Encyclopedia, Difference between revisions of "Martha Graham" - New World

From New World Encyclopedia
Line 1: Line 1:
 
{{Epname}}{{Claimed}}{{Contracted}}
 
{{Epname}}{{Claimed}}{{Contracted}}
−
[[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 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.
+
[[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]]. Building upon the foundation of turn-of the century dancer, [[Isadora Duncan]], Martha Graham would take 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 philosophy, which helped shaped the American public's view towards dance, was that "dancing is an affirmation of life through movement." 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]] 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]].
 
[[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]].
Line 6: Line 8:
  
 
==Early Life and influences==
 
==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|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.
+
She was born in Allegheny, [[Pennsylvania]]. The family moved to Santa Barabara, [[California]] when she was 14 years old in order to accommodate a more favorable climate for her sister's asthma problems. The more liberal cultural milieu of the [[West Coast]] was also to have an impact on Graham's career choice. After seeing [[Ruth St. Denis]] perform in  1910, she proclaimed that her future profession was "chosen" for her. Her father, initially discouraging her, allowed her to attend Cunmnock Junior College in Los Angeles which had an emphasis on the arts. In 1916, at the age of 22 (a very late start for a dancer) Graham  was finally able to pursue her interest professionally by enrolling at the school Ruth St. Denis founded called the Denishawn Studio. She spent eight years there performing, teaching and embarking on a longtime collaboration with [[Louis Horst]], who would become her musical director and adviser.
 +
 
 +
In 1923, seeking to embark on a career of her own, Graham performed with the [[Greenwhich Village]] [[Follies]] on Broadway. In 1925 she took a position as a dance instructor at the [[Eastman School of Music|Eastman School of Music and Theater]] in Rochester, [[New York]] where she was given complete control of her classes and an opportunity to do experimentative work. It is from these students that she first drew on to create a performing ensemble.
  
 
==A new era in dance==
 
==A new era in dance==
Line 20: Line 24:
  
 
Her largest-scale work, the evening-length ''[[Clytemnestra (dance)|Clytemnestra]]'', was created in 1958 and features a score by the Egyptian-born composer [[Halim El-Dabh]].
 
Her largest-scale work, the evening-length ''[[Clytemnestra (dance)|Clytemnestra]]'', was created in 1958 and features a score by the Egyptian-born composer [[Halim El-Dabh]].
−
 
+
==Retirement and end of life==
 
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.
 
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.
  
Line 27: Line 31:
 
:'"''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''"'
 
:'"''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''' <ref>*{{cite book |last=de Mille |first=Agnes |title=Martha: The Life and Work of Martha Graham |year=1991 |publisher=Random House |location=NYC |pages=p. 264 |id=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, ... ''"</ref>
 
::from '''The Life and Work of Martha Graham''' <ref>*{{cite book |last=de Mille |first=Agnes |title=Martha: The Life and Work of Martha Graham |year=1991 |publisher=Random House |location=NYC |pages=p. 264 |id=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, ... ''"</ref>
 +
 +
==References==
 +
*"Martha Graham." ''The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Volume 3:'' 1991-1993 Charles Scribner's Sons, 2001. Reproduced in ''Biography Resource Center.'' Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale. 2007.
 +
*"Martha Graham." ''Newsmakers 1991,'' Issue Cumulation. Gale Research. 1991. Reproduced in ''Biography Resource Cetner.'' Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale. 2007.
 +
*''Contemporary Authors Online,'' Gale, 2007. Reproduced in ''Biography Resource Center.'' Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale. 2007.
 +
*"Martha Graham." ''American Decades.'' Gale Research. 1998. Reproduced in ''Biography Resource Center.'' Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale. 2007.
  
 
==Dances==
 
==Dances==
Line 51: Line 61:
  
 
"''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.''" <ref>Ibid.(de Mille, 1991), p. 417</ref>
 
"''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.''" <ref>Ibid.(de Mille, 1991), p. 417</ref>
−
 
−
==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.
 
  
  

Revision as of 18:33, 23 February 2007

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. Building upon the foundation of turn-of the century dancer, Isadora Duncan, Martha Graham would take 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 philosophy, which helped shaped the American public's view towards dance, was that "dancing is an affirmation of life through movement." 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. The family moved to Santa Barabara, California when she was 14 years old in order to accommodate a more favorable climate for her sister's asthma problems. The more liberal cultural milieu of the West Coast was also to have an impact on Graham's career choice. After seeing Ruth St. Denis perform in 1910, she proclaimed that her future profession was "chosen" for her. Her father, initially discouraging her, allowed her to attend Cunmnock Junior College in Los Angeles which had an emphasis on the arts. In 1916, at the age of 22 (a very late start for a dancer) Graham was finally able to pursue her interest professionally by enrolling at the school Ruth St. Denis founded called the Denishawn Studio. She spent eight years there performing, teaching and embarking on a longtime collaboration with Louis Horst, who would become her musical director and adviser.

In 1923, seeking to embark on a career of her own, Graham performed with the Greenwhich Village Follies on Broadway. In 1925 she took a position as a dance instructor at the Eastman School of Music and Theater in Rochester, New York where she was given complete control of her classes and an opportunity to do experimentative work. It is from these students that she first drew on to create a performing ensemble.

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.

Retirement and end of life

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]

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • "Martha Graham." The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Volume 3: 1991-1993 Charles Scribner's Sons, 2001. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale. 2007.
  • "Martha Graham." Newsmakers 1991, Issue Cumulation. Gale Research. 1991. Reproduced in Biography Resource Cetner. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale. 2007.
  • Contemporary Authors Online, Gale, 2007. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale. 2007.
  • "Martha Graham." American Decades. Gale Research. 1998. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale. 2007.

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]


External links

Footnotes

  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

Further Reading

  • Graham, Martha (1991). Blood Memory: An autobiography. NYC: Doubleday. ISBN 0-385-26503-4. 
  • Freedman, Russell (1998). Martha Graham: A Dancer's Life. NYC: Clarion Books. ISBN 0-395-74655-8. 
  • Horosko, Marian (2002). Martha Graham: The Evolution of Her Dance Theory and Training. Gainesville, FL: Univ. Press of Florida. ISBN 0-8130-2473-0. 
  • Morgan, Barbara (1980). Martha Graham: Sixteen Dances in Photographs. Morgan & Morgan. ISBN 0-87100-176-4. 
  • Tracy, Robert (1997). Goddess - Martha Graham's Dancers Remember. Pompton Plains, NJ: Limelight Editions. ISBN 0-87910-086-9. 
  • Bird, Dorothy and Greenberg, Joyce (2002 reprint). Bird's Eye View: Dancing With Martha Graham and on Broadway. Pittsburgh, PA: Univ. of Pittsburgh Press. ISBN 0-8229-5791-4. 
  • Taylor, Paul (1987). Private Domain: An Autobiography. NYC: Knopf. ISBN 0-394-51683-4. 
  • Soares, Janet Mansfield (1992). Louis Horst: Musician in a Dancer's World. Durham, NC: Duke University Press. ISBN 0-8223-1226-3. 
  • Hawkins, Erick (1992). The Body Is a Clear Place and Other Statements on Dance. Hightstown, NJ: Princeton Book Co. ISBN 0-87127-166-4. 

Credits

New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:

The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia:

Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed.

Retrieved from https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/p/index.php?title=Martha_Graham&oldid=213503

Content is available under Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License; additional terms may apply. See Terms of Use for details.
Copyright Logo
Powered by MediaWiki