A new form for an ancient essence
Martha Graham was called the “high priestess of modern dance” and “Dancer of the century”. She was the dancer and choreographer with the greatest influence and impact on modern dance starting from the 1930’s in the U.S.
She created a famous dance group, composed approximately 180 works and developed a special dance teaching technique which is still in use today. Graham’s work was a huge success in the U.S. and worldwide, she was a major factor in the establishment of the “Bat Sheva” dance group in Israel and many of her students became well-known artists such as Anna Sokolow, Merce Cunningham, Rina Sheinfeld and Ohad Naharin.
Martha Graham
Graham believed that dancing was a means for doing internal work. Each person has their potential that can be fulfilled using will power and hard work. This should be done regardless of someone else’s potential and without comparison, “the only competition is between you and yourself” she said.
Graham taught (and lived) hard work and discipline, she talked about the link between fulfilling our dreams, our potential, and discipline and sacrifice.
She worked many hours in the studio even when she was in her 80’s and 90’s.
“Dreaming alone is not enough”, she said, “wanting is not enough – you have to go through the process, persist and work hard.”
It seems that her success was not trivial, on the contrary, her success required a lot of effort and sacrifice.
Graham emphasized the important connection between effort and freedom, as a means to learn about our lives. Some people view freedom as making no effort and having no commitments… Graham said the opposite: in order to be free, you have to build the tools, to work, to persist, to strengthen them, to flex and to control them. It is quite clear that a dancer with no balance, no strength and flexibility cannot dance, flow and express himself in movement. Only by building the tools, freedom is born. In analogy to life, the tool is our personality: our physical body, our emotions and our thoughts. When they are strong and flexible, there is self-control and the person can express their true potential.
The Graham Method
Graham said that it was her father who gave her the first lesson in the art of dance – a lesson which accompanied her for her whole life: “the body does not lie, movement does not lie.” This is one of the most prominent features of Martha Graham – searching for the truth, for the movement that brings the truth to light, for the body as a tool and as a means of research and expression.
emotions and stylish body movements which are performed with power, along with an emphasis on breathing. Each movement of this technique stems from the center of the body. The Center of the body is a significant area, both physically and symbolically.
In it, for example, is the digestive system, a symbol for how we “digest” life and what we do with it. In the center is also the womb, symbolizing life and continuity. When we feel something we say “I have a gut feeling” and when we get excited we say “I have butterflies in my stomach”. The principle of working from the center also appears in martial arts, a kick or punch should be initiated from the center of the body. Why? Because using the center of the body results in more power and the ability to maintain stability.
The center of the human being contains power and stability, not only on the physical plane! The source of movement that Graham chose is a fundamental area – physically, aesthetically, emotionally and symbolically. This movement implies strength and power of action initiated from the center. The Chinese sage Lao Tzu said: “In the center of your essence you have the answer – you know who you are and you know what you want.”
Works
Like any artist, Graham underwent a process of change in her work. At the beginning, the subjects of her works included strong social involvement and she created dances on war, freedom, liberty and limitations. Later there was a change in her perception, she became interested in biblical stories, myths and Greek mythology, the essence of the movements she used matured and improved, and these dances became her trademark and her claim to fame – “the mythical dances”, in a double sense. She began to travel all over the world, was influenced by myths, ceremonies, symbols and ancient rituals from which her works were inspired.
Graham chose to create works, which were fundamentally an introspection into the human being and life. She was interested in universal themes, such as the duality in man – weakness versus power, fear versus courage, what we have versus what we want, and impulsiveness versus internal ethics. Her works included heroes who go into dungeons, forests and the underworld to confront and overcome challenges. She investigated death and rebirth, fate and freedom of choice.
“Errand into the Maze” is an example of a work inspired by the Greek myth of Theseus. In the original myth, every nine years 14 youth, 7 boys and 7 maidens, were taken from Athens to the King of Crete. The youth were given to the Minotaur, a monster that lived in the center of a labyrinth, as a sacrifice. Theseus, the son of the King of Athens, volunteered to go as one of the youths to try and kill the Minotaur. Ariadne, who was in love with Theseus, gave him a silver thread so that he would not lose his way in the maze and find his way back at the end.
The whole dance is presented as a Duet – the Minotaur and Ariadne (performed originally by Martha Graham herself). The message is one of overcoming one’s fear, attaining self-control and discovering the internal powers. The protagonist is Ariadne, who goes through a process of change during the work. The creature, in contrast, is a flat two-dimensional character representing intimidation. The heroine succeeds in overcoming the Minotaur and in essence overcomes her own fear.
In the ancient traditions, the purpose of a myth was to discover the meaning of life and the essence of the human being. The myth tries to address existential questions, to discover “secrets”, messages so deep and simple that they are commonly overlooked. The characters in the story can be viewed not only as different entities but as several voices within a person, the plot is symbolic and there is a message contained within.
Theseus, the son of the King of Athens, symbolizes the courage that exists in every person, the courage to change, to bravely face challenges and fight for inner freedom. The Maze, where the monster lives, symbolizes the human soul, which sometimes we have to enter in order to kill internal “monsters” – such as fear or an old habit.
Ariadne symbolizes the love and faith inside the person that motivate him to make the journey, which empowers him and keeps him from forgetting himself in the depths of his soul. It is the story of the hero who conquers his desires with courage, love and faith. It is a story that can touch everyone, anywhere and anytime.
Graham chose stories with a deep message. These dances, like myths, can be beautiful and interesting intellectually, but if we look closely and listen carefully, we can hear beyond the forms and the depth of ourselves is revealed and so are the answers to the silent questions within.
Martha Graham did not only develop a technical method for dance, but also a profound method for seeking to uncover the inner depths within man. Her art was a search to understand life through searching within. She was asking questions and looking for answers – what is life? Who is the human being? Is it possible to change?
And, if so, why should we do it?
Graham believed that these questions are worth asking and she gave her life to this purpose, through the art of dance. The art of dance is analogical to the art of living, it holds the same secret – it requires effort and concessions, it is a step-by-step process necessary in order to fulfill our dreams. This is the true success and fame. To ask questions, to find answers, to know ourselves, to realize our potential and to get closer to true freedom.
Hanita Mitrani