Doris Humphrey: Choreographic analysis

Doris Humphrey made important contributions to American dance. Analysis of selected works in three chronological periods provides insight into her choreographic development. The first period of Humphrey's choreography to be analyzed is 1928--1934; 1928 was the year she began her own dance company with Charles Weidman. The two works analyzed are Air for the G String (1928) and The Shakers (1931). The second period is 1935--1944. It was in 1935 that Humphrey created her first evening-length work, New Dance (1935). The year 1944 was chosen to close this period, as in that year Humphrey stopped performing. The three works studied for this period are New Dance (1935); With My Red Fires (1936); and Passacagli (1938). Three works are analyzed which Humphrey created during the last period of her life, 1945--1958: Day on Earth (1947); Night Spell (1951); and Dawn in New York (1956).