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Describe Martha Graham's background, training and career - NSC Dance Studies - Question 7 - 2018 - Paper 1
Question 7
Describe Martha Graham's background, training and career. Martha Graham was born into a strict Presbyterian family that initially opposed her participation in the p... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Describe Martha Graham's background, training and career - NSC Dance Studies - Question 7 - 2018 - Paper 1
Step 1
Describe Martha Graham's background, training and career.
Answer
Martha Graham was born into a strict Presbyterian family that opposed her participation in the performing arts. Despite this, she persuaded her father to take her to a performance by Ruth St. Denis, which sparked her passion for dance.
At 22, Graham joined the Denishawn School where she trained alongside notable dancers and choreographers. After moving to New York City, she collaborated with various artists to develop her unique style. In 1926, she founded the Martha Graham School of Modern Dance, marking a significant contribution to contemporary dance.
Step 2
Explain how Martha Graham's Lamentation was innovative for that time. 7.2.1 The movement vocabulary and symbolism.
Answer
Lamentation is innovative due to its use of movement vocabulary that reflects the emotional depth of grief. The dance employs contractions and angular movements, highlighting the inner turmoil of the dancer. The gestures express feelings of despair, enhancing the narrative of loss through visual symbolism, such as the dancer’s struggle along the fabric and use of their body to signal a plea for assistance.
Step 3
7.2.2 The production elements.
Answer
The production elements of Lamentation include a costume crafted from purple jersey fabric, symbolizing the feeling of entrapment. The wooden bench serves as a central prop, representing the emotional burden the dancer faces. The lighting highlights the dancer, juxtaposing the harsh reality of life's challenges with the vulnerability depicted in the performance.
Step 4
Evaluate how the music enhanced the theme of Lamentation.
Answer
The music accompanying Lamentation intensifies the emotional experience. It starts with dissonant chords that reflect the dancer's struggle against reality, building up to a climax where the dancer confronts their grief. As the performance progresses, the music subsides, mirroring the transition toward personal acceptance and solitude.
Step 5
Do you think Martha Graham's choreography and dance technique made an impact on dance and society? Substantiate your answer.
Answer
Martha Graham's technique revolutionized dance by introducing a new vocabulary that emphasized emotional expression, which has left a lasting legacy on modern choreography. Her work encouraged societal reflection on themes of vulnerability and human experience, ultimately reshaping the perception of dance as a form of serious artistic expression.