▁and ▁bought ▁El la ▁Fitz ger ald ▁her ▁first ▁evening ▁g own ▁because ▁she ▁did ▁not ▁have ▁one . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s , ▁Wood ▁was ▁the ▁dance ▁captain ▁at ▁the ▁Apol lo ▁Theater ▁where ▁the ▁young ▁d anc ers ▁first ▁met . ▁Wood ▁led ▁the ▁Apol lo ▁Theater ▁ch orus ▁line ▁to ▁strike ▁for ▁higher ▁w ages ▁and ▁a ▁week ' s ▁vac ation ▁pay ▁in ▁February ▁ 2 3 , ▁ 1 9 4 0 . ▁Six teen ▁ch orus ▁girls ▁shut ▁down ▁the ▁the ater ▁by ▁ref using ▁to ▁go ▁on stage ▁and ▁held ▁a ▁ 2 4 - hour ▁pick et ▁line . ▁The ▁strike ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁for ▁Black ▁entertain ers . ▁The ▁strike ▁helped ▁establish ▁the ▁American ▁Gu ild ▁of ▁Vari ety ▁Art ists . ▁They ▁won ▁a ▁pay ▁increase ▁from ▁$ 2 2 . 5 0 ▁to ▁$ 2 5 ▁dollars ▁per ▁week , ▁extra ▁time ▁for ▁re he ars als ▁re he ars als , ▁and ▁reduced ▁working ▁hours . ▁ ▁Mar ion ▁Col es ▁( born ▁March ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁– ▁November ▁ 6 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 ) ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Har lem , ▁New ▁York . ▁Her ▁father ▁was ▁in ▁the ▁n avy ▁and ▁died ▁at ▁sea , ▁leaving ▁Mar ion ▁and ▁her ▁mother ▁behind . ▁Every ▁Sunday ▁after ▁church , ▁Col es ' ▁mother ▁taught ▁her ▁ball room ▁dan cing . ▁She ▁started ▁as ▁a ▁l ind y ▁ho