Martha Graham was named by Time Magazine in 1998 as the "Dancer of the Century" and is a well-known dance choreographer. She is an icon and created over 181 dance techniques. Her approach to dance revolutionized the art form and would later change the dance world.
Martha Graham was born on May 11, 1894, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Later she and her family moved to Santa Barbra, California where she was introduced to dance. At the age of 17, Martha attended Denishawn School of Dancing and Related Arts. In 1926, around the age of 30, she was living in New York City and founded her own dance company where she created her own technique and revolutionized the dance world. She freed the art of dance by providing a new language and style. In 1991,
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I chose these attributes because she revolutionzied the world of American dance. She set herself and her dancers apart from the rest by creating a new technique and style that shied away from the traditional formal ballet. Martha was so creative and different with the style of dance she brought to the world. She created pieces that told many stories and brought so much new and raw emotion. Martha said so herself "Great dancers are not great because of their technique, they are great because of their passion. She valued passion for herself and for others. That's why I chose these values for Martha Graham.
Some of Martha's greatest accomplishments consist of founding her own dance studio, developing her own style and technique, and receiving numerous awards and honors. In 1959 Martha received the Laurel Leaf Award from The American Composers Alliance in honor of her music service. In 1986 she was voted to receive the Local One Centennial Award for Dance. In 1976 Martha was honored to receive the highest civilian honor from President Gerald R. Ford, The Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 1985 President Ronald Reagan made Martha the first recipient of the United States National Medal of