This interactive site is an introduction to the life and work of martha graham, known as the mother of modern dance. Martha graham biography life, family, parents, name. Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. Martha graham looms large in the annals of modern dance, and she has been the subject of a number of biographies. While graham skims lightly over the surface of her life in blood memory, demille digs deeply into events and personalities. This retrospective of the explosive first decade in the career of dancer martha graham 18941991 was designed and edited by merle armitage and published in an edition of 1,000 copies. The rite of spring 1984 martha graham dance company. When she was ten years old, and after one of her sisters developed asthma a breathing problem, the family moved to california because the weather was better. With programs that offer a rich thematic narrative, the company creates new platforms for contemporary dance and multiple points of. Graham, the extraordinary creative force who ranks with picasso and st. She is best known for her richard jury character, a chief inspector at scotland yard. The book also tells about the lives of her dancers, students, close. Martha graham biography life, family, parents, name, story. Martha graham, american dancer, choreographer one who creates and arranges dance performances, and teacher, is considered one of the major figures of modern dance.
Graham became interested in dance when she saw ruth st. It has the feeling of the town settling down for the night, the kind of thing that happens when one hears a call in the twilight, the voices of children in the distance, a dog barking, and then night. Even if martha graham had done nothing else worth mentioning in her 96 years, she might be remembered for that face. With programs that offer a rich thematic narrative, the company creates new platforms for.
Martha graham, the eldest of three daughters, was born on may 11, 1894, in allegheny, pa. Blood memory invites readers to explore her phenomenal life and highlights the unforgettable images that encompass her work. Dancer and choreographer best known for her contributions to modern dance. The first book about martha graham, printed in an edition of copies. It was in the juvenile section of the library, which tells me that it isn. For the public library, martha graham is the missing link. Martha grahams great and simple version of the joan of arc. Among their children was a girl named charlotte, who would grow up to marry henry quiner and give. She emigrated to america and was married to a scotsman named lewis tucker in boston on january 1, 1799. Prime members enjoy free delivery and exclusive access to music, movies, tv shows, original audio series, and kindle books. Graham, the extraordinary creative force who ranks with picasso and stravinsky, broke traditional molds and ultimately changed the way we look at the world.
The evolution of her dance theory and training 19261991. The library has acquired grahams archive, filling a significant gap in the story of early modern dance in america. Martha graham may 11, 1894 april 1, 1991 was an american modern dancer and. Martha graham, frontier 1935 watch the video on youtube with an introduction by martha graham. Martha graham dance company the official home of the. In order to decide whether martha graham made dance new, it is necessary to examine dance history, to look at the characteristics of nineteenth century ballet and the choreography of grahams predecessors, loie fuller, isadora duncan and ruth. The company embraces a new vision that showcases masterpieces by graham alongside newly commissioned works by contemporary artists. Her style, the graham technique, reshaped american dance and is still taught worldwide graham danced and taught for over seventy years. In 1984, she decided to return to the score and create her own choreography for the rite the primal physical expression that is the hallmark of. Reproduced with permission of martha graham resources, a division of the martha graham center.
She danced and choreographed for over seventy years, and during that time was the. The martha years books are a series of four novels about laura ingalls wilders greatgrandmother, martha morse tucker. Dancers, choreographers, biography, autobiographie. Martha graham is not just important for her contribution to the development of modern dance but also for her creative relationships with many of the u. She was the first dancer to perform at the white house, travel abroad as a cultural ambassador, and receive the highest civilian award of the us. A dancers life by russell freedman, the fulllength biography of martha graham, takes a deep look into martha and the peole around her. Martha graham was born in a suburb of pittsburgh, pennsylvania, on may 11, 1894, one of george and jane beers graham s three daughters. Martha graham was born in allegheny, pennsylvania on 11 may 1894 and commenced her dance studies in 19. Martha grimes herself is an author who is definitely in control of the action, especially given her background in law. Chronicle is a modern dance work choreographed by martha graham to music by wallingford riegger. Martha graham was born in a suburb of pittsburgh, pa, in may 1894.
The christian science monitor is an international news organization that delivers thoughtful, global coverage via its website, weekly magazine, online daily edition, and email newsletters. Martha grimes is an american novelist of detective fiction. Martha grimes made her literary debut in 1981 with. It premiered on december 20, 1936, at the guild theatre in new york city. Early life martha graham was born in a suburb of pittsburgh, pennsylvania, on may 11, 1894, one of george and jane beers graham s three daughters. Martha graham, the american dancer, teacher, and choreographer, revolutionized the world of modern dance. Demille, graham s lifelong friend, held off publication of her book until graham s demise. Martha graham, the american dancer, teacher, and choreographer, revol. She was a dancer, teacher, and choreographer who changed the world. The book is the first we know of in the countless tomes published about graham that contains a syllabus of graham movements. Martha graham may 11, 1894 april 1, 1991 was an american modern dancer and choreographer. Martha graham was a prime revolutionary in the arts of this century and the american dancer and choreographer whose name became synonymous with modern dance.
Her life began in pittsburg where she was born in 1894. Martha graham was an american dancer and choreographer regarded as one of the foremost pioneers of modern dance, and is widely considered one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. Her other series feature the characters the emma graham and andi olivier. Jan 04, 2006 an athlete of god from 1953, legendary choreographer martha graham believes that living like dancing requires practice to achieve a sense of ones being and a satisfaction of spirit. The evolution of her dance theory and training is recommended for all dance and theatre collections. Childrens books ballet for martha by jan greenberg and sandra. With a score by egyptianborn composer halim eldabh, this ballet was a large scale work and the only fulllength work in graham s career. In the 1930s and 40s, her unique brand of angular movement, dramatic narratives and unapologetically strong female. The man with a load of mischief richard jury mysteries book. Waking up in a bedandbreakfast alien to her, a young woman finds herself nameless and alone with one solitary message left there for her. Jul, 2012 choreographer martha graham is modern dances socalled high priestess. A marathon reading of martha graham the new yorker. Though admiring graham s accomplishments and recognizing her genius, demille is not adulatory.
Using newly discovered archival sources, awardwinning choreographer and dance historian mark franko reframes graham s most famous creations, those from the world war ii era, by restoring their rich historical and personal context. Demilles strong writing, combined with her personal knowledge of graham and all the important players in graham s lifeaccompanistlover louis horst, husband erick hawkins, competitor doris humphrey, vide insights into the 20thcentury american dance world and graham s life that only a fellow. Martha graham was a prime revolutionary in the arts of this century and the american dancer and choreographer whose name became synonymous with modern dance yet ultimately her geniusuniversally recognized as she became the most honored figure in american dancewas embodied in her choreographic masterworks and her invention of a new and. Labor, movement, and identity in the 1930s offers a historically contextualized and biographically informed analysis of her work between 1938 and 1953, arguably her most.
Dance collections and most large public libraries will want both books. This book introduces martha graham to children with reverence and finesse, recounting how she created the moderndance classic. Martha graham is considered by many to be the 20th centurys most important dancer and the mother of modern dance. At a famous studio, martha graham s career as a dancer starts slowly, but once the choreographer of such modern dance pieces as heretic, frontier, appalachian spring, and letter to the world begins her own company, her 70year career never stops. Playing over the course of four novels so far, the character of emma graham is a welldefined one who never feels inconsequential at any given point.
Dec 25, 2015 the book of martha, by octavia butler posted on december 25, 2015 december 31, 2015 by kagmi this wonderful story crossed my dashboard, very appropriately, just in time for christmas. Informative good read about the amazing life of martha graham. She is a selfdescribed anglophile who sets most of her novels in england. The first thing you noticed was the face, a deadwhite mask of anguish with black holes for eyes, a curt slash of red for a mouth and cheekbones as high as the sky. On april 1, 1958, the martha graham dance company premiered the ballet clytemnestra, based on the ancient greek legend clytemnestra and it became a huge success and great accomplishment for graham.
Her father was a doctor who treated people with nervous disorders. Set design by isamu noguchi frontier is a relatively early work by martha graham, created less than a decade after she began. Martha graham described the final moments of appalachian spring this way. In the first decade of the twentieth century, she began training at the denishawn school of dancing and related arts. She possessed a great gift for revealing emotion through dance, expressing beliefs and telling stories in an utterly new way. You will learn about specific dances through the journals of jordy kandinsky, a fictional new member of the martha graham dance company. From 19191923, graham performed with the company, attracting critical acclaim.
Martha graham made a difference in modern dance by creating a unique style all her own. Often called the picasso, stravinsky, or frank lloyd wright of the dance world, martha graham revolutionized ballet stages across the globe. Martha graham has been described as the picasso, the stravinsky, the frank lloyd wright of dance, and her graham technique is still taught worldwide. She is a great role model to all aspiring dancers and they look up to her because of what she has done. She is my hero because she wasnt afraid of expressing anything that she thought was right. She founded the famed martha graham dance company and had an acclaimed sevendecadelong career. In her heyday, martha grahams name was internationally recognized within the modern dance world, and though trends in choreography continue to change. This book discusses her whole life and provides enough detail to understand. Graham invented a new language of movement, and used it to reveal the passion, the rage and the ecstasy common to human experience. Martha graham dance company the official home of the martha. Graham s connection to the rite of spring began in 1930 when she was propelled into international fame starring in the first american production of the work choreographed by leonide massine and conducted by leopold stokowski. Grey cloth stamped in black, spine panel reads martha graham merle armitage 1937 but also known in a red binding, gilt, completely identical except spine panel on the red binding is stamped dance of martha graham merle armitage without the date, and cover lettering has smaller letters and 12 gilt stars lacking. The martha graham dance company has been a world leader in the evolving art form of modern dance since its founding in 1926. Whilst this includes some of the same setup for the book, it is a relatively new direction for martha grimes, as she focuses this time on a more coming of age theme.
1513 696 938 543 377 1223 1036 1487 684 742 1455 853 1122 1383 324 1065 1210 12 1382 491 492 814 91 1 1339 326 1431 203 352 171 1109 860 1428 1401 743