Martha Graham

Dancer, Choreographer, and Educator

Martha Graham, a pioneer of American modern dance 
(May 11, 1894 – April 1, 1991)

"There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and will be lost."
- Martha Graham

In her lifetime, Martha Graham revolutionized the art of dance by introducing a new dance language and innovative concepts known as the Graham technique.

She studied at the Denishawn School, run by Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn in Los Angeles. In 1926, Graham founded her own dance company and the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance. During this time, her pieces, including Lamentation, often addressed social problems. In 1929, she choreographed her first non-solo ballet, Heretic. In 1938, Eleanor Roosevelt invited Graham to the White House. In 1939, Merce Cunningham and Erick Hawkins (who was to become her husband) joined her company.

1944, Martha Graham created Appalachian Spring, her first collaboration with set designer Isamu Noguchi. Many of her works during this period focused on mythology, such as Cave of the Heart, Errand Into the Maze, and Night Journey. Paul Taylor joined her company in 1955, and 1956 Martha Graham won the Dance Magazine Award. In 1976, President Gerald R. Ford bestowed upon Martha Graham the United States's highest civilian honour, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, making her the first dancer and choreographer to receive this honour.

Martha Graham created 181 ballets and choreographed until her death in 1991 at the age of 96. In developing her technique, Martha Graham experimented endlessly with basic human movement, beginning with the most elemental movements of contraction and release. Using these principles as the foundation for her technique, she built a vocabulary of movement that would "increase the emotional activity of the dancer's body." Her company served as the training ground for many future modern choreographers, including Merce Cunningham, Paul Taylor, and Twyla Tharp.

Her innovative approach to dance and theatre revolutionized the art form, and her unique physical vocabulary has lasting influenced dance worldwide.

Martha Graham was named "Dancer of the Century" by TIME magazine, and in 2015, she was posthumously inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.

Lester Horton

Dancer, Choreographer and Educator

Lester Horton, a pioneer of American modern dance 
(Jan 23, 1906 – Nov 2, 1953)

"I am sincerely trying now to create a dance technique based entirely upon corrective exercises, created with a knowledge of human anatomy; a technique which will correct physical faults and prepare a dancer for any type of dancing he may wish to follow; a technique having all the basic movements which govern the actions of the body; combined with a knowledge of the origin of movement and a sense of artistic design."
- Lester Horton

He achieved fame as a dancer, choreographer, and teacher. He created the Horton technique.

His fascination with Native American dances and performances, which he saw by Ted Shawn and Ruth St. Denis in 1922, encouraged him to take dance lessons. He studied ballet in Indianapolis and Chicago, then pursued his training in New Mexico and Los Angeles. He danced with Michio Ito's Company, and in 1932, he formed his own dance company, the Lester Horton Dancers. In 1934, he held his first full-length concert at the Shrine Auditorium. In 1937, he was asked to choreograph his own ballet, "Sacre du Printemps," for the Hollywood Bowl. His talent for adapting ethnic dances into more mainstream forms led to opportunities in the film industry from 1940 to the early 1950s. He is well-known for paying meticulous attention to all technical aspects of production, including sets and costumes. He combined dance and drama into fascinating choreography. "The Beloved" was an early featured performance of his company. His interest in culture, history, and humanity was articulated in every facet of his work. Horton established the Lester Horton Dance Theater in Los Angeles in 1946, one of the first permanent theatres dedicated to modern dance in the U.S. However, it closed its doors in 1960. Horton left a significant legacy in the world of contemporary dance. His unique training technique combined elements of Native American Folk Dance, Afro-Caribbean hip circles, Javanese and Balinese upper body isolations, Japanese arm gestures, and a new whole body, anatomical approach to movement.

Horton's students continue his legacy through their companies' repertoire and training schools. Some of the most well-known students include Alvin Ailey, Joyce Trisler, Carmen De Lavallade, Janet Collins, and Bella Lewitzky.

The Horton Dance Awards, which celebrate excellence in modern dance, are presented annually by the Los Angeles Dance Resource Centre in tribute to Lester Horton.