Bonnie Bird demonstrates Martha Graham Technique 1938-1939. Filmed on the concrete stage of the Greek Theatre at Mills College, California. #marthagraham #dance
"There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it."
hey you guys hating Graham. i think you might have had bad teachers or a misunderstanding of the technique. the technique has grown since this film was shot. you may like or dislike (read: understand) the actual exercises but it's the technical principals that matter. Some of us have this technique as our base and realize it has opened a whole new world for us. if you can't do it or it doesn't work for you, just say that - but stop hating. be open and respectful
Good heavens! The sheer strength of those women in those days. Here Ms. Bird performs these floor moves admirably. Later, when Ethel Winter and Mary Hinkson joined the company, Graham began to pick up on their potential for more lyricised movement. The progression is easy to see. So by the time you get to Diversion of Angels, (1947 or 8, I believe,) you have this beautiful lyric line in the Graham technique. Also in the work which celebrates St.Joan as maid, warrior, and beatified saint, Helen McGeehee, for example, remained faithful to the older, more percussive Graham style.
Gorgeous! Pearl Lang taught me so many of these exercises, and Sophie Maslow too. Would be nice to bring these back into the classes again!! Incredible!
Jesus! Wow! Insanely hard movement on the body as well. I wonder what shape their joints were in by the time they reached their later years, not to mention all that knee work done on concrete? Wow amazing!!
Salem Fathi its estetcal force/ statue of godness=power training of 'm redy for. Dtto as temple queens, in the stone marked for ever Womens movement (capa) ability- wow! //if you do think about, you made it in love passion,and than...it's YOU,width endless
Although extraordinarily impressive as feats of physical strength and coordination, as a former student of Graham, I don't understand why you all want to preserve this. All I see is massive destruction to joints and insane devotion to a dance form that is as limited/limiting and the ballet technique against which it was reacting. I wouldn't wish this technique on my enemies. That she could even stand up and walk is as impressive as the floor work itself.
Have you ever seen any professinal dancer or athlete not being injured in his entire career? I believe that when professionalism comes up the word " injured " is not the point. Dancers devote their lives and bodies without compromising or argue about it. Also nowdays methods like pilates or gyrotonic can prevent them from serious injuries.
@dancerjack1814 THANK YOU !!!!! SOMEONE FINALLY HAS THE NERVE TO COME OUT AND SAY IT ....... I HAVE A LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE TECHNIQUE IT'S TOO HARSH ON THE BODY ........
I never learned contractions the right way . I constricted my breathing and feeling. The result was a negative energy ; consequently love/hate for the technique.
Well when I teach class I do do some of these things.. Just get me to teach the advance class at Graham or an Intensive... And btw, this video is proof for those out there who always said Pearl was crazy and making stuff up... You know who you are...
![[Re:all TREASURE] EP.6 in 방콕ㅣ🚩 쩡캠의 방콕 투어 빵 마이 와이 👍](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/uyFw-nItA_s/mqdefault.jpg)
"There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it."
hey you guys hating Graham.
i think you might have had bad teachers or a misunderstanding of the technique.
the technique has grown since this film was shot.
you may like or dislike (read: understand) the actual exercises but it's the technical principals that matter.
Some of us have this technique as our base and realize it has opened a whole new world for us.
if you can't do it or it doesn't work for you, just say that - but stop hating.
be open and respectful
Good heavens! The sheer strength of those women in those days. Here Ms. Bird performs these floor moves admirably. Later, when Ethel Winter and Mary Hinkson joined the company, Graham began to pick up on their potential for more lyricised movement. The progression is easy to see. So by the time you get to Diversion of Angels, (1947 or 8, I believe,) you have this beautiful lyric line in the Graham technique. Also in the work which celebrates St.Joan as maid, warrior, and beatified saint, Helen McGeehee, for example, remained faithful to the older, more percussive Graham style.
Gorgeous! Pearl Lang taught me so many of these exercises, and Sophie Maslow too. Would be nice to bring these back into the classes again!! Incredible!
I was also at Laban when Bonnie was teaching there, she expected a lot from you but was delighted when you succeeded
Jesus! Wow! Insanely hard movement on the body as well. I wonder what shape their joints were in by the time they reached their later years, not to mention all that knee work done on concrete? Wow amazing!!
Beautiful to watch but I can feel my knees aching from some of the drops into knees!
excelent video!!! great technique thanks for bringing out
this is much more difficult than what we used to do in the 1970"s
Salem Fathi its estetcal force/ statue of godness=power training of 'm redy for.
Dtto as temple queens, in the stone marked for ever Womens movement (capa) ability- wow! //if you do think about, you made it in love passion,and than...it's YOU,width endless
Although extraordinarily impressive as feats of physical strength and coordination, as a former student of Graham, I don't understand why you all want to preserve this. All I see is massive destruction to joints and insane devotion to a dance form that is as limited/limiting and the ballet technique against which it was reacting. I wouldn't wish this technique on my enemies. That she could even stand up and walk is as impressive as the floor work itself.
Have you ever seen any professinal dancer or athlete not being injured in his entire career? I believe that when professionalism comes up the word " injured " is not the point. Dancers devote their lives and bodies without compromising or argue about it. Also nowdays methods like pilates or gyrotonic can prevent them from serious injuries.
A great video thank you so much !! And I highly recommend Bird's eye view book!! she gives great images about the technique :)
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@dancerjack1814 THANK YOU !!!!! SOMEONE FINALLY HAS THE NERVE TO COME OUT AND SAY IT ....... I HAVE A LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE TECHNIQUE IT'S TOO HARSH ON THE BODY ........
This is awesome! Can you recommend a dvd that stays close or true to this technique? Please and Thanks :)
my knees hurt just watching this. I agree with dancerjack. And I too trained that way early in my career, mercifully not for long!
I never learned contractions the right way . I constricted my breathing and feeling. The result was a negative energy ; consequently love/hate for the technique.
Well when I teach class I do do some of these things.. Just get me to teach the advance class at Graham or an Intensive... And btw, this video is proof for those out there who always said Pearl was crazy and making stuff up... You know who you are...
Well they definitely did not teach us some of those exercises at Laban!!!
contract release.. and again and again...!!! im doing everyday