tended to play second fiddle to her always- stunning lead. The original Graham company did, however, nurture a host of male stars in the making, including Merce Cunningham, Erick Hawkins,Glen Tetley, Dan Wagoner and Paul Taylor.
is for Nureyev, who frequently appeared
with Graham’s company after she ended her long war with ballet in 1985 to create Lucifer for Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn.
Dis for Oedipus, a fellow with strong family connections who figured highly in Graham’s so-called Greek cycle. which ran from the mid- 40s to the early-60s.
Pis for Pain and also for Passion, two emotions no self-respecting Martha Graham dancer would be without.
is for Quote. Unlike most dancers who prefer uto stick to body language, Graham gave good quotes. See D. E, K and Z for some typical Graham bon mots.
President and Mrs Reagan shaking hands with the 91-year-old Graham as she received the National Medal Of Art, prove just how far the revolutionary had penetrated the establishment by the mid-80$.
is for Seventy-five, the grand old age at which Ms Graham decided to hang up her dance tights.
is for Tights, the nylon type, another stretchy fabric Graham could have wrapped round her head if only it had been around then.
is for Ugly, the opposite of beautiful, and a word oft used by Graham’s critics to describe what she preferred to call realistic.
A—Z OF MARTHA GRAHAM FEATURE
, , ‘ Vis for Vertiginous, the only word to describe is for Reagan, as in Ronald. Press shots of the way dancers tip the body Off its axis
when striking that classic leg-in-the-air, skirts- ahoy, hand-on-the-head Graham pose.
is for Woollies. Graham’s next favourite
dance costume after stretchy jersey was a fetching line in knitted tubular dresses that bore a strong resemblance to woollen underwear. Needless to say this phase went down in history as Graham’s ‘Long Woollens’ period.
is for Xochitl, a 205 vaudeville number in
which the pioneer of modern dance took the starring role and discovered exactly what she didn’t want to do with her life.
is for youth. the eternal kind. Not only did Graham dance till 75, she choreographed
Graham stretches the boundarlos of modern dance In lanonmlon, 1930 (left) and turns the other cheek In Eltstasls, 1m(ahm) into her nineties and regularly put in eight-hour days until her death in 199]. Zis for Zigzag. ‘Life today is nervous, sharp and zigzag,’ said Martha Graham in the famous quote that sums up her dance style. Radical Graham (Festival) Martha Graham Dance Company, Playhouse, Edinburgh, '0131 225 5756, Sun l8—Wed 2] Aug, 7.30pm, £5—£22.
RPM Arts & Gilded Balloon Productions Presents
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QUEEN’S (Venue 72) Clerk Street, Edinburgh Thursday l5“ - Thursday 22'"I August (Excluding Monday l9“) -
Tickets: £|0 8: £7.50
Queen’s Hall Box Office: 0l3l 668 NH Gilded Balloon Box Office: 0l3l 226 NS 1 Fringe Box Oflice:0l3l 226 5 I38
The Hit of Mayfest is back by popular demand
Elaine C Smith
[A
Goldmine of a Show...”
Scotland on Sunday
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The List l6-22 Aug I996 21