Modern Dance Loses Legend

Dan Wagoner [1932-2024]

Renowned Dancer & Choreographer

When asked about her dreams for the future, Dan's newest dance students replied, "I want to be famous!" JoAnn Fregalette Jansen, also a dancer who described Dan as an elegant man, was in that class, recalling they were having a lot of fun. Perhaps a bit annoyed by the young woman's desire for fame, Dan opined her dance style was "not specific enough."

Then, Dan returned to address what was gnawing at him. Turning to the young woman, he says, "How many modern dancers do you know who are famous?" And before there was time to answer, he dispensed words of wisdom. "If you want to be famous, become a singer!" followed by a chuckle of sarcasm. As a purist, Dan sought to impart a love for and expertise in the art of dance rather than prop up a glory-seeking individual. Modern dance is often expressed as an ensemble using motion and emotion yet always staying within the confines of the carefully planned choreography.

Dan helped launch many careers, but that classroom exchange redirected the ambitions of his new student. Advising young Madonna Louis Ciccone to pursue music over dance helped propel a trajectory to stardom for a pop singer who would later become known by one name only – Madonna.

Robert Daniel "Dan" Wagoner was internationally celebrated as a modern dancer, choreographer, and professor. After a long and fruitful career in the art of movement, he died near the comfort of his family on January 19, 2024 at Dennett Road Manor Nursing Home in Oakland, Maryland, where he had been a resident for several years. He was so notable that a glowing obituary appeared in the New York Times.

Dan had strong ties to Garrett County, where he frequently visited his sister Hannah Sincell and her extended family. Hannah and her late husband, Bob, built their home in Mountain Lake Park, where they raised five children. Bob took over Sincell Publishing from previous generations, including his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, who first purchased the Republican newspaper from its founder in 1890. Consequently, Bob passed it down to two of his children, Don and Mary who continued to run it until 2017 when it was sold to NCWV Media. The local paper recorded stories capturing rural life in the Appalachian mountains of Maryland for over a century, with news and stories on everything from politics and notable accomplishments to hometown sports and county fair prize winners. Dan would be among many local talents featured in the paper, which raised community pride while connecting Garrett County to a world off the mountaintop. 

Rooms lit up as Dan told exciting tales of his busy creative life and the shoulders he rubbed back in Manhattan, where he worked and resided most of the time. He would frequently reboot his creative energy with a respite at his primitive homestead in Romney, West Virginia – an 1800s home still without electricity and access to the property only on foot.

Dan (in white) drinks in the sun on his Romney porch with nephew Matthew.

Dan’s rural getaway in Romney, WV hosted many family reunions. Photos courtesy of Adam Sincell.

Even still, pictures of Dan in his prime proudly decorate the Sincell home, capturing a skilled dancer in mid-flight whose youthful energy led him from live performance to teaching and writing choreography. Dan's family holds him in high regard and credits him with inspiring creativity among his nieces and nephews and their children, many of whom pursued interests in writing, visual arts, singing, and music. The Sincell family built a reputation as avid patrons and practitioners of the arts in their community – a legacy of which Dan was quite proud.

His unpretentious upbringing makes Dan's profound success in the arts even more extraordinary. Born in Springfield, West Virginia, in 1932, the sprightly lad was the youngest among ten children of the late Elwood and Grace (Runion) Wagoner. Getting noticed in a large family is difficult, but a spotlight would eventually shine on him. Graduating from High School in the small town of Romney, West Virginia, prepared him for college at West Virginia University (WVU), however, not for the performing arts. Instead, with the urging of his parents, he entered a sensible field of study at the WVU School of Pharmacy. During his time in Morgantown, his first calling to dance was as a member of the WVU student dance group Orchesis. He ventured yet further from his ultimate path by entering the U.S. Army and graduated from the WVU ROTC program with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant.

While stationed at Fort Meade with the Army, his second calling was awakened, leading Wagoner to take modern dance lessons from Ethel Butler in nearby Washington, D.C. Ethel joined the well-known Martha Graham Dance Company in 1933 and performed there for a decade, appearing mostly in chorus roles and serving as one of Graham's principal teachers and confidantes. Upon seeing Dan's potential, Ethel advised him to go to New York City and enroll in the Martha Graham School of Dance as she did. With that affirmation, Dan was compelled to confide in his parents that his career in pharmacy was their dream, not his. He would never be fulfilled behind a pharmacy counter when he yearned to express himself through dance. Out of respect, he sought their blessing to continue on his journey to pursue his innermost dreams.

Acknowledging his devotion, Dan's father looked to Grace and said, "If the boy wants to dance, let him dance." And so began Dan's journey to fan an ember that smoldered inside him. 

Off to New York, Dan went with the wind at his back. Graham, considered the founder of modern dance, likewise recognized Dan's natural gifts, offered him a scholarship, and soon made him a principal dancer in her company. It wasn't long before he was teaching incoming dancers at the Graham School. At this point, his dance career was officially in motion.

While touring with Graham, Dan performed with Merce Cunningham who was also discovered by Ethel. He, Twyla Tharp, and several others who were leaders in the modern dance realm welcomed Dan into their professional circle. He later joined the company of a fellow Graham dancer, Paul Taylor, who formed the Paul Taylor Dance Company. Dan remained with Paul for a number of years before starting an independent New York-based company, Dan Wagoner and Dancers. Under his direction for the next 25 years, Dan's company performed throughout the United States, Canada, South America, Europe, and Asia, and for the annual dance season in New York City.

Dan choreographed nearly 60 dances for his company and collaborated with the Tony Award-winning lighting designer, Jennifer Tipton . His works have been performed by many other companies in the United States, England, and Finland. He taught at Harvard University, Connecticut College, and Bates College summer dance programs and numerous universities and festivals in the U.S. and abroad. Dan was an artist in residence at his alma mater, West Virginia University, and many other universities. He served as the artistic director of the London Contemporary Dance Theater in 1989 and 1990.

He greatly appreciated authenticity, individualism, and what people could accomplish if unshackled by convention or expectations. Perhaps his upbringing and achievements urged him to encourage exploration in others. Steeped in a relationship with his late partner, George, before same-sex marriage was legal, was unconventional but readily accepted among his Manhattan friends and the dance community. He stepped away from his parent’s expectations to follow his heart and reaped the most significant rewards for his courage. Conversations with Dan were never dull. His inquisitive nature could turn a brief encounter into a profound discussion about life and self-fulfillment while riddled with humor and goodwill. He leaves behind many hollow hearts.

With age, Dan's performance career came to a close, and he joined the dance faculty of Florida State University (FSU), allowing him to share his experience with aspiring dancers. While a faculty member, he helped develop the dance school's reputation as one of the nation's finest. Young national and international dance majors chose FSU because Dan was the primary modern dance instructor. He taught at FSU until he was in his ninth decade of life but finally faced retirement due to a Parkinson's disease diagnosis. He relocated to Mountain Lake Park to live with his sister Hannah. He could be spotted on frequent strolls through the "Park," which kept him mobile for roughly two years. Always dressed like a proper gentleman, Dan maintained his dignity, yet his health steadily declined until he moved to Dennett Road Manor, a care facility.

Dan's legacy survives through his relatives and the countless students he nurtured. His contributions to the arts were numerous throughout his tireless performance and teaching career. Besides his parents, Dan was pre-deceased by his longtime partner, poet/photographer George Montgomery; five sisters, Dorothy Wagoner, Reba W. Roach, Josephine W. Pownall, Ruth Maxine Mahood, and Mary Susan W. Williams; two brothers, C. Jackson "Jack" Wagoner and E. Alec Wagoner. He is survived by one sister, Hannah W. Sincell, Mountain Lake Park (Md.); one brother, Loy A. Wagoner, Springfield, W.Va.; one foster sister, Martha H. McLaughlin, Stockton, Calif.; and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, great-great-nieces, and great-great-nephews.

Pictured: Brothers Alex, Loy, Jack, and young Dan