DELving into Embodied Dance History

In this Module, you will learn about the rich history of Jacob’s Pillow and meet Jacob’s Pillow’s Director of Preservation, Norton Owen, and Associate Archivist, Patsy Gay, who will give you a tour of the numerous virtual dance history resources that exist on the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Interactive site and the Pillow’s online database.

In this Module, you will delve into the life and work of Jacob’s Pillow founder, Ted Shawn, and review several resources to deepen your understanding of Shawn’s vision and the impact this pioneer had on American modern dance. We will also examine how Ted Shawn’s work has evolved and been reimagined through a twenty-first century lens through the work of contemporary dancer and choreographer, Adam Weinert.

In this Module, we will continue to explore the impact of Denishawn on early American modern dance and turn our focus to the life and work of Ruth St. Denis. We will also investigate other key contributors to the burgeoning field of modern dance with a specific focus on underrepresented early pioneers, Edna Guy, Hemsley Winfield, and Michio Ito.

In this Module, we will explore the life and work of Doris Humphrey and José Limón and investigate their shared lineage that continues today in the José Limón Dance Company. Doris Humphrey (1895-1958) is often considered one of the greatest choreographers of the American modern dance movement of the twentieth century. Championed as an American modern dance pioneer, Humphrey is celebrated not only as a prolific choreographer but also as a teacher, mentor, and author. Humphrey’s influential book The Art of Making Dances presented her core choreography principles and is referenced today in composition classes.

José Limón was a Mexican American dancer, choreographer, teacher, and visionary who is recognized as one of the key modern dance figures of the 20th century. Inextricably linked to the Humphrey/Weidman tradition, he created the Limón technique which is still taught around the world today. Limón choreographed over 75 dance works, including the celebrated “The Moor’s Pavane.” Today, Limón’s legacy lives on through the José Limón Dance Foundation, which includes a touring repertory company and an educational and archival resource organization.

In this Module, we will explore the life and work of Martha Graham, named by TIME magazine “Dancer of the Century.” Graham was a prolific choreographer who created 181 ballets and developed and codified the Graham Technique. Her approach to dance and theater revolutionized the art form and her innovative movement vocabulary impacted the dance field worldwide. We will also explore the life and work of Yuriko Kikuchi, whose stage name was Yuriko, and who was considered one of Graham’s most influential and prominent proteges. Yuriko preserved and expanded upon Graham’s legacy over her long career with the Martha Graham Company.

In this Module, we will explore the life and work of Dr. Pearl Primus who was a “dancer, teacher, scholar, choreographer, lecturer, storyteller, village elder and matriarch…” – Peggy Schwartz, author of The Dance Claimed Me.

Primus received her Ph.D. in anthropology and sociology and studied African and African-American culture which she celebrated and incorporated into her dance and educational programs. Primus traveled to Africa to study over 30 different tribes and dance forms and brought her knowledge back to the US. Through dance, she addressed issues related to social justice and racial protest.

In part 2 of this Module, we will complete the course by applying our new understanding of dance history to our own teaching context.