Ruth St. Denis Concert Dancers in Soaring, between 1879-1985

Title Ruth St Denis Ruth Dennis was born in 1879 in New Jersey. Her early training included Delsarte technique, ballet, social dance and skirt dancing. Ruth began her professional career in 1892, dancing in a dime museum and in vaudeville houses. In 1898, she was hired by David Belasco to perform with his large company as a soloist. Under Belasco's influence, Ruthie Dennis became Ruth St. Denis, and toured with his production around the USA and Europe. During her travels St. Denis became very interested in th e dance/drama of Eastern cultures. After 1900, St. Denis began formulating her own theory of dance/drama based on her early training, and her readings into philosophy, scientology, art and history. In 1904, during one of her tours, she saw a poster of the goddess Isis in an advert. It sparked her imagination and she began reading about Egypt and India. By 1905, St. Denis left Belasco to begin a solo career. Her first solo was performed in a Vaudeville House in NYC. It was an attempt to translate her understanding of Indian culture and mythology to the American dance stage and St. Denis was quickly ‘discovered’. She left for London with her mother in 1906, and traveled the continent until 1909, when she returned to give a series of well-received concerts around the USA. During the next five years she continued building her reputation as a ''classic dancer'' in the same category as Duncan. In 1912, in serious financial trouble, St. Denis went back to the studio and came up with a new exotic Japanese dance, but it was not a success. In 1914 she hired Ted Shawn and his partner to perform ballroom numbers during her show. Soon after, St. Denis and Shawn became dance partners and lovers. They set up the famous ‘Denishawn’ school in order to train dancers in their own style, and eventually the school toured performances around the United States. Doris Humphrey and Martha Graham both spent time there as pupils. However ultimately Shawn and St Denis had different aims and when they parted ways Denishawn ended. http://www.pitt.edu/~gillis/dance/ruth.html The Origins of Modern Dance Dateline: 11/24/97 Out of the Denishawn school came a new generation of dancers in the 1920s who wanted to move away from the Denishawn tradition. They disliked its exoticism and mysticism and instead wanted to explore the fundamental principles of movement. Modern dance as a dance technique was given its form at this time. Not considered by Ruth St. Denis to be the stuff of a great dancer, Martha Graham was nonetheless encouraged by Ted Shawn to continue her studies. Inspired by breathing, she developed her theories of contraction and release. Contraction, with the breath's expiration, curves the chest inwards and suggested to her fear and sorrow. Release with the chest expanding, suggested joy and extroversion. The torso becomes the centre of movement, which radiates out towards the limbs. Often inspired by Greek mythology, her choreography reflected her interests in psychology and the individual. Both Merce Cunningham and Paul Taylor worked with her company, although they have moved away from her technique in their own development. Doris Humphrey was encouraged by St. Denis try her hand at choreography, although she and Charles Wiedman eventually left Denishawn to pursue their own interests. She developed her theories of movement based on fall and recovery. Her work centers around the struggle to overcome gravity and the risk involved in abandoning balance. Often using religious and American themes in her dances, she was interested in the interactions of the individual with the group. Her theories of choreography were published after her death in the book The Art of Making Dances. Jose Limon and Louis Falco were her students and continued to develop her technique in a modified form. One should not forget that similar changes were taking place in Central Europe. Rudolph Laban, in Switzerland and Germany explored dance education and gymnastics for non-dancers. His student Mary Wigman carried on his work in what has since become known as AusdruckTanz, or Expressionist Dance.Today he is better known as as a teacher and theorist, and the creator of Laban Notation. Today, the border between modern dance and the world of classical ballet is becoming increasingly blurred. Many modern choreographers create works for classical companies. And classical choreographers are becoming more open to experiment with new forms. Many companies will present at least one modern piece on any given evening. This has been beneficial for the public, which learns to understand a new style, and good for the dancers who expand their knowledge and control in mastering a new technique. http://balletdance.about.com/ Title from back of photographic print.

Handwritten on back of photographic print: ''Ruth St. Denis concert dancers in ''Soaring,'' Jane Sherman Collection.''