MARTHA GRAHAM

In a biography as elegant as its subject, Freedman (Out of Darkness, 1997, etc.) delves into the life of the dance pioneer who not only revolutionized modern dance but married it with theater, music, literature, and art in a dazzling and emotional way. Graham began her serious dance study already too “old” (at age 19), according to prevailing standards; despite critics and a public who didn’t initially understand her work, Graham was so fiercely dedicated to her art that she became one of the 20th century’s most important influences on modern dance. Freedman discloses Graham’s intensity in work and relationships, and explains her techniques and dances in lively, theatrical language; he doesn’t canonize Graham, however, but portrays her as a passionate woman, with a fiery temperament, whose every aspect of life was reflected in her art. Extraordinary black-and-white photographs coalesce with the clear and stimulating chronicle of her life and art, until a complete picture of a genius emerges from the pages of this enlightening, liberating volume. (Biography. 10-15)