4/14/16 O&A NYC DANCE: The Martha Graham Dance Company Begins 90th Anniversary Season Today

By Walter Rutledge

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The Martha Graham Dance Company begins their 90th anniversary season today at New York City Center (131 West 55th Street). The company will present four extraordinary programs on Thursday April 14, Friday April 15, Saturday April 16 and Monday April 18, featuring four of Graham’s most acclaimed masterworks Chronicle (1933), Appalachian Spring (1944) Cave Of The Heart (1946), and Night Journey (1947). In addition to the Graham works company will present premieres by internationally acclaimed choreographers Marie Chouinard, Mats Ek, and Pontus Lidberg, and recent works by Nacho Duato and Andonis Foniadakis.

A Conversation with Janet Eilber

On Monday April 18 the company will officially becomes a nonagenarian (90 years old.). Martha Graham debuted her first independent concert, consisting of 18 short solos and trios all choreographed by Graham, at the 48th Street Theater in Manhattan on April 18, 1926. The company will mark this milestone with two special events, a marathon reading of Graham’s autobiography Blood Memories and a gala performance.

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The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts will host a marathon reading of Blood Memory on Monday April 18 beginning at 11am. Aspecial and influential group of women from the dance including Patricia Birch, Carmen de Lavallade, Ellen Graff, Virginia Johnson, Deborah Jowitt, Tiler Peck, Annie-B Parson, Wendy Perron, Valda Setterfield, Sonya Tayeh, Wendy Whelan, and Marni Thomas Wood give voice to Graham’s words. That evening the company will culminate the season with a special gala performance featuring; guest artist Étoile and new Artistic Director of the Paris Opera Ballet Aurélie Dupont, the New York premiere of Woodland by Pontus Lidberg and highlights from Graham works. Following the concert will be dinner and dancing at The University Club.

For information about the Martha Graham Dance Company New York City season and to purchase tickets visit marthagraham.org.

In Photo: 1) Blakeley White-McGuire 2) Martha Graham from autobiography cover of Blood Memories

Photo Credit: 1) John Deane 2) Sceptre

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