In 1973, an article in Dance Magazine recognized Brigham City's Christensen family as America's one and only dance dynasty. Of Willam, Harold and Lew, the family's third generation of dancers, the magazine noted:
"It becomes evident how little self-seeking their aims have been and how generous are their contributions to the ballet in America. It is from artists like the Christensens that the ballet draws its strength and some part of its nobility."
That dynasty began with Lars Christensen, who immigrated from Denmark in 1854 with the Mormon pioneers and settled in Brigham City. Lars, a stone mason by trade and a violin teacher and a conductor by avocation, taught Danish folk dances and the social dances to the young people of Brigham City.
Lars and his four wives had 23 children, and as soon as the sons were old enough, they formed an orchestra. It played at most of the dances in northern Utah.
In 1903, two of those sons, Christian and Peter, circulated a little red booklet in Brigham City. "It is with pardonable pride," the booklet said, "that the management opens the New Academy of Music and Dancing for the use of those who appreciate education and refinement. This institution is intended as a place where the young people of the entire county may meet surrounded by favorable influences. . . . Music and dancing are inseparable and should be a part of the education of every thoroughly equipped young person."
Lew, Harold and Willam studied dance with their uncle Peter and then later in New York with Fokine and Mascagno. In those days, vaudeville provided the best opportunities for dancers to perform, and the brothers joined vaudeville troupes, where they appeared on the same bill as W.C. Fields, Bob Hope and other leading entertainers.
In 1932, vaudeville came to an end, and the brothers continued with separate careers.
Lew danced with Lincoln Kirsten's Original Ballet Caravan and with George Ballanchine's companies, becoming known as the first great American classical ballet dancer. In 1948, he joined the San Francisco Ballet School. He became director of that school and also served as administrative director of the New York City Ballet.
Harold also danced with Kirsten's company. In 1940, he joined the ballet school of the San Francisco Opera Ballet and became its director.
In 1932, Willam went to Portland, Ore., to take over the dance school started by his Uncle Moses and to form the Portland Ballet. In 1937, he became a principal dancer and ballet master with the San Francisco Opera and started the Opera Ballet as an adjunct of the opera company.
In 1941, his San Francisco Opera Ballet produced the first full-length "Coppelia" in the country, followed by the first full-length "Swan Lake" (1940) and "The Nutcracker" (1944).
In 1951, Willam returned to Utah to start the first major ballet program in America at the University of Utah. Ballet West emerged from this program in 1968.