Martha Graham Professional Lineage

Born in 1894 in Pennsylvania, Martha Graham was influenced early on by her father a physiologist, who believed that the body and movement express the inner self.  His words, “Movement never lies” have kept with her. 

During the 1910's she traveled across the country through the American frontier to CA with her family.  That event was inspiration for "Frontier" (1935). 

In 1911 she saw Ruth St. Denis perform at the Mason Oprah house in LA.   She was intrigued, so in 1916 she joined Dennis’ company Denishawn and later taught at the Denishawn School.  She then, left and joined Greenwich Village Follies.  She began her independent carrier in 1925 and her own style and technique becomes identified.  “Graham identified a method of breathing and impulse control she called "contraction and release." For her, movement originated in the tension of a contracted muscle, and continued in the flow of energy released from the body as the muscle relaxed. This method of muscle control gave Graham's dances and dancers a hard, angular look, one that was very unfamiliar to dance audiences used to the smooth, lyrical bodily motions of Isadora Duncan and Ruth St. Denis. In her first reviews, as a result, Graham was often accused of dancing in an "ugly" way.” (Gills Kruman). 

Her work was also inspired by timeless themes: political, psychological, social, and sexual. 

Louis Horst was a well-known musician throughout New York but was most known for collaborating with Martha Graham to whom he devoted much of his carrier to.  Most notably he coached her in musical and encouraged her to expand her horizons—work with contemporary composers. 

“Graham was the first modern dance choreographer to fully use collaborations with other modern artists to create her dance theatre masterpieces.” (Gills Kurman).  She worked with Isamu Noguchi, a sculptor, and Aaron Copland, a contemporary composer, for “Appalachian Spring”. 

“Students who have studied at the Martha Graham School have moved on to professional dance companies such as the Martha Graham Dance Company, Paul Taylor Dance Company, Jose Limon Dance Company, the Buglisi Dance Theater, Rioult Dance Theater, The Battery Dance Company, Noemi Lafrance Dance Company, as well as other companies throughout the world and well known Broadway shows.” ("History").

1894-Martha Graham is born in Allegheny, Penn.
1908-Moves with family to Santa Barbara, Ca.
1912-First sees Ruth St. Denis; enrolls in the Cumnock School of Expression
1917-Enrolls in the Denishawn School of Dancing
1923-1925: Dances with the Greenwich Village Follies
1926-Found own dance company
1927-Choreographs Revolt
1929-Choreographs Heretic
1930-Choreographs Lamentation
1931-Choreographs Primitive Mysteries
1935-Choreographs Frontier
1938-Choreographs American Document
1940-Choreographs El Penitente, Letter to the World
1941-Choreographs Punch and the Judy
1943-Choreographs Death and Entrances
1944-Choreographs Appalachian Spring
1946-Choreographs Cave of the Heart
1947-Choreographs Errand into the Maze
1948-Married dancer Erick Hawkins
1950-Suffers knee injury; is legally separated from Erick Hawkins; choreographs Judith
1958-Choreographs Clytemnestra
1960-Given a Capezio Award; choreographs Acrobats of God
1961-Choreographs Phaedra
1965-Given an Aspen Award in the Humanities
1969-Retires from performing; continues to choreograph
1976-Awarded Medal of Freedom
1981-Choreographs Acts of Light
1985-Presented with President Reagan's National Medal for the Arts
1991-Dies in New York City at the age of 96

Reference:
http://www.pitt.edu/~gillis/dance/martha.html
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.200154832/default.html
http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=68b8c6f5-3b5e-4458-8710-e7b1798fbd06%40sessionmgr112&vid=1&hid=117&bdata=JkF1dGhUeXBlPWNvb2tpZSxpcCxjcGlkJmN1c3RpZD1zNzMyNDk2NCZzaXRlPWVob3N0LWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=aph&AN=655908
"History." Martha Graham. N.p.. Web. 16 Apr 2014. <http://marthagraham.org/about-us/our-history/>.
Gills Kruman, Susan. "Chapter 3: Modern Dancers Martha Graham." University of Pittsburgh. University of Pittsburgh University External Studies Program. Web. 16 Apr 2014. <http://www.pitt.edu/~gillis/dance/martha.html>.

(Essay by Diny, Tori)

Carissa Chanos