Vanoye Aikens

Vanoye William Aikens (November 27, 1922 – August 24, 2013), also known as Van Aikens, was an American dancer and actor born in Georgia. He attended Morehouse College but left before completing his degree due to financial difficulties. He subsequently served in the U.S. Navy before relocating to New York City.

In New York, Aikens was encouraged by Katherine Dunham Company dancer Lenwood Morris to audition for the troupe. He joined as a student in 1943 and went on to build a career closely associated with Dunham and her company. His Broadway appearances between 1943 and 1955 included Tropical Revue, Interplay, Katherine Dunham and Her Company, the musical Carib Song, and Bal Negre. Beyond Broadway, Aikens toured with the company through the United States, Europe, and South America, performing on both stage and screen alongside Dunham until the troupe disbanded in 1963.

Following the dissolution of the company, Aikens worked briefly in film as an actor, singer, and dancer. He then pursued a teaching career in Europe, serving as a dance lecturer at the Danshögskolan in Sweden and also teaching in Germany and Spain through the mid-1980s. Upon returning to the United States, he worked with both Katherine Dunham and the Alvin Ailey Dance Company in Los Angeles.

Aikens died in Los Angeles on August 24, 2013, and is buried in Jonesboro, Georgia.