CHRISTENSEN, HAROLD

born Dec. 25, 1904, Brigham City, Utah, U.S. died Feb. 20, 1989, San Anselmo, Calif. American dancer and teacher who, with his brothers, Willam and Lew, was instrumental in establishing ballet in the western United States. Christensen studied dancing with the famous choreographer George Balanchine and appeared with the Metropolitan Opera Ballet (1934), Ballet Caravan (1936-40), San Francisco Opera Ballet (1942), and San Francisco Ballet Company (1941-46). He became director of the San Francisco Ballet School after he retired from dancing in 1946, and he remained there until his final retirement in 1975.