Hanya Holm (1898-1992):

Hanya Holm is pupil of Wegmans, she is the key figure, who introduce of modern dance from German to America. In 1898, Hanya born in a winemaker's home. Before learned dance formally, she studied "human rhythm exercise" in the music school, which run by Croze. In 1921, after seeing the performances of Wigman, she did not hesitate to participate in the team of Wigman. At this time, Hanya was already a child’s mother.

Soon Hanya acquired an important position in Wigmans Dance Company. In the following ten years, she not only participated in the performances of Wigmans’ major works, but also became the director of the dance school. 

After Wigmans bring a delegation to premiere at United States in 1931, she decided let Holm stay at New York, and let she presided teaching job at new dance school. In 1933, after Hitler came to power. Since Wigmans did not leave German, after contact with Wigmans, the dance school in United Stated had been changed name as Hanya Holm Dance School. Therefore, in 1936, Hoya Holm dance School became independent educational institution, which did not get the direct impact from German government. Also the school led to a dance club, and continues active in the United States. Hanya introduced Wigman’s "impromptu choreography Law" into United States. Her dance school trained plenty of famous modern dance choreographers such as Alvin Nikolais. Although she was also a talented choreographer, she still set education as her largest ambition, and cultivated many talents for the modern dance.

My point of view:

The existence of any art form need to create a living environment, modern dance is an art tribe, with precious as life-like faith, the perennial of the tribe is because of its fascinating spirit and belief.

 For dance, there shouldn’t exists any political diversion, it is difficult to predict how the dance forms will develop in next hundred years. But I think the large convergence of faith and dance is welcomed.

Doris Humphrey (1895–1958):

Doris Humphrey was born in Oak Park, Illinois, who began learning dance from her childhood. Between 1918 to1928, she danced at Dennis Sean Dance Company. After that she established Humphrey-Wiedemann Dance School with Charles Wiedemann. In 1945, Humphrey exit performances stage, become the artistic director of Jose-Li Meng Ballet club. In 1955 she founded the Julia Dance Theatre in New York. What’s more, she is the author of "choreography art"

Humphrey was the first generation modern dance master as same as Martha Graham, she was also one of the founders of modern dance. Humphrey called the her dance techniques "fall and recovery" which emphasize balance and lyrical external action, pay attention on the conversion of dance and psychology, literature, music, and drama, the power that generated by swing and gravity, and a "start - stranded - falling - resurgence "of the arc motion cycle may be extended to inter-universe cycle phenomenon, it is an important example for the dance skills training which inherent philosophy of life.

My point of view:

Humphrey's works have a concern for humanism perspective of human faith, trust, emotional performance always exist in our bodies, and even in the surrounding environment.

Humphrey faced contemporary American test, and opened a new music realm for German. From ancient times, whatever that creators and the era she lived, all have a relationship with each other in certain impression, but whether to insist on their own ideals or opinions with the social environment changes, it is the biggest problem facing by humanity.

Martha Graham (1894-1991):

Martha Graham was an American dancer and choreographer, and one of the earliest founders of modern dance in the history.

Martha Graham born in Pennsylvania in 1894 at a doctor's family. She was attracted by the performances of Ruth St. Denis at the age of 16, then she determined to learn dance. After her Psychiatrist father died, she was 22 years old and she entered Denise, Tetsuo Dance Academy.

Seven years later, she traveled to New York alone, to teach dance. When Martha was 32 years old, she held her first work conference in New York. Graham founded his own dance company. She patiently explored pristine powerful dance expression, and the development of Graham-style dance techniques. In 1929, Graham’s "the heretic", wrote the Declaration of Independence for herself and modern dance.

In the 1930s, modern dance suffered plenty of criticisms, Martha bear the brunt, but she obsessed with her own creation. Her dance experiment began concern about the inner feelings of human, and she thought that the postures would change according to distinctive emotions, also she opposed to soft and weak action, which only emphasizes the beauty.

After 1940, Graham brought out one or two large dances each year, and began called these drama. In the 1950s, she has become a legend of twentieth-century dance. It was she that brought modern dance to Broadway. In addition, she was also invited to the White House to performances, and on behalf of the United States to performances overseas.

Nowadays, almost all the important modern dance choreographers are from Graham Dance Company.

 Musicians Louis Horst has been supporting her, and later became her husband, who loyal to her, but Graham married with 39-year-old member Hawkins on her age of 54, thus the marriage broke up.

My point of view:

Human body never lies; Graham developed a set of shrink and stretch as the basic skill. When humans inhale, they stretch, and when exhale they shrink down. Martha reinforced this state, exhale abdominal rapidly, flattening the abdomen when inhale, stretch the spine. Extend this principle, resulting in countless fallen and stand up for action. People affected by the gravidity and crushed down, struggling and stood up. Graham’s technique is the key to compression and stretching. With tidal breathing, body move when the dancers filled spasm. Basically, it is rooted in the instinct of human passion. She used said that desire was wonderful, the entire dance was born from it.

Nearly six decades of dance career, Martha Graham with determination, hard work and talent, established himself as a deity.