Dance History: Three Centuries Final

Famous Works by Morris

-"L'Allegro, Il Penseroso ed il Moderato" (1988) -"Dido and Aeneas" (1989) -"The Hard Nut" (1991)

Katherine Dunham Choreography

-"Le Jazz Hot:" From Haiti to Harlem (1940): incorporated dances from the West Indies, Cuba and Mexico & black American social dances like the Juba, Cakewalk, etc. -Southland (1950): based on true story of lynching of black man falsely accused of raping a white woman -Did choreography for and performed in the film Stormy Weather (1943)

Major Works by Tharp

-"Tank Dive" (1965) -"Eight Jelly Rolls" (1971) -"Push Comes to Shove" (1976) -"In the Upper Room" (1986) -"Hair," "Ragtime," "White Nights" (films) -"Singin' in the Rain," "Moving' Out," "Come Fly Away" (Broadway shows)

Marie Rambert (1888-1982)

-1/2 former Diaghilev dancers who began to establish ballet training & appreciation in Great Britain -Developed into major companies & schools that reflect the British tradition -Coached Nijinsky & Massine -Danced with Ballets Russes, but noted more as teacher/coach than dancer -Created Ballet Rambert in 1926 -As a teacher, insisted on classical correctness, which she felt encouraged a conscious rebellion that gave each choreographer their own style -Discovered Frederick Ashton and Antony Tudor

Ninette de Valois (1898-2001)

-1/2 former Diaghilev dancers who began to establish ballet training & appreciation in Great Britain -Developed into major companies and schools that reflect the British tradition -Taught movement to Shakespearean actors at London's famed Old Vic Theatre -Also overlooked theatre's opera ballets and choreographed for avant-garde Festival Theatre in Cambridge -In Dublin, worked at Abbey Theatre with W.B. Yeats -Co-founded precursor to the Royal Ballet, England's national company, in 1931 at the Sadler's Wells Theatre (Vic-Wells Ballet) -Frederick Ashton became chief choreographer -Version of full-length Sleeping Beauty with Margot Fonteyn as Aurora (first seen in London in 1939) became signature piece of the company and brought Imperial Russian tradition to US -Trained & brought up Kenneth MacMillan as dancer & choreographer

The Nutcracker (Balanchine, 1954)

-1st complete Nutcracker in the US was performed by SFB, but Balanchine's version became tremendously popular -Partly due to skillful use of children in the production, which was often frowned upon -"Spoke to every child who had ever aspired to dance" -By the end of the century, there were over 200 full length Nutcracker productions in the US

Alwin Nikolais (1910-1993)

-After his army service in WWII, had a different perspective on dance and life -Developed "decentralized" technique -True multimedia choreographer -Masks, Props and Mobiles (1953): first of innovative works to use multimedia techniques combined with dancing -Worked with ideas of spatial tension, could be seen to propel or ensnare -Sought to make these visible by using props, gesture & multimedia -Created choreography, designed sets, props, costumes and lighting for about 100 of his own works -Works: Allegory (1959), Tensile Involvement (1953)

Original Ballet Russe

-After split with Blum, de Basil directed own company under various names until death in 1948 -During WWII, de Basil's renamed Original Ballet Russes toured Australia & South America, waning success in Europe & US in late 40s -Established taste & desire for ballet as full-scale theatrical art in US -Paved way for Sergei Dengam's Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo

John Martin

-America's 1st major dance critic for the New York Times -Educated himself and audiences on dance, especially modern, & helped shape & advocate for it -coined term "modern dance"

Helen Tamiris (1905-1966)

-American choreographer& pioneer in development of modern dance. -Known for dances celebrating middle and working class America -One of her most popular works was danced to Negro Spirituals -Believed that modern dance choreographers were too isolated & should instead work together within an organization that benefited them all, sharing performance-related expenses -Instrumental in starting Dance Repertory Theatre (produced concerts jointly with prominent modern dance choreographers) -Tamiris' New Dance Group offered dance classes for 10 cents to displaced workers during the Great Depression -Chief choreographer of Federal Theatre Project in Roosevelt's Works Progress Administration (WPA), lasted until 1939

Cunningham Works

-Antic Meet (1958): Had score by Cage that was different at each performance -Variations V (1965) -How to Pass, Kick, Fall and Run (1965) -Split Sides (2003): Radical use of chance (each 20 minute section features options for the different creative elements of the piece)

Sergei Denham's Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo

-Arrived from Europe in NY in 1938 -Massine was artistic director 1938-1942 -Traveled throughout US giving hundreds of performances a year, inspiring dancers such as Alvin Ailey, Robert Joffrey & Allegra Kent who saw them perform

Merce Cunningham (1919-2009)

-Art for art's sake, experimentation for its own sake, little concern for "organic unity" -Collaborated with radically avant-garde musician/composer John Cage (explored alternatives to using music as determinant in choreographic structure) -Studied with Graham in a summer program at Mills College & took ballet classes at SAB -Did not like the choreography where every movement had a meaning and left Ghraham's company -Concentrated on the "facts of moving" rather than on the expression of personal feeling -Critics credit Cunningham with spawning the postmodern dance movement

Doris Humphrey (1895-1958)

-Before moving to LA to join Denishawn, supported herself & family by giving dance lessons in Oak Park, IL -Trained at Denishawn and danced as soloist with company -Began to choreograph for Denishawn around 1920 (only 2nd year there) -After Asian tour, realized she wanted to search for own expression in dance -Wanted to create "from the inside out" -"The more impersonal & abstract it is, the greater it will be" -Theory of movement: Fall & recovery ("the arc between 2 deaths") & relationship to gravity

José Limón

-Born in Mexico, came to America with parents as a child -Studied dance with Humphrey & Weidman -Creative work often focused on expressing/balancing Mexican heritage with identity as an American -Proponent of fall & recovery, but made it his own -Wanted to "rehabilitate" male role in dance, felt it had been trivialized -Nurtured as an artist by Humphrey, teacher & mentor -Limón's company was 1st selected by the State Department to travel & tour abroad under International Cultural Exchange Program -Company still exists today, 1st modern dance company to survive death of its founder -One of most important works was "The Moor's Pavane" (1949)

Joffrey Ballet

-By 1970s, 3rd major ballet company to evolve in New York City -Founded by Robert Joffrey, great teacher of ballet, and Gerald Arpino -Early repertoire was all choreographed by Joffrey (ex: Pas de Déesses (1956), but began commissioning ballets by contemporary choreographers such as Balanchine, Tudor and Ashton -New company was youthful, versatile and very different from ABT and NYCB =Along with new, risk-taking ballets, did successful revivals (Kurt Jooss' The Green Table, Nijinsky's The Rite of Spring, Massine & Fokine ballets, etc.) -Became the largest North American repertory of Frederick Ashton's works -Now based in Chicago

Cry (1971)

-Choreographed by Alvin Ailey -Birthday gift for his mother -In tribute to "all black women everywhere, especially our mothers"

Revelations (1960)

-Choreographed by Alvin Ailey -Inspired by his memory of going to summer tent revivals in Texas with his mother -Themes of religious solidarity

Agon (1957)

-Choreographed by Balanchine -Greek word for "contest" -Abstract ballet, sometimes called "soulless" -Novel balances, lifts and supports -Impersonalization of arms and legs into geometrical arrows Kirstein called it "existential metaphor for tension and anxiety" -Starred 1st African American principal dancer at NYCB and any major company, Arthur Mitchell in pas with Diana Adams

New Dance (1935-36)

-Choreographed by Doris Humphrey -Hailed as masterpiece -1 of 1st modern dances of extended length -Part of trilogy that also included "Theatre Piece" & "With My Red Fires" -Showed progression from disorder to order & organization -Used famous "cubes" as set pieces

With My Red Fires

-Choreographed by Doris Humphrey -Part of New Dance trilogy -Dance at more personal level, themes of romantic love & prejudice -Disapproving matriarch & tribal vengeance

Enigma Variations (1986)

-Choreographed by Frederick Ashton -Based on life of composer, Edward Elgar; family portrait

Symphonic Variations (1946)

-Choreographed by Frederick Ashton -Plotless &minimalistic, but considered among greatest works

The Moor's Pavane (1949)

-Choreographed by José Limón -Told story of Shakespeare's Othello in dance -Circular pattern of movement suggests web of circumstances in which characters are caught -Story of betrayal & jealousy

The Green Table (1932)

-Choreographed by Kurt Jooss -Intrigued by medieval dance of death, applied it to inhumanity of war -Actually predicted WWII -Identical prologue & epilogue: 10 dancers in grotesque masks and formal suits miming verbiage that is "stock-in-trade" of politicians and diplomats -Figures represent "the powers which gain in a war, which in the end, through their machinations, cause a war: armament manufacturers, high financiers and diplomats" -Death depicted as gentle, but relentless figure -Revived by Robert Joffrey in 1967

Appalachian Spring (1944)

-Choreographed by Martha Graham -Described as "pure Americana" -"essentially a dance of place...the questioning spirit is there and the sense of establishing roots" -One of Graham's most popular and optimistic works

Errand Into the Maze (1947)

-Choreographed by Martha Graham -Story of Ariadne & Minotaur -About conquering fear of the unknown

Cave of the Heart (1946)

-Choreographed by Martha Graham -Story of Medea, who avenges unfaithful husband by killing 2 children -Based on play by Euripides -From Medea's perspective, what she must have been thinking

Night Journey (1947)

-Choreographed by Martha Graham -Story of Oedipus from POV of Jocasta, Oedipus's mother, reminiscing back on her life -Let the dancers tell the story through movement to represent her inner landscape -Used elements of ancient Greek theater, like concept of choruses to express action/emotions/what's going on in the story -Sets and costumes by Isamu Noguchi -Considered by some to be one of Graham's masterpieces, along with Clytemnestra (1958)

Aureole (1962)

-Choreographed by Paul Taylor -Still a signature work of his company -Music by Handel -Performed by ballet companies as well

Four Epitaphs (1956)

-Choreographed by Paul Taylor -Still performed today, often as Three Epitaphs -Costumes by modern artist Robert Rauschenberg

Le Sacre de Printemps (Rite of Spring) (1975)

-Choreographed by Pina Bausch -Emotional force & unmediated physicality -Convulsive movement, intensity

Kontakthof (1978)

-Choreographed by Pina Bausch -literally meaning "contact yard" & by implication "dance hall" -Intention was to draw parallel between the world of the dancer (training, rehearsal performance) & conventions of Kontakthof, where prostitutes worked -Metaphor for marketing of the self required by society -Idea of women as commodities (repeated throughout work) -Depictions of violence very controversial -Her perspective: exposing hypocrisy, problems in society through exaggeration

Frederick Ashton Works

-Cinderella (1948) -La Fille Mal Gardee (1960) -The Two Pigeons (1961) -Romeo and Juliet for Royal Danish Ballet (1955) -The Dream (A Midsummer Night's Dream, 1964) -A Month in the Country (1976) -Marguerite and Armand (1963) -Enigma Variations (1986) -Symphonic Variations (1946)

Modern Dance in America 1930s & 40s

-Consciously avoided imitating German Ausdruckstanz -Looked to American culture for inspiration -German refugees fleeing fascism in Europe contributed to success of this new art form, as did NYT dance critic John Martin -Dance Magazine: largest periodical devoted to dance, first published in 1926 -Performances not in theaters (Depression Era, too expensive) -Everyone pitched in & made personal sacrifices, very passionate about what they were doing

Graham Technique

-Contraction (forceful exhalation, percussive flexion of torso) and release (inhalation, release) -Technique showed effort very clearly -Explored movement on the floor, sitting, kneeling -Flexed feet rather than pointed

Steve Paxton

-Creator of contact improvisation technique -Studied with Cunningham and Robert Dunn and performed with Limón -Founding member of Judson Group -Explored stillness and "micro-movements" -Studied Aikido (martial art based on defensive movements): learned how to fall without impact, use partner's momentum

Ausdruckstanz

-Dance of Expression -German expressionism -"absolute dance" -Inspired by Duncan's ideas, very successful in Germany -Combination of ideologies -Art as handmaiden of politics (supporting political regime, Nazism) -Self-sacrifice for national good -Rudolf Laban, his pupil Mary Wigman and Kurt Joossnwere important figures

Pearl Primus (1919-1994)

-Dancer, choreographer, teacher & social activist -PhD in anthropology in African and Caribbean studies -Studied modern dance & composition with Graham, Weidman & Humphrey -Like Dunham, succeeded in bringing black traditions to life in a way that revealed them as part of the larger American heritage -Choreographed works based on poetry, including Strange Fruit (1943) based on Lewis Allen's poem about lynching and The Negro Speaks of Rivers (1944) based on a poem by Langston Hughes

Important Graham Works: Greek Mythology

-Did a series of dances based on ancient Greek myths and stories with changed point of view -Cave of the Heart (1946) -Errand Into the Maze (1947) -Night Journey (1947) -Clytemnestra (1958)

Katherine Dunham (1909-2006)

-Did choreography and performed in Broadway musicals, movies & in theaters -Degree in anthropology from University of Chicago -Created theatrical context for her creations -Was a political activist, reflected in some of her dances -Taught students including Janet Collins (first black ballet dancer at Metropolitan Ballet in New York), Arthur Mitchell (first black dancer and principal at NYCB), & actors Eartha Kitt, Marlon Brando, James Dean and Warren Beatty -Dunham's company more successful in Europe because racism in the US made touring difficult -Did choreography for and performed in the film Stormy Weather (1943)

Alvin Ailey (1931-1989)

-Discovered dance while on a school field trip to see the Ballet Russes de Monte Carlo -Biggest dance influence was Lester Horton, who taught dance in LA where Ailey was in school at UCLA -Danced on Broadway & studied ballet, modern dance (with Graham, Humphrey & Hanya Holm) & acting -Established a school and company, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, in NYC -Wanted to popularize modern dance & integrate company -Company did tours for the State Department to Asia, Africa & the Soviet Union -One of the most successful modern dance companies in the world

Black Mountain College

-Experimental college founded in 1933 by John Andrew Rice, Theodore Dreier, & more -Emphasized holistic learning & the study of art as central to a liberal arts education -Introduced Cunningham to modern artists like the de Koonings, Robert Motherwell, Buckminster, Filler -First work with artist Robert Rauschenberg

Kurt Jooss (1901-1979)

-German expressionist who combined expressionist dance with ballet -Took first dance classes with Laban at age 20 -More famous as choreographer than dancer -Choreographed to scores previously used by Diaghilev, like Petrouchka and even Coppelia, but with own story and movements -Interested in developing theories of movement with Laban, but also wanted to choreograph -Best known work was The Green Table (1932)

Frederick Ashton (1904-1988)

-Helped define British classical style (precise, demure, unshowy) -Dancer and student of Marie Rambert before becoming noted choreographer -Left Rambert and joined with Ninette de Valois to help create a national British company -Chief choreographer of Vic-Wells Ballet, precursor to Royal Ballet -Was inspired by great, internationally famous British ballerina Margot Fonteyn (created Ondine (1958) for her, became her signature role) -Choreographed 4 ballets for Alicia Markova (former Diaghilev dancer & 1st British Giselle)

Soviet Ballet

-Ideological attacks from communists who saw ballet as too much associated with the Tsars -Ballet survived because many dancers were orphans and members of working class (also defended by Lenin) -Dance training continued to be exceptional in both Moscow and St. Petersburg -Ballets on "revolutionary" topics -Red Whirlwind (1924): to honor October Revolution -Ice Maiden (1927): 1st Soviet ballet based on classical models (Petipa) -The Red Poppy (1924): 1 of most popular ballets in Soviet history, dominated performance schedule, replacing Petipa era ballets (preserved but rarely performed) -By 1928, Stalin had absolute power & all artistic institutions controlled completely by the state -No freedom to experiment -> death of modern dance in Soviet Russia -Ballet became tool of Communist Party propaganda -Bolshoi's first tour to London was in 1956 and to the USA in 1959 -Lavish productions, virtuosic performers, acrobatic, athletic technique

Precursors of Postmodernism

-John Cage & Merce Cunningham -Robert Dunn: musician, choreographer, composition teacher, taught composition class at Cunningham's studio and later taught at Judson Church in NYC -Judson Dance Theatre: collective of dancers, composers, and visual artists in the 1960s -Anna Halprin: wanted to get away from training which taught dancers to look alike Improvisation; dance as healing

Important Graham Works: Early Works

-Lamentation (1930) -Frontier (1935) -American Document (1938) -Appalachian Spring (1944)

School of American Ballet (1934)

-Lincoln Kirstein brought George Balanchine to America in 1933 to form a school & then a company -Now known as one of the great ballet academies in the world -Humble beginnings, accepted any dancer who came to audition -Balanchine's first choreographic work in America, Serenade (1934), was created for SAB students

Dance in the Depression

-Many modern dancers and choreographers identified with the oppressed and unemployed -Performed at rallies and strikes -Used modern dance as a tool to protest against injustice -In spite of economic hardships, government support helped make dancers feel wanted (Roosevelt's Works Progress Administration (WPA) Federal Theatre Project) -Helped lead American choreographers toward more life-affirming themes

The Big Four of Modern Dance

-Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey, Charles Weidman, Hanya Holm -All had different ideas about what modern dance was/could be -All agreed on importance of developing unique American dance idioms

Maria Tallchief (1925-2013)

-NYCB's first star ballerina -Balanchine's 3rd wife -Created his version of "Firebird" for her -Established her international reputation as a star -1st Sugar Plum Fairy in Balanchine's Nutcracker

Famous Works by Humphrey

-New Dance (1935-36) -With My Red Fires -The Shakers (1931)

Hexentanz (Witch Dance)

-One of Mary Wigman's most famous works, also known as Witch Dance -Inspired by a piece of fabric, "exciting, wild, barbaric"

Martha Graham (1894-1991)

-One of most influential figures in American modern dance -Looked for American themes in artistic expression -Helped transform modern dance from "exotic entertainment" a la Isadora & Denishwan into an art form that could explore issues in the American experience -Trained & danced with Denishawn -Like other modern dance pioneers, rejected financial security of vaudeville and theater entertainment to explore own artistic ideas -Inspired artistic fervor among followers (rivalry between her camp and Humphrey's) -Admired by Ted Shawn for "ferocity of movement" -Father studied psychological disorders, later influenced her work -Created her own theory of movement & technique -Dance = communication (must speak to spectator emotionally, intellectually, transcending words) -Works & technique were often serious and very personal because created on her body: suited her strengths -Works on American themes & Greek mythology

Maya Plisetskaya (1925-2015)

-One of the great classical ballerinas of the 20th century -Performed for decades -Danced role in Maurice Bejart's Bolero -Noted for sinuous movement & undulating arms -Also famous for Dying Swan variation

John Cage (1912-1992)

-Originator of "prepared piano" (sticking objects between strings of piano so sound more closely resembled percussion instrument) -Thought that any kind of auditory experience could be music, even noise or silence (famous pieces include 4'33" and White Noise) -Negated self-expression in favor of "events" -Along with Cunningham, used chance, with consultations to the I Ching to determine composition

Charles Weidman (1901-1975)

-Performer at Denishawn who left with Humphrey & worked with her -Co-founded Humphrey-Weidman Company in NY, which lasted until WWII -Admired as a teacher & creator of dances for opera & Broadway -Known for talent for comedy & mime, creating characters through movement -Because style was so personal to his own talents, not many of his dances survived

Mary Wigman (1886-1973)

-Pioneer of German expressionist dance (Ausdruckstanz) -Student of Laban -Originally involved in Tanz Gymnastick, designed for non-dancers & incorporated in public schools as part of Germany's physical culture movement -Early teaching & choreographic philosophy all about experimentation -Composition arising from both conscious and subconscious perception -Synesthesia: transfer of sensory experience from one mode to another -Work was often considered controversial in Germany and around the world ("too harsh") -School was 1 of 13 dance schools approved by Hitler's regime, but forced to add ballet classes, indoctrination and ban Jewish students -Created work for 1936 Olympics ("Hitler's Games")

Judson Dance Theatre

-Radical dance movement -Youth-oriented counterculture -Influenced by civil rights movement and anti-war protests -Asked the questions: what is art? What is dance? -Dance "technique" unimportant (didn't last long, not cohesive)

Balanchine Works

-Serenade (1934) -Concerto Barocco (1941) -Ballet Imperial (1941) -The Four Temperaments (1946) -The Nutcracker (1954) -Agon (1957) -Broadway productions (On Your Toes: Slaughter on 10th Ave)

Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo

-Started by Rene Blum -Stars were "baby ballerinas," young pupils of distinguished Russian teachers who settled in Paris after Russian Revolution -Balanchine was ballet master -Brought audiences ballets by Massine and Balanchine to US in 1933 -Soon after, met Colonel W. de Basil -Both were called directors for a time, but eventually split into 2 separate companies in 1938 -Blum formed own company with Fokine as ballet master -Established taste & desire for ballet as full-scale theatrical art in US -Paved way for Sergei Dengam's Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo

The Shakers (1931)

-Still performed on a regular basis -Inspired by 18th century American religious group -"Gender separation & dancing rituals that facilitated spiritual release" for Protestant sect of Shakers -Humphrey admired 19th century simple crafts & architecture

Trisha Brown

-Student at Cunningham studios -Famous for equipment/suspension pieces -Explored vertical space -Pure movement, no narrative -Man Walking Down the Side of a Building (1970)

Galina Ulanova (1910-1998)

-Student of Agrippina Vaganova (developed method/technique derived from teaching methods of old Imperial Ballet School under Petipa) -Originally danced at the Kirov (Mariinsky) Ballet in St. Petersburg but eventually transferred to the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow -Noted for role as Giselle & Juliet -Famous for Dying Swan variation

Antony Tudor (1908-1987)

-Student of Marie Rambert, 2nd major discovery -Inspired to dance by seeing Diaghilev's Ballets Russes -Invested academic vocabulary with emotional urgency & created new language of psychologically motivated "naturalistic" gestures to depict inner life of ordinary individuals -Classical vocab, but uncomfortable for dancers (no expected preparations, natural flow of body impeded, rigid arms & mechanical movement) -After breaking with Rambert, left permanently for US in 1939 & created ballets in London and New York -Choreographed ballets ABT & taught at Juilliard and Jacob's Pillow -Used cinematic techniques like flashbacks and freezes in his ballets -Jardin aux Lilas (Lilac Garden) (1936) and Dark Elegies (1937) considered by many to be his finest works

Paul Taylor (1930-2018)

-Studied at Juilliard & with Graham, Humphrey, Límón &Cunningham -1954: assembled his first dance company -1955: joined Martha Graham Dance Company as a soloist -Danced with New York City Ballet as a guest artist in Balanchine's Episode (1959) -Broad range of choreographic work -Choreographed Four Epitaphs, Aureole and Esplanade

Lucinda Childs

-Studied with Helen Tamiris & Hanya Holm -Minimalism & repetition -Einstein on the Beach: 5 hours long, no intermission, music by Philip Glass

Rudolf Laban (1879-1958)

-Theoretician and intellectual -Did large spectacle type of dances -Used by Hitler Youth Movement as part of solidarity & Nazi ideology -Created Labanotation, complex system of dance notation still used today -Analyzed human movement, later used during WWII to analyze workers' movements and make more efficient ("effort shape")

Pina Bausch (1940-2009)

-Trained with Kurt Jooss -Created new format: Tanztheater -Cultural lineage of expressionism, coupled with influence of American modern dance & postmodernism -Studied at Juilliard with Limón, Horst, Tudor & the Graham faculty -Also studied with Paul Taylor -Created Tanztheater Wuppertal in Wuppertal, West Germany -Le Sacre de Printemps (Rite of Spring) (1975) & Kontakthof (1978)

Jardin aux Lilas (Lilac Garden) (1936)

-Tudor's masterpiece -Created for Ballet Rambert -Portrait of 4 people on the eve of an arranged marriage -Deals with psychology of relationships among ordinary individuals -Not concerned with raw emotions, but with repressed feeling, unlike Nijinsky or Graham

Twyla Tharp (1941-present)

-born in Portland, Indiana -family moved to CA in the 1950s -in 1963 graduated from Barnard College in NYC with a BA in Art History -while in school, took classes from Graham, Nikolais, Hawkins, Cunningham, Taylor -danced with the Paul Taylor Company 1963-65 -concentrated on elements she believed couldn't be eliminated -minimalist, believed musical accompaniment wasn't necessary -space, time, & the "basis of all movement" (right angles, diagonals, spirals, & circles -choreographic works need a beginning, a middle, & an end -believed it was important to honor the past in work, most avant-garde artists didn't do -challenged Judson Church movement's rejection of difficult movement that dancers must be trained to perform -choreographed for Joffrey Ballet (1973), NYCB, Boston Ballet, Royal Ballet, etc. -commercialization in 70s, choreographed for movie musical films & Broadway shows -in 80s, veered from signature style, started creating psychodramas & narratives -Artistic Associate at ABT, but severed ties after a few seasons -in 1991 started resetting earlier works on companies like Hubbard Street Dance Chicago -started her own pickup company, wrote books

Frontier (1935)

-choreographed by Martha Graham -1st collaboration with Japanese American sculptor Isamu Noguchi who designed set -American theme, about expanding beyond borders of fence

American Document (1938)

-choreographed by Martha Graham -Lincoln Kirstein called it the most important extended dance creation by a living American -Included readings from the Declaration of Independence, Bible, & Native American poet -Native American struggle & slavery -Puritan struggle between passion and inhibition -Bold and courageous to comment on social issues

Lamentation (1930)

-choreographed by Martha Graham -famous solo, portrait of a grieving women, sitting alone on a bench and moving to an anguished Kodaly piano score -dressed in lavender jersey tube that encased her body, leaving her face, hands and feet exposed, allowed her to sinuously bend and twist, while sitting on a bench

L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato (1988)

-choreographed by Morris -1st work at Theatre de la Monnaie -called "life-affirming communal celebration" -Handel's 1740 rendering of poems by John Milton & Charles Jennens -Baroque music, inspiration drawn from art of William Blake

Dido and Aeneas (1989)

-choreographed by Morris -critical success -explored sexual themes, tragedy, passion, destruction, sex, death -Morris played the 2 leading roles, both women, Dido & the Sorceress who plots her doom -"coexisting opposites, often in the same body"

The Hard Nut (1991)

-choreographed by Morris -his take on "The Nutcracker" set in the 1960s, inspires by comic book artist, social dances -coming of age story, closer to dark original -last major work in Brussels

Tank Dive (1965)

-choreographed by Tharp -1st work, solo -inspiration for the piece was observation of the small odds artists face of becoming highly successful

Push Comes to Shove (1976)

-choreographed by Tharp -commissioned by ABT -established Tharp as a celebrity -ragtime music & Haydn score -Baryshnikov in cast

In the Upper Room (1986)

-choreographed by Tharp -score by Philip Glass -emulated classicism, but didn't work

Eight Jelly Rolls (1971)

-choreographed by Tharp -turning point in career, ballet companies became interested in her work -tribute to 1920s jazz, less minimalist, more fun & accessible "twisted, shook, lunged, stomped"

Twyla Tharp Dance

-founded in 1965 -left Taylor's company to begin journey as an individual artist -asked "What is dance?", "How should I be dancing?" -disbanded in late 80s

New York City Ballet (1948)

-introduced many to "Balanchine style" -Clean attack, speed, energy, technical virtuosity, streamlined look & acrobatic risk taking -Higher legs, moving bigger and faster with sharper accents -Not as focused on acting or story -Most strongly identified with Balanchine as choreographer -Created new generation of American ballet dancers

Mark Morris (1956 - present)

-studied many forms of dance, including Balkan folk dance -attended performances of companies that came to Seattle (Graham, Béjart, Taylor, Joffrey) -after arriving in NYC, danced w/ several companies, including Twyla Tharp -in 1980, began presenting own works -currently creating works to be presented/premiered after his death -extremely musical choreographer -dancers of different ages & body types included in his company -wildly different emotional tones, music, props, etc. -in 1988 invited to become resident choreographer at Theater de la Monnaie in Brussels, Belgium

Soviet dancers who defected to America

Rudolf Nureyev, Natalia Makarova & Mikhail Baryshnikov