Date of Award

1-1-2014

Language

English

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College/School/Department

Department of History

Content Description

1 online resource (1 volume) : color illustrations.

Dissertation/Thesis Chair

Dan S White

Committee Members

Richard Fogarty, Warren Roberts

Keywords

cultural diplomacy, cultural history, dance, Martha Graham, Dancers, Modern dance

Subject Categories

History

Abstract

Praised for inventing a new language of dance and for freeing the human body and spirit through it, Martha Graham (1894-1991) is one of the most revered artistic innovators of the 20th century. In spite of the complexity of her art and persona, the scholarly work devoted to her reflects a fascination with "Graham the artist", limited to the "magic years" of the thirties and the forties, considered the peak of her artistry and "technique" dance innovation. The rest of her long life and artistic career have not been not thoroughly explored by dance historians, since they unjustly assume this later period to be just a "prolongation" of the work and fame of previous decades. Examining Martha Graham's European tours during the fifties and sixties the present doctoral dissertation is an interdisciplinary approach which lies at the interface of dance, cultural, and diplomatic history.

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