Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.
Title details for Errand into the Maze by Deborah Jowitt - Available

Errand into the Maze

The Life and Works of Martha Graham

by Deborah Jowitt
Erin Bennett
Audiobook
84 of 84 copies available
Borrow Listen to a sample Listen to a sample
84 of 84 copies available
"Deborah Jowitt chronicles a life passionately, artfully lived. An essential read about a true legend." —Mikhail Baryshnikov
In the pantheon of American modernists, few figures loom larger than Martha Graham. One of the greatest choreographers ever to live, Graham pioneered a revolutionary dance technique—primal, dynamic, and rooted in the emotional life of the body—that upended traditional vocabulary and shaped generations of dancers and choreographers across the globe. Over her sweeping career, she founded what is now the oldest dance company in the country and produced nearly two hundred ballets, many of them masterpieces. And along the way, she engaged with the major debates, events, and ideas of the twentieth century, creating works that cut to the core of the human experience. Time magazine's "Dancer of the Century," and the first dancer and choreographer to be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Graham was a visionary artistic force and an international cultural figure: hers was the iconic face of what came to be known as modern dance.
From the renowned dance writer and former longtime critic for the Village Voice Deborah Jowitt, Errand into the Maze draws on more than a decade of firsthand research to deliver the definitive portrait of this titan.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    January 30, 2024

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9798765098493
      • File size: 477904 KB
      • Duration: 16:35:37

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      February 27, 2023
      Former Village Voice dance critic Jowitt (Jerome Robbins) delivers a rigorous, authoritative biography of legendary 20th-century dancer/choreographer Martha Graham (1894–1991). After a brief overview of Graham’s Presbyterian upbringing in Allegheny, Pa., Jowitt jumps into Graham’s early days as a dancer in California and New York and describes the “ferocious intensity” beneath her demure presentation. The author dismisses her subject’s early work as tawdry fluff in the Orientalist style popular at the time (she highlights a wince-inducing early review boasting that Graham “can be more Indian than a native”), but suggests the passion and precision of those pieces laid the foundation for Graham’s eventual artistic blossoming. “In relation to the work she made for herself and her company of women,” Jowitt writes about the maturation of Graham’s solo practice, “she was appropriating the right to strength and assertiveness in her art and to a seriousness that brooked no condescension.” Jowitt’s speculations on how Graham “must have” felt raises questions about the veracity of those insights, but the breadth of research on Graham’s credits and creations—a laundry list of productions are conjured in eye-popping detail—wins out in the end. Fans will thrill to this comprehensive account of Graham’s boundary-breaking work.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Renowned VILLAGE VOICE dance critic Deborah Jowitt has written an informative biography of the legendary modern dance choreographer, performer, and teacher Martha Graham. Erin Bennett delivers a sophisticated yet relaxed performance of the text. Three cheers for an enchanting effort so well matched to the book at hand. Bennett's tone and intonation are solid--in all respects her narration suits the wild yet graceful evolution of Graham's life. The period after Graham's initial departure from the stage is carefully explored, including her depression and alcohol abuse. Happily, her successful return to both stage and teaching lasted until her death from pneumonia at age 96. The artistry and influence of Graham's career are matched by an entirely professional narration. W.A.G. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Loading