Looking Back

From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History

accessible at www.djnfoundation.org

54 | APRIL 2 • 2020 

A

lthough Joe Cornell was not 
Jewish, generations of people in 
Detroit’
s Jewish community have 
interacted with him. 
When news that Cornell died in 
California on March 18 reached Detroit, 
Facebook exploded with 
people sharing memories of 
him and his popular dance 
classes for preteen Jewish 
Detroiters. 
I checked the William 
Davidson Digital Archive 
of Jewish Detroit History 
to see what I could find on 
him. 
There was no shortage of JN pages 
that cited Joe Cornell. Since his name 
first appeared in 1951, Cornell was cited 
on 974 pages of the JN. Research in the 
Archive shows he was an institution in 
the Detroit Jewish community, as well as 
in Michigan and Hollywood, California.
Born and raised in Detroit, his real 
name was Joseph Coronella, and it seems 
he became an honorary member of the 
Jewish community.
Cornell began his career as a dancer 

and entertainer in the 1940s while attend-
ing classes at Wayne State University and 
giving lessons at the local Arthur Murray 
Dance Studio in Detroit. From there, he 
began entertaining at resorts in western 
and northern Michigan, and then made 
his way back to Detroit to develop a very 
successful business — and make his con-
nection to Detroit’
s Jews. His professional 
journey can be followed in the historic 
pages of the JN. 
To begin, there is an excellent report 
in the Jan. 18, 2007, issue of the JN. It 
discusses the development of Joe Cornell 
Studios, which became Joe Cornell 
Entertainment, the work of his succes-
sors, and a bit about Cornell himself (for 
more biographical information about 
Cornell, see Karen Schwartz’
s story on 
page 18). 
The first mentions of Cornell begin to 
appear in the early 1950s, when he was 
the entertainment director for several 
Michigan resorts. By the late 1950s, there 
were advertisements noting that “entire 
families will enjoy Joe Cornell’
s Omena 
Inn on Grand Traverse Bay.” 
By the 1960s, Cornell was Detroit-

based, soon becoming an institution in 
the Jewish community. In his column 
in the March 25, 1960, Danny Raskin 
referred to him: “Pappa Joe, the pied 
piper of Wyoming Ave. is more than just 
a dancing teacher or a social director … 
he’
s the pride and joy of every youngster 
who meets him…” (Indeed, Raskin’
s col-
umns often had news about Cornell.) 
Therein lies the main point: Thousands 
of kids, especially at their bar and bat 
mitzvahs, benefited from their relationship 
with Cornell, and the dance and etiquette 
lessons he taught them. And, this says 
nothing about his numerous charitable 
activities for youth in the city. Even when 
he moved to California, Cornell would 
often return and hold events in Detroit.
Star Trax Events purchased Joe Cornell 
Entertainment in 2015. One of its pro-
grams is the “Joe Cornell Experience,” 
featuring such events as a “Dance Party” 
for fifth graders. It is a most fitting legacy 
for someone who was much more than a 
great dancer. 

Want to learn more? Go to the DJN Foundation 
archives, available for free at 
www.djnfoundation.org.

The Man Who Taught 
Jewish Youth to Dance

Mike Smith
Alene and 
Graham Landau 
Archivist Chair

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