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Joanie Spina (b.1953-d.2014) was an American magician, dancer, choreographer and director who achieved prominence through her work with illusionist David Copperfield.
Biography
Spina grew up in the town of Woburn, Massachusetts, near Boston. She first began dancing seriously as a child but gave up when she was aged 11. Later, at the age of 26, while working in a bar job, she returned to dance as a means to lose weight. Taking ballet and jazz classes helped her decide that her vocation lay in performing arts. She then began acting and voice classes as well. Although told she was too old to be attempting to begin a career as a performer she persevered on the basis that she could at least teach. In the following two years she danced with a few local companies in the Boston area and then moved to New York.
In January 1985, while looking for the next step in her career, Spina answered an advert for a dancer in a show with "an international stage and television star". The star turned out to be magician David Copperfield and he hired her. She worked for Copperfield for the next 11 years, spending eight and a half of them as his lead assistant. She also became his choreographer and co-director.
