LEWISBURG W.Va. (WVDN) – Australian dancer Eileen Kramer passed away on Friday, Nov. 15, in Australia. Believed to be the oldest woman in New South Wales, Kramer earned the title of super-centenarian by reaching the age of 110. She died exactly seven days after reaching this milestone.
Born Nov. 8, 1914, in Sydney, Australia, Kramer traveled the world after developing a love for dance that quickly became her life’s passion after seeing a performance of the Bodenwieser Ballet. While in her 20s, she joined and toured internationally for a decade. After that, she spent 60 years dancing, living and working her way through many different countries and some of the world’s most famous cities, including Paris and London.
In 1992, she moved to Lewisburg, West Virginia at age 78 where she joined the Trillium Performing Arts Collective as a choreographer and costume designer. It was during her time in Greenbrier County that she self-published her first book, “Walkabout Dancer.” While here, she also fell in love, shared her vision of dance with locals and continued her work in performing arts.
In September 2013, Eileen Kramer returned to her native Australia at age 99. She continued to choreograph, perform and write with her final work, a memoir, being published in 2023 titled “Life Keeps Me Dancing.” Eileen Kramer was a dancer, choreographer, writer and artist. She died peacefully at her home in Lulworth House, Elizabeth Bay, Australia. She was believed to be the world’s oldest ballerina.
