The bigger picture

         What was happening in the world that might have shaped the thinking and subsequent creative output of your choreographer?  There were many events happening in the 1920’s and 30’s some progressive and some detrimental. Graham was witnessing various political, industrial, technological, and social events during the prime of her career. After the end of WW1 in 1918, the 18th amendment was set in place, also known as, prohibition.  Crime went hand in hand with prohibition, there was organized crime with figures like Al Capone, and bootlegging. In the mid 1920’s there was an agricultural depression as a result of the overproduction throughout the first world war. Graham took a lot of inspiration from the culture of the American pioneers and farmers, and this must have had some impact on her. There was a lot of urbanization going on due to the agricultural depression, people were moving into cities where there were many more jobs and easy access to amenities. Shortly after, in 1929 there was the devastating stock market crash which turned the economic system of the united states upside down. The market crash of 29’ marked the start of the great depression. Everyone and anyone was affected by the great depression and although times were extremely difficult, Graham managed to choreograph seven pieces including, Heretic, Moment Rustica, Vision Of The Apocalypse, Danza, Adolescence, Resurrection, and Figure Of A Saint.
       Franklin Roosevelt took the American presidency in 1932, and in 1933 Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany and kick started the Nazi regime which is considered to this day, a mass genocide. Graham’s notable work,  “Chronicle” was influenced by the Spanish Civil war, the great depression, and the wall street crash of 29’.
       During the 1920’s and 30’s there were other political and social things going on such as, communism, fascism, and racism with the acceptance of the Klu Klux Klan. The 1940’s was another time of transition for America due to WWII.  The  Martha graham center of contemporary dance was established in 1926 and she continued to dance and choreograph works until 1969. Throughout her time dancing and choreographing she was developing her modern technique, and being inspired by cultural events while choreographing. She was also concerned with being the principal dancer in every one of her dances.
      She collaborated with composers such as Louis Horst, Aaron Copeland, Samuel Barber, and William Schuman. She also had a lighting designer Jean Rosenthal that she worked closely with. She worked very little with photographers because she didn’t like to document her pieces, but she worked with Imogen Cunningham, Barbara Morgan, and Philippe Halsman.

Grahams Inspirations

 Martha Graham decided after her father passed away, that she was going to pursue her dream of dancing. In the early 1900's Graham joined the Denishawn school under the instruction of Ruth St Denis and Ted Shawn. This was her first bit of formal dance training and technique.  Graham ended up leaving the Denishawn to dance as a soloist for two years with the Greenwich Village Follies. Around 1925 she started teaching at the Eastman Music school and theater in New York, where she started experimenting with modern dance. She was influenced by the Denishawn, Isadora Duncan, as well as Louie Horst, a former Denishawn composer. Horst was an extremely important friend and mentor through Graham's years of choreographing and dancing. He helped her explore emotion within the music and inspired her with different sound scores. With Horst she also explored angular, percussive movements, and contract/release. She taught many dancers that became well known including, Alvin Ailey, Merce Cunningham, Paul Taylor, and Twyla Tharp. The Works that Graham had choreographed in her life were inspired by Greek mythology, cubism, Early America, religion, and native American culture.