September/ October 2012 - Art Times

Dance
By Francine L. Trevens
Continued from Page 1
Sept/ Oct 2012 ART TIMES page 7
Two Dramatically Different Views of Dance
from the Early Twentieth Century
Her husband, who had been in
the adjacent room, came in and
disagreed. He asked me for whom I
thought I was writing this review.
The New York Times? Harper’s? He
pointed out that my readers were
just average local people not the intelligentsia
and I ought not to try to
show off by using all the longest words
I could find.
I had not tried to impress anyone
- I had written the review using what
I considered my reading and writing
vocabulary. That experience taught
me you must write for your reader.
Mr. Franko’s reader is a very well educated,
committed and learned one.
That is the audience for this book.
To support his conclusions, he refers
to Ms Graham’s correspondence,
notebooks, and the remarks of those
who worked with her at that time. His
endnotes, bibliography and index run
to over 150 pages.
It was interesting to contrast the
highly intellectual appeal of Graham’s
work to the elitist middle aged
and older audience, which later came
to appeal to the younger audience, the
reverse of rock ‘n’ roll which appealed
first to the younger audience and then
Martha Graham and Erick Hawkins in Cave of the Heart
(1946) Courtesy of the Music Division, Library of Congress
the older generations!
Martha Graham in Love and
War is a fascinating dissection of
how her relationship with Hawkins
affected her work and her persona.
Franko notes the “intense creative activity
linked to her relationship with
Erick Hawkins.” The many artistic
photographs by Barbara Morgan dramatically
capture much of that work.
Graham’s earlier works were pro
democracy and anti Fascist. After she
began to choreograph roles for both
men and women she moved deeply
into myth. Franko explains the influences
which led her there.
Hawkins was a guest artist in
1938 – the first male dancer Martha
Graham and Dance Company employed.
He appeared in her American
Document, which included spoken
word and in which Graham and
Hawkins danced their first duet. Jean
Erdman joined the company in that
piece. Hawkins was fascinated by
myth, and Graham through his influence
and through Erdman’s husband,
Joseph Campbell, became immersed
in myth as well.
In 1942, after Hawkins joined
the company, Graham presented a
program designed
to showcase him.
Despite her being
fifteen years his
senior, and having
choreographed
over a dozen dances
prior to American
Document, she had
her own dance company
and a loyal
following. It was
not easy for the
ambitious young
man to find himself
romantically
involved with her.
There had to have
been problems over
the male-female
dynamic so prevalent
at the time.
Hawkins was
more than a romantic
interest and a
talented dancer. He
became a driving
force in the growth
of her company as
he soon became the
fundraiser for the
company as well as
advisor, accountant,
producer, technical
assistant and company
manager. The
two married in 1948.
Hawkins also
moved her company
forward by raising
sufficient funds so
that instead of merely
a piano she was
able to have nine instruments
play the
music for Appalachian
Spring which
had both Hawkins
and Merce Cunningham
as dancers.
It put Graham
on the world map of
great dancer/ choreographers.
It was
followed by many
dance pieces based
on various myths
with her unique
viewpoint and psychological
undertones.
She used other
male dancers and
in 1944, at war’s end,
introduced Yuriko, a
Japanese-American
dancer into the troupe, breaking
the racial barriers then prevalent.
Yuriko subsequently reconstructed
many of Graham’s dances.
Hawkins left the troupe in 1951.
They divorced in 1954. The great
dancer/choreographer turned to a
psychiatrist to help her cope. She also
turned to drink.
Franko is far more sympathetic
to Hawkins than were most writers
of that day. He explains the deep
emotional reactions of Ms Graham
to Hawkins departure and how the
dances which followed their split were
related to that change in her life. He
goes into such delectable details about
her dance piece called Voyage, in its
several versions, that its loss is made
poignant. It was dropped from the repertoire
because critics and audiences
did not want the Martha Graham who
was attempting to find herself. They
forced her to return to myths.
Franko details the conception,
creation and multi levels of American
Cover of Rock ’n’ Roll Dances of the 1950s: teens dancing
photo (Keystone/Corbis)
Document, Appalachian Spring, as
well as Night Journey, Punch and
the Judy, Dark Meadow, Cave of the
Heart, Errand into the Maze, Death
and Entrances, Gospel of Eve, Clytemnestra
and more.
For a deeply moving and informative
view of Ms Graham and her many
achievements during those years,
nothing can be more informative and
fulfilling than this elegant volume.
ef
Visit: arttimesjournal.com and read
previously published essays with
photos in color.
Visit Pawling Chamber of Commerce
20th Annual Arts & Crafts Festival 2012
Saturday, September 22, 2012
10am-4pm Charles Colman Boulevard,
Village of Pawling
Juried Event, Live Music, Children's Activities,
Food Court, Rain or Shine!
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or email martinscc@aol.com
New Century Artists Gallery
Presents Contemporary Art Show
Curated by Basha Maryanska
Sept 11 th — 29 th
Reception Sept. 15th 3-6pm
Artists: Helena Blomjus, Elizabeth
Castonguay, Bonnie Goodman, Kathryn Hart,
Peggy Landrum, Mildred Kaye,
Ellen Mandelbaum, Basha Maryanska,
Cynthia McCusker, Howard Miller,
Neela Pushparaj, Renee Radenberg,
Linda Richichi, Cindy Silvert, Bonnie
Shanas, Renee Weiss Chase, Paulisa Winsong.
~~
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212-367-7072 • newcenturyartists.org
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