Castle, Irene, 1893-1969 (1893-1969)

Dates

• Existence: 1893-1969

Biography

Irene Castle (1893–1969) was an American ballroom dancer. Castle was born Irene Foote in New Rochelle New York and began dancing at a young age. She met her husband, Vernon Castle, in 1910, and a year later, the couple was married. The newlyweds began working as a team, dancing in both North America and Europe during the early 1910s. In Paris, the Castles debuted new American dances, such as the Turkey Trot, and became the toasts of the town. When they returned to New York in 1912, the couple were hired to dance on Broadway and in Films. Their stylized "Foxtrot" and "Castle Walk" became dance crazes in America. Irene Castle was a trendsetter and served as an inspiration for fashion designers of the period. Her influence caused skirts to rise and balloon and corsets to become less stiff. The fashion designer Lucile provided Castle with a good deal of designs. After Vernon Castle passed away in 1918, Irene continued dancing, but never reached the same level of fame as she did during the 1910s.

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