1. The beginning of Modern Dance
*Ruth St. Denis
*Ted Shawn
*Isadora Duncan
*Lois Fuller

2. Ruth St. Denis Born in 1879, passed away in 1968
Intrigued by an Egyptian Dancer on a cigarette carton
Went to study dance forms of Egyptian cultures
Became a solo performer around London in 1906
Created company, Denishawn, with her future husband Ted Shawn in 1914

3. Movement Style Theatrical elements Contemporary movement
Concert dance traditions
Known for her music visualizations
Some of her famous students were…
Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey, Charles Weidman

4. Source: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/r/ruth_st_denis.html
“I see dance being used as communication between body and soul, to express what it too deep to find for words.”
“We can scale the heights of mountains and see the world layed out before us, but we fail to recognize that which is before us.”
Source:

5. Ted Shawn Born in 1891 passed away in 1972 Pioneer male modern dancers
Created Denishawn with wife, Ruth St. Denis
Goal: to legitimize dance as a career for men
Founded Jacob’s Pillow

6. "I believe that dance communicates man’s deepest, highest and most truly spiritual thoughts and emotions far better than words, spoken or written."

7. Isadora Duncan
Born 1877, was killed when her scarf was caught in a car’s tire and it decapitated her in 1927
Considered to be the mother of modern dance
Introduced audiences to bare feet, free flowing costumes, more emotionally expressive movement
Felt that ballet was “ugly and against nature”

8. Choreography was often inspired by personal expression and political statements
Felt that dance and nature were closely related
Movements often resembled Greek Art, folk art, social dances, athletics

9. “The dancer's body is simply the luminous manifestation of the soul.”
Source:

10. Lois Fuller Born in 1862, passed away in 1928
Known for natural movements and improvisation
Introduced modern dance to Europe
Created color gels used in stage lighting

11. Lois Fuller

12. Sources http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lois_Fuller