@gmail.com

Source: The 3-D Film Archive
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