Martha Graham (1894–1991)
Author of Blood Memory: An autobiography
About the Author
Not only is Martha Graham correctly identified as a pioneer of modern-dance, but she must also be termed the progenitor of modern dancers and modern dance companies. More than 35 of her students and dancers have become noted choreographers or directors of dance companies. Born in Pittsburgh, show more Pennsylvania, Graham trained in Los Angeles at the Denishawn School founded by Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn and danced with the Denishawn Company until 1926, when she made her independent debut in New York City. Her early work, such as Lamentation (1930), made a great contribution to the American Constructivist movement and to the development of modern dance. During the 1930s, Graham was influenced by Native American life and mythology, and this influence was evident throughout her career in such works as Two Primitive Canticles, Primitive Mysteries, Ceremonials, and Appalachian Spring (1958). Much of her work also reflects the early American pioneer spirit and is based on historical characters. This influence can be seen as the inspiration for such works as American Provincials, Frontier (1935), and American Document. Graham used her own dance company not only as a showcase for her work, but also to train dancers in her own method, which was to give physical substance to emotions and to use every aspect of the body and mind---movement, breathing, and muscular control---to dramatic purpose. Through the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance, her method of training has been widely adopted in dance schools and college dance programs throughout the world. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Image credit: Martha Graham and Bertram Ross, 1961
(Credit: Carl Van Vechten)
(Carl Van Vechten Photographs,
LoC Prints and Photographs Division,
LC-USZ62-116601)
(Credit: Carl Van Vechten)
(Carl Van Vechten Photographs,
LoC Prints and Photographs Division,
LC-USZ62-116601)
Works by Martha Graham
Chi no kioku (血の記憶) 1 copy
Associated Works
This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women (2006) — Contributor — 1,142 copies, 36 reviews
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Birthdate
- 1894-05-11
- Date of death
- 1991-04-01
- Gender
- female
- Occupations
- dancer
choreographer - Organizations
- American Academy of Arts and Letters (American Honorary, 1983)
- Awards and honors
- National Medal of Arts (1985)
Kennedy Center Honors (1979)
Presidential Medal of Freedom (Distinction, 1976)
Award for Distinguished Service to the Arts (1970) - Relationships
- St. Denis, Ruth (teacher)
- Nationality
- USA
- Birthplace
- Allegheny, Pennsylvania, USA
- Place of death
- New York, New York, USA
- Associated Place (for map)
- USA
Members
Reviews
I finished reading Blood Memory, the Martha Graham autobiography. I've got the Sceptre edition with many wonderful photographs from her career. A full and fascinating life is described, not without its moments of heartbreak and poignancy. The woman's wit comes through with a real immediacy and throughout the text her love of dance and the human body is ever present.
Posthumous work, a kind of tell all, not well written or that well organized. However the information, sometimes unreliable (e.g. being a neighbor of A. Dreyfus in Santa Barbara), sheds light on the dominant figure of American Dance in the 20th century. Good read if not only for the gossip.
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Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 10
- Also by
- 4
- Members
- 235
- Popularity
- #96,240
- Rating
- 3.8
- Reviews
- 4
- ISBNs
- 20
- Languages
- 6
- Favorited
- 1
