Martha Graham Dance Co brings 'Appalachian Spring' to Purdue
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The nation's oldest and most celebrated contemporary dance company will bring several of founder Martha Graham's masterworks to Purdue University's Elliott Hall of Music on Feb. 27.
Founded in 1926 by Graham, a dancer and choreographer, the Martha Graham Dance Company performance will feature the full production of "Appalachian Spring." The event begins at 8 p.m. The program, which is presented by Purdue Convocations, also includes "Errand into the Maze" and "Lamentation."
The event includes a pre-show discussion featuring a member of the artistic team who will discuss the company's history and legacy, as well as the repertoire for the evening. The talk gets under way at 7 p.m. in Lawson Hall, Room 1142.
This performance is a special engagement leading up to the 25th anniversary of the Friends of Convocations, which will be formally observed in the 2010–2011 season.
With a vision that forever altered the dance world, Martha Graham created an expressive new aesthetic language that moved beyond the scope and structure of classical ballet. Graham drew inspiration from mythology, modern painting, and the American West, and collaborated with visual artists, fashion designers, and renowned composers.
Conceived of and scripted in the early 1940s by Graham, along with composer Aaron Copeland and sculptor and Indiana-native Isamu Noguchi, "Appalachian Spring" is set on a Pennsylvania farmstead during a pioneer wedding and spring celebration. It was designed as an antidote to the darkness and despair of World War II. The Purdue performance will feature Noguchi's original set, along with Copeland's memorable score and Graham's groundbreaking choreography.
"Copeland, Graham and Noguchi were working to create a piece of theater that would express the American personality: optimism and determination," says Janet Eilber, Martha Graham Dance Company artistic director. "They were looking at what they could do to buck up the country and do something about America's great hope for the future."
Tickets are $20-$38 for adults and $15-$26 for children 18 years and younger, Purdue students and Ivy Tech Lafayette students. Tickets are available at the Elliott Hall and Stewart Center box offices at 765 494-3933 or 800-914-SHOW. Tickets also are available through Ticketmaster outlets. Discounted tickets for groups of 10 or more can be ordered at 765-496-1977.
Initiated in 1902, Purdue Convocations is among the oldest collegiate professional performing arts presenters in the United States. Each year, Convocations offers the region 30 to 40 performances of widely varying genres: Broadway-style shows, theater, dance, children's theater, world music, jazz, and chamber music, along with rock, pop, country and comedy attractions. With a vision for connecting artists and audiences in artistic dialogue and for drawing in academic discourse, Purdue Convocations aims to promote frequent exposure to and familiarity with human cultural expression in a multitude of forms and media.
Contact: Abby Eddy, (765) 494-5045, aeeddy@purdue.edu
Publication-quality photos are available at: https://www.purdue.edu/convocations/showPhotos.asp?ID=23