Why do i care?

I appreciate what Martha Graham did in her lifetime and realize that she paved the way for me in the modern dance world. Being from a classical ballet background I found it extremely helpful transitioning to modern dance through graham technique. Like classical ballet technique, Graham is also a technique where there are placements for the body to be and ways of doing certain movements. Graham technique is difficult, but in learning this technique i grew an appreciation for modern dance because before i attended University Wisconsin Milwaukee i thought that modern was just people flinging themselves around the space. Now i know that graham technique is a valuable building block for modern dancers to start with so that they can work towards more effortless movement in the future. Graham gives modern dancers a sturdy foundation of technique so that they can do much more and be versatile dancers. The Martha Graham Dance Company is still around 85 years later and I believe that Graham technique will be around as long as modern dance is around. Graham left behind a legacy for all of us to cherish and hold to the highest degree of admiration. Her influences span worldwide, and will in the coming years

Contributions

Martha Graham had an extremely influential career that shaped modern dance as we know it today. Graham was a very motivated individual and her strength was displayed through her dance presence, technique, and choreography. She presented 181 works in her life time and was known as the "mother of modern dance." Martha Graham has inspired many dancers and choreographers through her persistence to be on stage, starring in her own works. Graham refused to give up performing as she was getting older, her last performance was at age 76. The core of Graham's importance was that she codified a dance technique that utilizes the whole body, and the emotion comes from the core of the dancer.  She also had elaborate costuming, props, sets, and collaborated with some amazing figures in other art-forms. She paved the way for more innovative choreographers such as, Paul Taylor, Merce Cunningham, and Erik Hawkins.

video clips and pictures

 Link to Martha Graham's famous work, "Lamentation."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb4-kpClZns

Clip of another work by Martha called, "Night Journey."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFNsKeMbW20

Link to a video that shows the Graham dance technique.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p78zYG6-aHI