Katherine Whitney Curtis information

Katherine Whitney Curtis (January 4, 1897 – July 6, 1980), also spelled "Katharine" or "Kay" Curtis, was an American swimmer and physical education instructor who is widely credited as the originator of synchronized swimming. While historical figures such as Esther Williams and Annette Kellerman are recognized for similar contributions, important historical details regarding the origin of the word "Synchronized Swimming", its reference to the Olympic sport, and the technical structure of that sport are all credited to Curtis.^[1]

The only descendants of Katherine's family survive through her nephew, Gaylord Whitney, in central Ohio. Her great-grand nephew, Jordan Whitney Wei, is both the writer and primary researcher for her first comprehensive biography.^[2]

Kay Curtis introduced synchronized swimming in 1934 at the Chicago World's Fair with Norman Ross as her announcer.^[2] To her, synchronized swimming was a co-ed sport as it still might be if she had not been transferred overseas (1943–1962) with the Red Cross as recreational director. One of her early disciples was Hal Henning. She staged a production for the Armed Forces in the spectacular fountains and pools and gardens of the palace built by the Kings of the Two Sicilys and used as Allied headquarters in Caserta, Italy. When she finally returned home in 1962 after observing synchronized swimming all over Europe, her baby was a full-blown sport and has been a dominant American aquatic sport and art form ever since. Her pioneer book Rhythmic Swimming (1936) was a classic textbook on the sport she originated.^[3] Her no-nonsense ability to say it like it is made her not only the tough mother of synchronized swimming but led Bill Bachrach to call Kay Curtis "the only person I was ever jealous of in swimming".^[4]

^ "Curtis, Katharine Whitney, 1897-1980. Katherine Whitney Curtis papers, 1884-1978 | Chicago Collections Consortium". Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
^ ^a ^b Whitney-Wei, Jordan, 1992- (January 17, 2020). Katharine Whitney Curtis : mother of synchronized swimming. McFarland & Company. Jefferson, North Carolina. ISBN 978-1-4766-3823-2. OCLC 1137816169.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^ Whitney Curtis, Katharine (1936). Rhythmic swimming: A source book of synchronized swimming and water pageantry. Burgess Pub. Co.
^ "ISHOF - Kay Curtis (USA) - 1979 Honor Synchronized Swimming Coach". Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved January 27, 2014.

[1] "Curtis, Katharine Whitney, 1897-1980. Katherine Whitney Curtis papers, 1884-1978 | Chicago Collections Consortium". Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved January 22, 2014.

[:0-2] Whitney-Wei, Jordan, 1992- (January 17, 2020). Katharine Whitney Curtis : mother of synchronized swimming. McFarland & Company. Jefferson, North Carolina. ISBN 978-1-4766-3823-2. OCLC 1137816169.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

[3] Whitney Curtis, Katharine (1936). Rhythmic swimming: A source book of synchronized swimming and water pageantry. Burgess Pub. Co.

[4] "ISHOF - Kay Curtis (USA) - 1979 Honor Synchronized Swimming Coach". Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved January 27, 2014.

Katherine Whitney Curtis information

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