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Martha Graham and Bertram Ross in Visionary Recital, photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1961

Martha Graham (May 11, 1894 - April 1, 1991), an American dancer and choreographer, is known as one of the foremost pioneers of modern dance. Although she built upon the foundation of another turn-of the century dancer, Isadora Duncan, Martha Graham took this art form to a new level with her introduction of dance techniques that, at first horrified and later, won over the American public. In terms of modernism she has been compared to Picasso, Stravinsky, and Frank Lloyd Wright. Like other modernists she broke with the formalism of 19th century Romanticism in order to create not only a uniquely contemporary style, but one that was quintessentially American. Her bold and transformative work cannot be limited only to dance, however, as she also exerted a marked influence over set design, costumes, and music.

President Gerald Ford called her a "A National Treasure" when awarding her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1976. In 1998, TIME Magazine listed her as the "Dancer of the Century" and as one of the most important people of the 20th century.

Early Life and influences

She was born in Allegheny, Pennsylvania and moved to California when she was 14 years old. After seeing Ruth St. Denis perform in 1910, she took an interest in dance. Not until the age of 22 (1916) did she pursue her interest professionally by enrolling at Denishawn. In 1925, Graham became a dance instructor at the Eastman School of Music and Theater in Rochester, New York. She later set out on her own with the support of Louis Horst, an accompanist whom she had got to know while training at Denishawn and who grew to be her musical mentor.

A new era in dance

Photo by Yousuf Karsh, 1948

In 1926, Graham founded her own company, the Martha Graham Dance Company. Her unique movement style — widely recognised for its principle of contraction and release — and imagery reflected the modern art of the times. In the 1930s, Graham taught at Bennington College and New York University. In 1951, Graham was a founding member of the dance division of the Juilliard School, directed by Martha Hill.

In 1936, Graham refused to perform at the Olympics in Berlin due to the Germany's Nazi government's perseuction of artists. Instead she immersed herself in the creation of one of her defining works, "Chronicle", which became a statement against imperialism and signalled a new beginning an era of contemporary dance.

Graham's dancing life gradually came to a rest starting in the 1950s. In 1927, the Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance was established. One of her students was heiress Bethsabée de Rothschild with whom she became close friends. When Rothschild moved to Israel and established the Batsheva Dance Company in 1965, Graham became the company's first director, groomed its first generation of dancers, and made works for it.

In 1948, Graham married Erick Hawkins (a principal dancer in her company). She didn't want to marry, but after eight years of living together, she decided they should.

Her largest-scale work, the evening-length Clytemnestra, was created in 1958 and features a score by the Egyptian-born composer Halim El-Dabh.

Her final dance performances came in the late 1960s, and from then on she focused on choreography. Some critics say that even though there is little physical record of her dancing, it is more memorable than her choreography. Graham continued working until her death from pneumonia in 1991 at the age of 96.

Quotes

According to Agnes de Mille: "The greatest thing she ever said to me was in 1943 ...

'"There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep yourself open and aware to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. ... No artist is pleased. [There is] no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others"'

from The Life and Work of Martha Graham ^[1]

Dances

1944 - Appalachian Spring. Music by Aaron Copland.
1947 - Night Journey. Music by William Schuman.
1948 - Diversion of Angels. Music by Norman Dello Joio.
1950 - Judith. Music by William Schuman.
1955 - Seraphic Dialogue. Music by Norman Dello Joio.
1958 - Clytemnestra. Music by Halim El-Dabh.
1960 - Acrobats of God. Music by Carlos Surinach.
1960 - Alcestis. Music by Vivian Fine.
1961 - One More Gaudy Night. Music by Halim El-Dabh.
1962 - A Look at Lightning. Music by Halim El-Dabh.
1963 - Circe. Music by Alan Hovhaness.
1967 - Cortege of Eagles. Music by Eugene Lester.
1969 - The Archaic Hours. Music by Eugene Lester.
1973 - Myth of a Voyage. Music by Hovhaness]].
1975 - Lucifer. Music by Halim El-Dabh.

Early Dancers

Graham's own final performance was May 25, 1968, in A Time of Snow at the George Abbott Theater, NYC. ^[2]

So many important dancers appeared in Graham's company that any listing involves editorial decisions that leave out deserving performers. Some lists made by scholars include:

"Graham's original girls were superb - Bessie Schonberg, Evelyn Sabin, Martha Hill, Gertrude Shurr, Anna Sokolov, Nelle Fisher, Dorothy Bird, Bonnie Bird, Sophie Maslow, May O'Donnell, Jane Dudley, Anita Alvarez, Pearl Lang - as were the second group - Yuriko, Ethel Butler, Ethel Winter, Jean Erdman, Patricia Birch, Nina Fonaroff, Matt Turney, Mary Hinkson. And the unforgettable group of men - Erick Hawkins, and after him Merce Cunningham, David Campbell, John Butler, Stuart Hodes, Glen Tetley, Betrtam Ross, Paul Taylor, Mark Ryder, William Carter." ^[3]

Later Former Dancers

(in no particular order)

Elisa Monte, Takako Asakawa, Christine Dakin, Peggy Lyman, Terese Capucilli, Maxine Sherman, Joyce Herring, Jacqulyn Buglisi.

Dudley Williams, Tim Wengerd, Dan Wagoner, Donlin Foreman, Peter Sparling, Pascal Rioult, Kenneth Topping, Steve Rooks, Larry White.

External links

Time Magazine: 100 Most Important People of the Century
PBS:American Masters biography
Kennedy Centery biography
Martha Graham at the Internet Movie Database
MarthaGrahamDance.org - Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance

Footnotes

↑ *de Mille, Agnes (1991). Martha: The Life and Work of Martha Graham. NYC: Random House, p. 264. ISBN 0-394-55643-7. de Mille preceeds the Graham quotation with: "The greatest thing she ever said to me was in 1943 after the opening of Oklahoma!, when I suddenly had unexpected, flamboyant success for a work I thought was only fairly good, after years of neglect for work I thought was fine. I was bewildered and worried that my entire scale of values was untrustworthy. I talked to Martha. I remember the conversation well. It was in a Schrafft's restaurant over a soda. I confessed that I had a burning desire to be excellent, but no faith that I could be. Martha said to me, very quietly, ... "
↑ Ibid.(deMille, 1991), p. 379
↑ Ibid.(de Mille, 1991), p. 417

Credits

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[1] *de Mille, Agnes (1991). Martha: The Life and Work of Martha Graham. NYC: Random House, p. 264. ISBN 0-394-55643-7. de Mille preceeds the Graham quotation with: "The greatest thing she ever said to me was in 1943 after the opening of Oklahoma!, when I suddenly had unexpected, flamboyant success for a work I thought was only fairly good, after years of neglect for work I thought was fine. I was bewildered and worried that my entire scale of values was untrustworthy. I talked to Martha. I remember the conversation well. It was in a Schrafft's restaurant over a soda. I confessed that I had a burning desire to be excellent, but no faith that I could be. Martha said to me, very quietly, ... "

[2] Ibid.(deMille, 1991), p. 379

[3] Ibid.(de Mille, 1991), p. 417

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-[[Image:Martha Graham Bertram Ross 1961.jpg|thumb|Martha Graham and Bertram Ross in ''Visionary Recital'', photographed by [[Carl Van Vechten]], 1961]]'''Martha Graham''' (May 11, 1894 - April 1, 1991), an [[United States|American]] [[dancer]] and [[choreographer]], is known as one of the foremost pioneers of [[modern dance]]. Although she built upon the foundation of another turn-of the century dancer, [[Isadora Duncan]] Martha Graham took this art form to a new level with her introduction of   dance techniques that, at first, horrified and later won over the American public. In terms of modernism she has been compared to Picasso, Stravinsky and Frank Lloyd Wright and like other modernists she broke with the formalism of 19th century Romanticism in order to create not only a uniquely modern style but one that was distinctly American. Her bold and transformative work cannot be limited only to dance however; she exerted a vast influence over set design, costumes, and music as well.
+[[Image:Martha Graham Bertram Ross 1961.jpg|thumb|Martha Graham and Bertram Ross in ''Visionary Recital'', photographed by [[Carl Van Vechten]], 1961]]'''Martha Graham''' (May 11, 1894 - April 1, 1991), an [[United States|American]] [[dancer]] and [[choreographer]], is known as one of the foremost pioneers of [[modern dance]]. Although she built upon the foundation of another turn-of the century dancer, [[Isadora Duncan]], Martha Graham took this art form to a new level with her introduction of dance techniques that, at first horrified and later, won over the American public. In terms of modernism she has been compared to [[Pablo Picasso|Picasso]], [[Igor Stravinsky|Stravinsky]], and [[Frank Lloyd Wright]]. Like other modernists she broke with the formalism of 19th century [[Romanticism]] in order to create not only a uniquely contemporary style, but one that was quintessentially American. Her bold and transformative work cannot be limited only to dance, however, as she also exerted a marked influence over set design, costumes, and music.
-[[Gerald Ford|President Gerald Ford]] calling her a '"A National Treasure"'' when awarding her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1976. In 1998, TIME Magazine listed her as the ''"Dancer of the Century"  and as one of the most important people of the [[20th century]].
+[[Gerald Ford|President Gerald Ford]] called her a "A National Treasure" when awarding her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1976. In 1998, TIME Magazine listed her as the ''"Dancer of the Century"  and as one of the most important people of the [[20th century]].