Persons of Note - Martha Graham

• Revolutionary modern dancer, breaking body type, age and movement stereotypes.
• Born mid 1890s to psychiatrist father who analysed people by actions as well as words, passing on interest and importance of body language and movement; 'Movement never lies'.
• one of four siblings and saw siblings as beautiful whilst herself as plain, yet always dreaming of being beautiful and wild. Although later on, she did see herself as blessed by God, expressed through her dancing abilities.
• Very interested in expressing the inner self through dance, showing 'primal emotions' through a dance style based on idea of contraction and release, something that was very unique at the time.
• Movement came before the music she was dancing to, believing that the body was the music.
• Non-comformist, starting dancing at 22, which was considered late in the industry, with a body not typical of a dancer, and then dancing on professionally until she was 76. 
• American culture and the individual were important in her work, exploring human & societal complexities. Politically and socially conscious, addressing issues and going against expectations and boundaries. Created work influenced by things such as the Wall Street Crash, Spanish civil war and the Great Depression. 
• Collaborated, commissioned and influenced wide range of creative people, including sculptors, visual artists, choreographers, designers and musicians.
• Named the 'mother of modern dance' and is said to have as much of an impact on the discipline as Picasso had on art.