Zorach immigrated to the U.S. when he was four years old and, at nineteen, moved to New York City, where he enjoyed great success as a painter and, later, as a sculptor. A retrospective of his work was held at the Whitney Museum in 1959. Dancing Figure, an over-life-size casting of a nude female figure resting on one knee, is a study of the rounded, full shapes and simplified forms that characterize Zorach’s work. Aluminum was an unusual choice as a casting material, and provides a distinct effect that wouldn’t have been found in a more traditional metal.