WHAT THE DANCE COMMUNITY IS SAYING
MARTHA GRAHAM VIDEOS
ARTISTIC DIRECTORS
I find it very important to document the technique because you need to have some place to start, in order to expand or to add a little bit more or to vary or to grow; you need to have the roots.
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Virginie Mécène
Artistic Director Graham 2
The Graham Beginning Technique video, designed by two of our top Graham artists and educators, captures the basics of the Graham Technique in a way that is clear, accessible and inspiring. It is a multi-faceted guide that can serve a range of dancers — from those who are new to Graham to experienced teachers of the Graham style. Surprisingly, this is a first for the Graham legacy. The Technique has never been documented in such a thorough and accessible way. I'm so pleased to have this beautifully produced "textbook". It is not only a valuable tool in today's dance studio, but it secures the foundation of the Graham language for future generations. The excellence of this beginning dramatically underscores the need for the next steps - documenting the intermediate and advanced levels of the Graham Technique.
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Janet Eilber
Artistic Director of the Martha Graham Company
TEACHERS
I've really found this to be a huge resource. Personally, I used this platform for teaching purposes. I am trained in Graham from my undergrad in Dance - and now teach a group of dancers through a school-based dance academy. I reference this video for myself in lesson planning and have used the music for many of the exercises for the playback without words. I love having both options: instruction/voice over plus then just music.
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Janine McNerney
MFA Studio Director, Core Movement
DANCERS, STUDENTS & NON-PROFESSIONALS
It is crucial that the technique be well documented as we need to leverage the knowledge of the people who have witnessed Martha Graham’s training and persona in the flesh. It ensures availability to students, scholars and performers. Documentation will also facilitate the reproduction of the technique which will help future dancers learn and appreciate Martha Graham’s legacy!
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Lloyd Mayor
Dancer with the Martha Graham Dance Company
I am a former student who took Graham Technique at SUNY Purchase as a non-major in 1985-1987. I had never taken any ballet or modern before college. I am now 55 and have been looking for years to keep up this training as it is fantastic for every aspect of one's fitness (physical therapy, resistance training, etc.) There are no Graham classes here in Florida.
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Susan Lee
LESTER HORTON VIDEOS
ARTISTIC DIRECTORS
Dance Spotlight has been instrumental in documenting and illustrating the Lester Horton technique for more than 10 years. Jeanne Suggs and Babette Coffey Fisch have worked diligently to be faithful to the technique and to make it accessible to future generations of dancers, teachers, and choreographers. The work I have done with Dance Spotlight has been professional and artistically gratifying. The documentation of the Horton technique has given countless teachers the information they need to understand the Horton studies as well as how to teach them correctly. The DVDs are popular throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and South Africa. The DVDs have made a major contribution to the field of dance and I am thrilled that a project is under way to document the Martha Graham technique. Future generations will be grateful for this unique documentation.
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Ana Marie Forsythe
Chair, Horton Department, The Ailey School
TEACHERS
Wonderful teaching tool! I have been teaching and choreographing Horton’s work for over 10 years. I really enjoy the videos. I use them for counts, phrasing and technique.
I also show the videos to my students. They love Ms. Forsythe!
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Andrea Kron
1996 Alvin Ailey School Graduate
The videos are very useful to quickly remind me of counts and transitions. It is also very pleasant to show them to my students because dancers’ bodies are very clear when demonstrating the exercises.
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Claire
Paris Opera Ballet School
The videos helped me in reviewing many aspects of the technique and refreshed both my body and mind. I also use them as a visual tool for my students, to assist them in seeing the lines of the technique clearly.
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Thomas DiSabato
Las Vegas Academy of International Studies Visual and Performing Arts
The videos underpin the studies in the Horton Pedagogy, to help retain the purity of the technique by constantly referencing. The body of the technique is so large, that the visual aids also help to remind me of things I may have not touched on for a while!
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Debbie Turner
Cape Academy of the Performing Arts
Because the technique is either correct or not, the videos are really important in keeping me honest.
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Cathy Teitelmaum
Albany Academy for the Arts