Research Catalog

Title

Lecture-demonstrations by Ruth St. Denis at the Dance Teachers Guild of New York, Long Island chapter [sound recording].

Author

St. Denis, Ruth, 1880-1968.

Publication

1960.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

Gray, Helen L.

Description

3 sound discs (ca. 162 min.) : digital; 4 3/4 in.

Summary

• Disc 1, 05/14/60 (ca. 72 min.). [Begins abruptly.] Speaking to a group of adults and children, Ruth St. Denis describes feeling part of the earth and the circle of life; the first dancer she ever saw; analyzes the body and philosophical associations with different areas of the body. Calls children in the audience forward and teaches them exercises for the hands; describes Hindu hand greetings; instructs them in devotional phrases related to the head and breath with reference to the 150th psalm; takes a question from the audience regarding her choreographic study, The snake charmer. [Audiotape cuts to another session.] Addresses audience as artists, craftsmen and teachers [note on box containing the original audiotape describes the audience as teachers and parents]; discusses the state of contemporary art and dance; interprets a statement by Havelock Ellis regarding the relationship between dance and spiritual life; discusses men's attitude toward dance and their limited sense of their own identities [sound quality deteriorates in this section]; the concept of creativity and its relation to the idea of creation; nurturing creativity in children; the experience of seeing Isadora Duncan perform in London is described in some detail; the difference between Duncan and Martha Graham as artists. [Takes questions from the audience regarding dance technique and her costumes. Sound quality is uneven in last section.]
• Disc 2, 1960 (ca. 46 min.). In a separate meeting moderated by Helen L. Gray, St. Denis is introduced as a pioneer of religious dance. In response to questions from the audience, St. Denis discusses restoring dance to religious expression; the concept of a rhythmic choir; defines her concept of dance; dance as it is practiced by different age groups; disparages what is taught in dance schools; the relationship between religious music and dance; ideas for working with children with specific pieces of music; her concept of plastique in dance; describes her use of plastique and gives practical advice in the use of this form; her appreciation of Jewish liturgical music and other devotional music appropriate for use by rhythmic choirs; explains the principles developed by François Delsarte with reference to Ted Shawn's book, Every little movement; a member of the audience describes her experience learning Labanotation.
• Disc 3 (ca. 44 min.). [Continuation of question and answer format from disc 2, with very poor sound quality for the first ten minutes or so, much of it inaudible. Sound quality improves but remains uneven.] St. Denis quotes Havelock Ellis and continues to explore the ideas of Ellis, Delsarte and others on the relationship between movement and spirituality; the relationship between gesture and meaning in dance and in religion with particular reference to symbolic hand gestures in various cultures; the inspiration for her piece Invocation [to the Buddha?]; sources for learning more about these gestures; the balance between improvisation or freedom and training, with references to Isadora Duncan and to dance education.

Donor/Sponsor

• New York State Council on the Arts, 2000-2001.
• Oral History Archive.

Subject

• St. Denis, Ruth, 1880-1968
• Delsarte, François, 1811-1871
• Duncan, Isadora, 1877-1927
• Dance Teachers Guild of New York, Long Island Branch
• Religious dance
• Dance > Study and teaching
• Spiritual exercises

Note

• Two lecture-demonstrations by Ruth St. Denis at the Dance Teachers Guild of New York, Long Island Branch, in 1960. The second session is moderated by Helen L. Gray.

Funding (note)

• Preservation was made possible in part with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, 2000-2001.

Call Number

*MGZTL 4-1407

OCLC

NYPY04-R40

Author

St. Denis, Ruth, 1880-1968. Speaker

Title

Lecture-demonstrations by Ruth St. Denis at the Dance Teachers Guild of New York, Long Island chapter [sound recording].

Imprint

1960.

Funding

Preservation was made possible in part with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, 2000-2001.

Local Note

Archival original: *MGZTO 7-1407

Additional archival copies: *MGZTO 7-1407A and *MGZTO 1407B, side 1.

Preservation master: *MGZTP 4-1407 nos. 1-3

Dubbing master: *MGZTD 4-1407 nos. 1-3

Local Subject

Children and dancing.

Plastique.

Audiotapes -- St. Denis, R.

Added Author

Gray, Helen L. Interviewer

Research Call Number

*MGZTL 4-1407 [sound disc]

*MGZTL 4-1407