I recently watched the video of Martha Graham Dance Company. The music is powerful and the dancing is very intense. I can understand why it was shocking for the time. The idea of a pagan ritual is light years away from classical ballets’ images of swans and romance. It has elements of ritual, bondage, barely veiled sexuality. Martha Graham was such a fierce personality and it really shows in this dance. I love the Halston costumes in the video. I think they perfectly suit the action and complement it.
I’m reading her autobiography right now and it’s really interesting. I am trying to get tickets to see Rite of Spring at Jacob’s Pillow, performed by the Martha Graham Dance Company.
Here is a little history of the reactions the ballet and the music received at the premeire 100 years ago.