Kitty Lunn, an American ballet dancer, actress, choreographer, and pioneering disability rights advocate
NEW YORK, New York — Kitty Lunn, an American ballet dancer, actress, choreographer, and pioneering disability rights advocate, passed away on August 18, 2026, at the age of 76. Born Catherine Lunn Morrison on August 5, 1950, in New Orleans, Louisiana, she began her classical ballet training as a child before earning a scholarship to the Washington Ballet. In 1987, while rehearsing for her Broadway debut, Lunn suffered a spinal cord injury after slipping on ice and falling down a flight of stairs, leaving her paraplegic. Refusing to give up her art form, she adapted classical ballet technique for wheelchair dancers and founded New York’s Infinity Dance Theater in 1995, establishing a globally recognized mixed-ability company for performing artists with and without disabilities.
Published by Global Report Center
NEW YORK, New York — Kitty Lunn, an American ballet dancer, actress, choreographer, and pioneering disability rights advocate, passed away on August 18, 2026, at the age of 76. Born Catherine Lunn Morrison on August 5, 1950, in New Orleans, Louisiana, she began her classical ballet training as a child before earning a scholarship to the Washington Ballet. In 1987, while rehearsing for her Broadway debut, Lunn suffered a spinal cord injury after slipping on ice and falling down a flight of stairs, leaving her paraplegic. Refusing to give up her art form, she adapted classical ballet technique for wheelchair dancers and founded New York’s Infinity Dance Theater in 1995, establishing a globally recognized mixed-ability company for performing artists with and without disabilities.
Official Status and Verification Standards
Representatives from Infinity Dance Theater and family members confirmed that Lunn passed away on August 18, 2026. A detailed obituary published in The New York Times formally announced her death. In accordance with established reporting guidelines and family privacy considerations, an official clinical cause of death has not been publicly released by healthcare representatives or surviving relatives.
Community Tributes and Funeral Status
Lunn's passing prompted widespread tributes across the international dance, theater, and disability advocacy communities. Colleagues and advocacy groups—including Actors' Equity Association and SAG-AFTRA, where she previously served on Performers with Disabilities committees—honored her contributions to non-traditional casting and accessible performing arts education. Information regarding public memorial services, church celebrations at West End Presbyterian Church in New York City, or family-designated charitable contributions will be released as arrangements are finalized by her representatives.
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