Martha Graham Fact File

 Martha Graham 

Born: 11th May 1884 - Allegheny (Pennsylvania) 

Died: April 1 1991 - New York City 

Background and Inspirations 

Martha was born in Allegheny City (modern day Pittsburgh) to George Graham and Jane Beers. Her father was an early form of a psychiatrist who helped those with nervous disorders.  The family would move to California early in Martha's life due to one of her two sisters having an illness, it was here where Graham would find her love for dance after seeing Ruth St. Davis who was another early pioneer of modern dance. However, Martha's parents did not consider dance a respectable so she would instead attend a junior college, but her father would die soon after where she would then enroll in Ruth St. Davis' dance school: Denishawn Studio after she felt free to pursue her own dreams. 

Why Did She Want To Create "Modern Dance"?

She rejected ballet techniques, instead believing that dance should focus on natural motion instead of the music. She liked to experiment with movements that would push the body based on its structure, Martha also said that she wanted to work with movements instead of characters or ideas. She also believed that dance should highlight the struggle of human life and illuminate the inner nature of humans, instead of the picture perfect and idyllic stories seen in ballet. 

What were the main elements on her dance?

Martha would begin by gaining inspiration from anything from classic myths, to current social issues or even paintings. From this, she would then find music or the composer Louis Hort who partnered with her many times would create something for her to use as inspiration while she created the movements. 

Martha would be one of the first to use moving scenery, props as symbolic objects and the use of speech within her dances. She would also regularly include African Americans and Asians into her dance company. Graham would also use dresses and long garments in her dances instead of the typical ballet clothing. 

Within her dances themselves, you would often see the use of a flexed foot, something that wasn't ever seen in ballet; alongside her common use of the floor, the giving into gravity and the use of contractions and releases, all of which would never be seen in ballet or any other form of dance from the period. 

What Impact did Martha Graham Have On Dance?

Martha would go on to revolutionise American dance, being considered by many to be the greatest dancer of the 20th century. She showed that dance could be used to show the troubles of life, it didn't have to be an idyllic fairy tale, but instead a raw representation of the struggles of humanity and the emotions that come along with it. Her movements and staging would often highlight this even further. She gave many the freedom to express how they felt and would make many feel heard from the different scenarios and emotions she would portray within her dances. 

Examples Of Her Works 

Lamentation 

First Performed: 8th January 1930 

This dance represents the feeling of grief itself, the performer wears a long purple garment to create the idea that grief is formless, not a person or an animal but an essence that can't take any discernible shape or character. 

Heretic 

First performed: 14th April 1929 

Heretic tells the story of a woman who is an outsider, who doesn't conform to society's norms and as a result is constantly scolded and rejected by the other members of the group. Her individuality is shown through her costume, she is the only character who wears white instead of black and she is not seen within the lines of the characters in the ensemble. 

Night Journey 

First performed: 3rd May 1947

This piece is based on the classic Ancient Greek story of Oedipus the King. The piece in particular revolves around the moment where Jocasta, Oedipus' mother finds out that she has slept with her son and has given birth to his four children.