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The Influence Of Dance: Doris Humphrey And Ted Shawn

715 Words3 Pages

Doris Humphrey and Ted Shawn both influenced the way we dance today. Humphrey began dancing at a young age however Shawn started later on in his life due to a medical issue. They were both very talented dancers and improved their skills throughout the years. They excelled in choreography and performing. Humphrey and Shawn’s legacy will never be forgotten and their choreography will continue to be performed and will continue to inspire people.
Doris Humphrey had a very significant impact on dance in the United States. Humphrey was a slim child with a passion for dance from a very young age. Her parents supported her and encouraged her to dance and organized lessons for her at a ballet school called eminent ballet masters. Humphrey studied piano, …show more content…

She started to take steps towards choreographing abstract dances, as quoted by Selma Jean Cohen, Humphrey said “a group of bodies is an instrument as varied and colorful as an orchestra; it offers the composer a material that is as rich for accomplishing the totality of her/his vision. The group has also the impersonal and architectural attributes of the orchestra, which should be distinguished from the personal, expressive and unique qualities…”. Humphreys dances reflected her individuality and became appropriate in contemporary America. Humphrey choreographed a piece entitled “the shakers”, based on the Shaker ritual. They used boxes as the mood as Humphrey could not afford a set. The dance represented the shaking off of sin by celibate members. Humphrey choreographed the piece to show the strict separation of the genders and their spiritual dancing rituals. Humphrey danced as the Eldress. The use of repetition was used throughout the dance. The song “simple gifts” lyrics celebrated the shakers principals of simplicity and humility. The lyrics summed up their belief and offered more than simple instructions. Humphrey expressed herself in all of her dances and every piece she choreographed had a story in it. The American audience viewed her dances as original and

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