Tara Auringer

MONONA-Tara L. Auringer, internationally acclaimed dancer, actress, singer and teacher died February 27, 2020 after a long bout with C.O.P.D. Tara studied dance in Madison, WI starting at age 5. While at Monona Grove High School, during her summer breaks, she studied with the prestigious Canadian National Ballet in Toronto. Upon graduation from high school she moved to Chicago to study with Christine and Richard Ellis, formerly of the Sadler Wells Ballet in London, England. By age 18 she began her professional career by appearing in nine Chicago regional theater productions of musicals that were well known from Broadway. She was cast in leading roles such as Susan in Finian’s Rainbow, and Bonnie Jean in Brigadoon. She then toured regionally for two seasons with the 18-member troupe The Barnes and Caruthers Dancers. Following that she played Princess Zubedya in the musical Kismet in Chicago that enjoyed a successful run for 6 months. Subsequently, Chicago’s Café Hellas signed her to solo as a Middle Eastern belly dancer. As a result, she then performed for six months at the most prestigious Middle Eastern nightclub in Chicago, The Kismet Club. At the time, the majority of the performers were imported from Greece, Turkey and Arab countries. Tara had now joined the big leagues of belly dancing. To further advance her career she hired an agent and toured the mid-west and east coast as a solo dancer. After that rigorous booking, she eventually settled in New York City. She worked the resort circuit in the Catskill Mountains by night and auditioned for Broadway productions during the day. She landed a lead role in a play “The Art Children” that was headed for Broadway. Unfortunately, as often happens, it closed during out of town previews. Tara bid the bright lights of New York goodbye and embarked on a tour of prominent nightclubs in 28 states and Canada. Most notable were the Plaza Hotel in New York City, the 500 Club in Atlantic City, Host Farm Resorts in Pennsylvania, the Concord, Pines and Grossingers Resorts all in upstate New York. She also appeared in the Don Ho show at The Sands in Las Vegas. She opened for Pat Morita at the Cleopatra Club in Sacramento, as well as a host of other glamorous engagements. One of her most exciting adventures occurred in 1971 when Tara was hired to tour Southeast Asia military bases as well as posh nightclubs in the major cities. She had a very close call at Korat Air Base in Thailand when the Viet Cong strafed the airfield and everyone had to run for the bunkers. During her 10 months overseas Tara was a regular for 13 weeks on the Terry Montana TV series in Bangkok, Thailand. Following that excitement, Tara moved back to Madison in 1973 and married musician Leo V. Clark. In a short time they opened the Metropolitan Conservatory of the Arts. She was also the founder of a popular dance troupe, “The Kismet Dance Caravan”. After these rapid accomplishments, that year she was featured in a Vogue magazine article as one of the two top teachers of belly dancing in the entire country. To document her career and experience, she next took on her biggest challenge – she wrote, produced and starred in the PBS-TV documentary titled “Belly Dancing – The Midriff Myth”. Sadly, In 1980 Tara and Leo closed their conservatory and went their separate ways. Tara taught belly dancing and sold cosmetics at Prange’s East Towne until she opened TaraGrams Singing Telegrams in 1986 as a full time, self-owned business. It flourished until her retirement in 2013. Tara will long be remembered for tirelessly bringing the beauty and intricacy of Middle Eastern dance into the mainstream of the dance world in the United States. For over 40 years she promoted it through teaching her master classes at a multitude of dance conventions throughout the United States. She brought in a host of top proponents of the dance to Madison to teach and perform at her famous annual “Festival Oriental” which drew students and teachers from various other states and Canada. Many of her longtime students went on to teach and perform professionally. Her former student Mona N’Wal has taken up the torch of promoting this lovely delightful dance form to new heights. Happily, Mona is based here in Madison. Tara was preceded in her death by her parents, Myrna and Forrest (Pop) Auringer; brother, Jack Auringer; and sister, Gerry Auringer Binger. Her sister-in-law, Ruth Auringer; two nephews and four nieces survive her. A celebration of life will be held at GUNDERSON EAST FUNERAL AND CREMATION CARE, 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 8, 2020. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com. Gunderson East Funeral & Cremation Care 5203 Monona Drive (608) 221-5420