Martha Graham: influences, peers and legacy

Every connection with its receipt

Martha Graham rebuilt dance from the breath outward, codifying contraction-and-release into the first fully articulated American modern dance technique. This mix traces her path from Denishawn's exotic pageantry through the Greenwich Village and Bennington crucibles of the 1930s, her collisions with German expressionism, painting and poetry, and the collaborators and successors — Copland, Noguchi, Taylor — who carried her theater of the interior forward.

The Kynda mix for Martha Graham

• Key Influence · Radha by Ruth St. Denis (1906). Graham enrolled at the Denishawn school in Los Angeles in 1916 and spent eight formative years inside the company founded by St. Denis and Ted Shawn. Radha, St. Denis's breakthrough solo of Hindu-inspired ritual dance, defined the mystical, theatrical vocabulary Graham absorbed there. Her later stripped-down modernism read at first as a rebellion against Denishawn's ornamental exoticism, but its core idea of dance as sacred ritual stayed with her for life.
• Influencia Obscura · Hexentanz by Mary Wigman (1926). Wigman's percussive, floor-bound Witch Dance emerged from German Ausdruckstanz in parallel with Graham's American experiments. Graham's musical director Louis Horst spent 1925 studying in Vienna and returned steeped in German expressionist ideas about weight, distortion and inner necessity, which fed directly into Graham's break from Denishawn lyricism. When Wigman toured America in 1930–31, critics immediately framed her and Graham as transatlantic counterparts.
• Local Roots · Water Study by Doris Humphrey (1928). Humphrey followed the same path as Graham — Denishawn training, then a break to found her own company in New York in 1928, just as Graham's Greenwich Village studio work was crystallizing. Water Study, performed in silence on breath rhythm, showed the fall-and-recovery principle Humphrey developed blocks away from Graham's contraction-and-release. The two shared the Bennington School of Dance faculty from 1934 as twin pillars of the same downtown modern dance scene.
• Beyond the Medium · Improvisation 28 (Second Version) by Wassily Kandinsky (1912). Graham often recounted a formative encounter with a Kandinsky canvas — a slash of red across blue — declaring she would one day dance like that painting. Kandinsky's theory that abstract color and line could transmit inner spiritual states directly, without depicting anything, mirrors Graham's conviction that movement could reveal the interior landscape of the body. His improvisations offered the non-narrative model of expression her modernism pursued on stage.
• Peer · Trend by Hanya Holm (1937). Holm arrived from Mary Wigman's Dresden company to run its New York school, becoming with Graham, Humphrey and Weidman one of the 'Big Four' of the Bennington School of Dance summers. Trend, her monumental 1937 group work using music by Edgard Varèse, premiered at Bennington during the same seasons Graham was making her Americana works there. The two represented rival German and American strands of modern dance, sharing students, stages and critics through the 1930s.
• From the Canon · Appalachian Spring by Martha Graham (1944). Premiered at the Library of Congress in 1944 with Graham dancing the Bride, Aaron Copland's Pulitzer-winning score and Isamu Noguchi's skeletal set, this is the summit of her Americana period and her most complete collaboration. The frontier wedding narrative distilled her Puritan-inheritance themes into radiant affirmation, a striking contrast with the Greek-myth psychodramas that followed. It remains the signature work of the Martha Graham Dance Company repertory.
• Key Collaborator · Billy the Kid by Aaron Copland (1938). Copland composed the score for Appalachian Spring on Graham's commission, working from a scenario she wrote; she in turn named the finished dance from a Hart Crane poem only after his music was complete. Billy the Kid, his 1938 ballet score for Eugene Loring, shows the same open-prairie harmonic language and folk-tune weaving Graham drew on, making it the clearest window into what Copland brought to their partnership: an American sound as spare and rooted as her movement.
• Legacy · Aureole by Paul Taylor (1962). Taylor danced in Graham's company from 1955 to 1962, creating roles in Clytemnestra and other late Greek works while simultaneously building his own troupe. Aureole, his 1962 white-costumed setting of Handel, broke from Graham's dramatic weight toward lyric plainness, yet his craft — the sculptural torso, the dance-actor's commanding presence — was forged in her studio. He became the most prominent American choreographer to emerge directly from the Graham company's ranks.

What influenced Martha Graham

• Igor Stravinsky. Compares Graham's influence on dance to Stravinsky's on music. (also via Sacre du Printemps, The Rite of Spring) “Her impact has been also compared to the influence of Stravinsky on music and Frank Lloyd Wright on architecture.” (Wikipedia)
• Ruth St Denis. States that Graham began her dance studies under Ruth St Denis in 1916. (also via Radha, Denishawn School of Dancing and Related Arts) “Martha Graham began her studies tn 1916 under Ruth St Denis.” (Springfield Weekly Republican (Springfield, Mass.))
• Denishawn School of Dancing and Related Arts by Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn. Graham states her first independent concert was influenced by her training at Denishawn. “Everything I did was influenced by Denishawn.” (Wikipedia)
• Ruth St. Denis. Wikipedia prose notes Ruth St. Denis's performance as Graham's first exposure to dance, a formative influence. “In 1911, she attended the first dance performance of her life, watching Ruth St. Denis perform at the Mason Opera House in Los Angeles.” (Wikipedia)
• Pablo Picasso. Compares Graham's importance in dance to Picasso's importance in visual art. “Graham has been sometimes termed the "Picasso of Dance" in that her importance and influence to modern dance can be considered equivalent to what Pablo Picasso was to modern visual arts.” (Wikipedia)
• Helen Keller. States Graham was directly inspired by Helen Keller's approach to experiencing dance. “Graham was inspired by Keller's joy from and interpretation of dance, utilizing her body to feel the vibration of drums and of feet and movement moving the air around her.” (Wikipedia)
• Frank Lloyd Wright (1867). Compares Graham's influence on dance to Frank Lloyd Wright's on architecture. “Her impact has been also compared to the influence of Stravinsky on music and Frank Lloyd Wright on architecture.” (Wikipedia)
• Indian Dances of the Southwest. Describes how Graham's dance style was shaped by Southwest Indian dance traditions. “In this she has been gqeatly influenced by the simple power of the dances of the Indians of the Southwest.” (Springfield Weekly Republican (Springfield, Mass.))
• Diego Rivera. Critic Stark Young compares Graham's dance work to the drawings of Diego Rivera. “a review of one of her New Y'ork recitals by Stark Young in the New Republic, in which he compares her work to the stark beauty of the drawings of Diego Rivera, the Mexi ican artist.” (Springfield Weekly Republican (Springfield, Mass.))
• Johann Sebastian Bach. Martha Graham choreographed dances set to Bach's music. “The program includes dances to the music of Bach, Brahms, Schumann, Scriabin, Ibert and Homegger.” (The Daily Worker (Chicago, Ill.;New York, N.Y.))
• Johannes Brahms. Martha Graham choreographed dances set to Brahms's music. “The program includes dances to the music of Bach, Brahms, Schumann, Scriabin, Ibert and Homegger.” (The Daily Worker (Chicago, Ill.;New York, N.Y.))
• Robert Schumann. Martha Graham choreographed dances set to Schumann's music. “The program includes dances to the music of Bach, Brahms, Schumann, Scriabin, Ibert and Homegger.” (The Daily Worker (Chicago, Ill.;New York, N.Y.))
• Alexander Scriabin. Martha Graham choreographed dances set to Scriabin's music. “The program includes dances to the music of Bach, Brahms, Schumann, Scriabin, Ibert and Homegger.” (The Daily Worker (Chicago, Ill.;New York, N.Y.))
• Jacques Ibert. Martha Graham choreographed dances set to Ibert's music. “The program includes dances to the music of Bach, Brahms, Schumann, Scriabin, Ibert and Homegger.” (The Daily Worker (Chicago, Ill.;New York, N.Y.))
• Isadora Duncan. The writer compares Martha Graham's impact to that of Isadora Duncan, framing her as the most notable dancer since Duncan's death. (also via Lamentation) “the young American who has aroused more comment than any other one dancer in this country since the death of Isadora Duncan, comes to Washington” (The Washington Times (Washington [D.C.]))
• Denishawn Dance School. States that Martha Graham began her training at the Denishawn Dance School, establishing an institutional lineage. “She started at the Denishawn Dance School in Los Angeles, the cradle of modern dance.” (The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour (public broadcasting))
• The Rite of Spring by Igor Stravinsky / Leonide Massine. Establishes that Graham's later choreography of her own Rite of Spring was connected to her earlier performance in Massine's Stravinsky-scored ballet. “In 1930 she gave a legendary performance in The Rite of Spring, to Stravinsky's music, choreographed by Leonide Massine. Now, 54 years later, Martha Graham has choreographed her own Rite of Spring, unlike any other.” (The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour (public broadcasting))
• Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge. Appalachian Spring was dedicated to Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge. (via Appalachian Spring) “Dedicated to Mrs. Elizabeth Sprague Coolldge, it has to do with early America and its firm Mlief in a promised land.” (Evening Star (Washington, D.C.))
• Radha by Ruth St. Denis (1906). Radha (Ruth St. Denis) — titan for Martha Graham “She taught notable performers including Martha Graham and Doris Humphrey.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Xochitl by Ted Shawn (1920). Xochitl (Ted Shawn) — titan for Martha Graham “Denis and Ted Shawn, at which she would stay until 1923.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Improvisation 28 (Second Version) by Wassily Kandinsky (1912). Improvisation 28 (Second Version) (Wassily Kandinsky) — culture for Martha Graham (wikidata.org)
• Hexentanz by Mary Wigman (1926). Hexentanz (Mary Wigman) — ghost for Martha Graham
• Le Sacre du printemps by Léonide Massine (1930). Le Sacre du printemps (Léonide Massine) — ghost for Martha Graham
• This is my letter to the World by Emily Dickinson (1890). This is my letter to the World (Emily Dickinson) — culture for Martha Graham

Peers and kindred spirits

• Appalachian Spring by Aaron Copland. States Graham collaborated with Copland on the ballet Appalachian Spring. “there was no name in the first time when I was rehearsed the ballet I said to a mother what if you called it and she said Appalachian Spring” (Over Easy (public broadcasting))
• Louis Horst. Establishes Louis Horst as Graham's long-term musical collaborator. (also via Appalachian Spring) “DAN CIS RECITAL MARTHA GRAHAM Assisted by LOUIS HORST, Pianist” (The Daily Worker (Chicago, Ill.;New York, N.Y.))
• Isamu Noguchi. Noguchi designed sets for Graham's productions. (also via Appalachian Spring, Kouros) “The fortuitous meeting led to a 30-year collaboration, with Noguchi designing and transposing mythological elements into abstract form for his visionary sets and costumes for The Martha Graham Dance Company.” (Knoll)
• Aaron Copland (1900). Night Journey (Martha Graham) — collaborator for Aaron Copland (via Night Journey, Martha Graham, Appalachian Spring) “He composed scores for a number of ballets, including two of the most popular of the time: “Agnes DeMille’s Rodeo” (1942) and Martha Graham ‘s “Appalachian Spring” (1944), for which he won the Pulitzer Prize.” (American Masters (PBS))
• Halston. States Halston dressed the choreographer Martha Graham. (also via Lucifer) “Halston later moved into theatrical design, creating costumes for Liza Minnelli's Broadway show The Act in 1977, as well as costumes for several ballets by Martha Graham , including Clytemnestra in 1978.” (Wikipedia)
• Katharine Cornell. Describes Graham's collaboration with actress Katharine Cornell on Lucrece. “Martha Graham , who choreographed the dance sequences, stepped in and fashioned a flowing robe for Juliet's balcony-scene costume shortly before curtain time.” (Wikipedia)
• Samuel Barber. Lists Samuel Barber as one of Graham's composer collaborators. “Graham collaborated with many composers including Aaron Copland on Appalachian Spring, Louis Horst, Samuel Barber, William Schuman, Carlos Surinach, Norman Dello Joio, and Gian Carlo Menotti.” (Wikipedia)
• William Schuman. Lists William Schuman as one of Graham's composer collaborators. “Graham collaborated with many composers including Aaron Copland on Appalachian Spring, Louis Horst, Samuel Barber, William Schuman, Carlos Surinach, Norman Dello Joio, and Gian Carlo Menotti.” (Wikipedia)
• Carlos Surinach. Lists Carlos Surinach as one of Graham's composer collaborators. “Graham collaborated with many composers including Aaron Copland on Appalachian Spring, Louis Horst, Samuel Barber, William Schuman, Carlos Surinach, Norman Dello Joio, and Gian Carlo Menotti.” (Wikipedia)
• Norman Dello Joio. Lists Norman Dello Joio as one of Graham's composer collaborators. “Graham collaborated with many composers including Aaron Copland on Appalachian Spring, Louis Horst, Samuel Barber, William Schuman, Carlos Surinach, Norman Dello Joio, and Gian Carlo Menotti.” (Wikipedia)
• Gian Carlo Menotti. Lists Gian Carlo Menotti as one of Graham's composer collaborators. “Graham collaborated with many composers including Aaron Copland on Appalachian Spring, Louis Horst, Samuel Barber, William Schuman, Carlos Surinach, Norman Dello Joio, and Gian Carlo Menotti.” (Wikipedia)
• Soichi Sunami. Documents Graham's extended photographic collaboration with Soichi Sunami. “Around the same time she entered an extended collaboration with Japanese-American pictorialist photographer Soichi Sunami.” (Wikipedia)
• Barbara Morgan. Documents Graham's limited photographic collaboration with Barbara Morgan. “she also worked on a limited basis with still photographers Imogen Cunningham in the 1930s, and Barbara Morgan in the 1940s.” (Wikipedia)
• Imogen Cunningham. Documents Graham's limited photographic collaboration with Imogen Cunningham. “she also worked on a limited basis with still photographers Imogen Cunningham in the 1930s, and Barbara Morgan in the 1940s.” (Wikipedia)
• Agnes de Mille. De Mille recounts a personal mentoring exchange with Graham, establishing a close artistic relationship. “The greatest thing [Graham] ever said to me was in 1943 after the opening of Oklahoma!” (Wikipedia)
• Kouros by Isamu Noguchi (1945). Kouros (Isamu Noguchi) — collaborator for Martha Graham “Known for his sculpture and public artworks, Noguchi also designed stage sets for various Martha Graham productions, Akari light sculptures, and furniture pieces, many of which are still manufactured and sold.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Bethsabée de Rothschild (1914). Establishes the founding link between Rothschild's Batsheva Dance Company and Graham as its first director. “When Rothschild moved to Israel and established the Batsheva Dance Company in 1965, Graham became the company's first director.” (Wikipedia)
• Rouben Mamoulian (1897). Establishes a direct film collaboration between director Rouben Mamoulian and Graham. “together Mamoulian and Graham produced a short two-color film called The Flute of Krishna, featuring Eastman students.” (Wikipedia)
• Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. Graham arranged the dances for the Cornell Romeo and Juliet production. “Paul NordofT composed the music and Martha Gra ham arranged the dances.” (Evening Star (Washington, D.C.))
• Denishawn. Establishes Graham's membership in the Denishawn school and company. “From 1919 to 1923 she was at the Denishawn school in Los Angeles and was with the Denishawn company that went to England in 1921.” (Springfield Weekly Republican (Springfield, Mass.))
• Eastman School of Music. States Graham taught at the Eastman School of Music. “In 1924 and 1925 she taught dancing at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester.” (Springfield Weekly Republican (Springfield, Mass.))
• Heldenleben by Richard Strauss. Documents Graham's performance in a production of Strauss's Heldenleben. “In 1928-29 and in 1930 Martha Gra ham danced the leading parts in Irene Lewisohn's Neighborhood Playhouse production of Strauss's "Heldenleben"” (Springfield Weekly Republican (Springfield, Mass.))
• Irene Lewisohn. Notes Graham's collaboration with Irene Lewisohn on the Neighborhood Playhouse production. “Martha Gra ham danced the leading parts in Irene Lewisohn's Neighborhood Playhouse production of Strauss's "Heldenleben"” (Springfield Weekly Republican (Springfield, Mass.))
• Pagan Poem by Charles Martin Loeffler. Documents Graham dancing to Loeffler's Pagan Poem with the Cleveland Symphony. “and Loeffler "Pagan Poem," with the Cleveland Symphony orchestra under the direction of Nikolai Sokol off.” (Springfield Weekly Republican (Springfield, Mass.))
• Nikolai Sokoloff. Notes Graham's collaboration with conductor Nikolai Sokoloff. “with the Cleveland Symphony orchestra under the direction of Nikolai Sokol off.” (Springfield Weekly Republican (Springfield, Mass.))
• Sacre du Printemps by Igor Stravinsky. Documents Graham's leading role in Stravinsky's Sacre du Printemps. “In 1930 she danced the principal part in Stravinsky's "Sacre du Prin temps," as conducted by Leopold Stokowski for the League of Com posers.” (Springfield Weekly Republican (Springfield, Mass.))
• Leopold Stokowski (1882). Notes Graham's collaboration with conductor Leopold Stokowski. “as conducted by Leopold Stokowski for the League of Com posers.” (Springfield Weekly Republican (Springfield, Mass.))
• Lucrece. Documents Graham's involvement directing the action of the play Lucrece. “she Was asked by Katharine Cornell to assist with the directing of the action of "Lucrece.''” (Springfield Weekly Republican (Springfield, Mass.))
• Stage Alliance. Notes Graham's engagement by the Stage Alliance to direct and perform in Six Miracle Plays. “she was en gaged by the Stage Alliance to direct and appear in the medieval "Six Mir acle Plays."” (Springfield Weekly Republican (Springfield, Mass.))
• Rouben Ter-Arutunian (1920). Interviewer notes Ter-Arutunian's experimental designs were done for Martha Graham. “the most extraordinary desire that you have done and very experimental and radical decides that you've done have been for martha graham and for paul taylor and forty sousa de ballet and dance companies” (Listen! (public broadcasting))
• Medea. Barber wrote Medea for Graham. “Here he wrote ballet suite Medea (1946) for Martha Graham and the symphonic work Knoxville: Summer of 1915” (Wikipedia)
• Edythe Gilfond. Gilfond designed costumes for the program including Appalachian Spring. (via Appalachian Spring) “Costumes for ell three numbers were done by Edythe Oilfond.” (Evening Star (Washington, D.C.))
• Rooms by Anna Sokolow (1955). Rooms (Anna Sokolow) — geography for Martha Graham “It has helped develop many famous dancers and choreographers of the 20th and 21st centuries including Erick Hawkins, Anna Sokolow, Merce Cunningham, Lila York, and Paul Taylor.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Water Study by Doris Humphrey (1928). Water Study (Doris Humphrey) — geography for Martha Graham “Along with her contemporaries Martha Graham and Katherine Dunham, Humphrey was one of the second generation modern dance pioneers who followed their forerunners – including Isadora Duncan, Ruth St.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Trend by Hanya Holm (1937). Trend (Hanya Holm) — peer for Martha Graham “A work must have blood." Invited by dance director Martha Hill, Holm was one of the founding artists at Bennington College in 1934 along with Martha Graham, Charles Weidman, and Doris Humphrey, who came to be some of the most influential…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Negro Spirituals by Helen Tamiris (1928). Negro Spirituals (Helen Tamiris) — peer for Martha Graham “This manifesto was possibly in reaction to the works of Tamiris's contemporaries Martha Graham and Angna Enters; they had performed at the same venue weeks after Tamiris's debut, and Tamiris was in disagreement with some of their princip…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Billy the Kid by Aaron Copland (1938). Billy the Kid (Aaron Copland) — collaborator for Martha Graham “Graham collaborated with many composers including Aaron Copland on Appalachian Spring, Louis Horst, Samuel Barber, William Schuman, Carlos Surinach, Norman Dello Joio, and Gian Carlo Menotti.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• George Balanchine (1904). Appalachian Spring (Martha Graham) — peer for George Balanchine (via Appalachian Spring) (wikidata.org)
• Philippe Halsman. Establishes Halsman's photographic collaboration with Graham on Dark Meadow and other works.
• Erick Hawkins. Hawkins performs as the Husbandman in Appalachian Spring. (via Appalachian Spring)

Who Martha Graham influenced

• Merce Cunningham (1919). Text states Martha Graham was one of Cunningham's primary influences. (also via Appalachian Spring) “Such non-representational dance appears in many styles throughout history, but was not commonly used by ballet or Martha Graham , Cunningham's primary influences.” (Wikipedia)
• Mary Hinkson (1925). Hinkson's long association with Martha Graham indicates lineage under Graham. (also via Cave of the Heart, Canticle for Innocent Comedians, Dark Meadow) “The dance star is rounding her some thirteen years’ association with the famed Martha Graham.” (Atlanta Daily World (Atlanta, Georgia))
• Madonna (1958). Madonna's admiration for Graham and her nickname from Graham inspired the title of her album Madame X. “Among the dancers who passed through her company in 1978 was the singer Madonna, a few years before she became famous. The singer, who greatly admires Graham, was nicknamed "Madame X" by her, which would be the name of her 14th studio al…” (Wikipedia)
• Bill T. Jones (1952). Jones cites Martha Graham as an inspiration for the ecstatic moment of dance. (also via Appalachian Spring) “What I had seen Martha Graham do, what I had seen them all do.” (Bill T. Jones - Still/Here (public broadcasting))
• Paul Taylor (1930). Appalachian Spring (Martha Graham) — titan for Paul Taylor (via Appalachian Spring, Aureole) “A commanding performer despite his late start, he joined the Martha Graham Dance Company in 1955 for the first of seven seasons as soloist where he created the role of the evil Aegisthus in Graham's Clytemnestra, as well as other roles i…” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Critic Marcia Siegel argued Ailey's company amplified the emotivity characteristic of Martha Graham's style. “Marcia Siegel accused the company of "selling soul,” [ 84 ] and of amplifying and transforming the emotivity characteristic of Martha Graham and his modern dance teachers into "metaphors of the American black experience,”” (Wikipedia)
• Pina Bausch (1940). States Bausch drew influence from Martha Graham during her New York studies. “When studying in New York, Bausch sought influence from Martha Graham , José Limón , and Anna Sokolow .” (Wikipedia)
• Deaths and Entrances. Identifies Deaths and Entrances as part of Graham's program. “"Deaths and Entrances," second work on the program, fell short In no one place.” (Evening Star (Washington, D.C.))
• Alvin Ailey (1931). Appalachian Spring (Martha Graham) — titan for Alvin Ailey (via Appalachian Spring) “Ailey also reworked Creation of the World for this performance as a duet for himself and Matt Turney of the Martha Graham Dance Company, which received great acclaim.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Aureole by Paul Taylor (1962). Aureole (Paul Taylor) — legacy for Martha Graham “It has helped develop many famous dancers and choreographers of the 20th and 21st centuries including Erick Hawkins, Anna Sokolow, Merce Cunningham, Lila York, and Paul Taylor.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• In the Upper Room by Twyla Tharp (1986). In the Upper Room (Twyla Tharp) — legacy for Martha Graham “In New York City, she studied with Richard Thomas, Martha Graham and Merce Cunningham.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Every Soul is a Circus. Establishes Martha Graham as choreographer/performer of Every Soul is a Circus.
• Bette Davis (1908). Lamentation (Martha Graham) — culture for Bette Davis (via Lamentation)