Philip Jerry ’95

Philip Jerry died Aug. 2, 1996, a victim of AIDS. Philip was first accepted at Princeton in 1972 but deferred to pursue a dance career in NYC. He matriculated in 1991 and graduated with honors in art history and with a certificate in French. In Jan. 1996, he became an assistant to Harvey Lichtenstein, the director of the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

Between 1972 and 1991, Philip danced with the Joffrey Ballet, winning acclaim for his performance in Romeo and Juliet, The Taming of the Shrew, and Kurt Jooss's The Green Table, a performance presented on PBS's Dance in America and named by the NY Times as one of the 10 best dance performances of 1983.

He retired from the Joffrey in 1988 and was a freelance choreographer until 1991. His ballet, Our Town, was presented at McCarter Theater in 1995 by the American Repertory Ballet.

While at Princeton, Philip taught at the Princeton Ballet School and was ballet master of the American Repertory Ballet. He is survived by Patrick Corbin, his companion of nine years; his parents, Jocelyn and Harold A. Jr. '41; his brother, H.A. "Chip" III '69; his sisters, Danielle G. and Jocelyn J. Wolcott; three nieces, and five nephews.

The class offers its heartfelt condolences to Philip's family and friends. His shining contributions to the work of dance, the Princeton University community, and the lives he touched will be greatly missed.

The Class of 1995