Mary Wigman
Encyclopedia
Mary Wigman was a German dancer, choreographer
, and dance instructor.
A pioneer of expressionist dance
, her work was hailed for bringing the deepest of existential experiences to the stage. She became one of the most iconic figures of Weimar German culture
and is considered to be one of the most important figures in the history of European dance.
(outside of Dresden
), where she studied with Émile Jaques-Dalcroze
for three years. In 1913, she began studying dance at Monte Verità
under Rudolf von Laban, an important innovator dance history.
, Hanya Holm
, Harald Kreutzberg
, Gret Palucca
, Max Terpis, Irena Linn, Margarethe Wallmann, and Inge Weiss
.
Mary Wigman toured the United States
in 1930 with her company of dancers; a school was founded by her disciples in New York City
in 1931. Her schools in Germany continued to operate under Nazi rule in World War II
where she obeyed the rule of government and fired all her Jewish dancers. She also taught again in Leipzig
in 1948; from 1950 (until her death in 1973), Mary Wigman taught at a studio in West Berlin
.
Mary Wigman's choreography often employed non-Western instrumentation: fifes
, bells
, gongs, and drum
s from India
, Thailand
, Africa
, and China
. However, the primary musical accompaniment for her most well known dances was percussion, which contrasted greatly with her use of silence. Mary would often employ masks in her pieces, influenced again by non-western/tribal motifs, as well as ecstatic spinning. Her choreography was also inspirational to communist dance troupes in the 1930s in New York City
Some of Wigman's works include Summer Dance, Dream Image, Witch Dance, Dance of Lorrow, Visions, Cycles, and the Bay, Festive Rhythm and Dance of Spring.
Mary Wigman taught at the renownd "Mary Wigman-Schule" in Dresden, which existed from 1920 until 1942. At this first college of further education for modern dance
in Europe and the USA, she developed the modern stage dance (without pointe shoes
), dance- and moving-pedagogy and dance therapy
. A student of the Mary Wigman-Schule is the famous opera-dancer Ursula Cain
(*1927), who at the age of more than 80 years still can be seen on stages and on TV (f. ex.: ARTE
) - dancing in cross-genre
projects like Dancing with Time
by Heike Hennig
. Her work in the United States is credited to her protegee Hanya Holm
, and then to Hanya's students Alwin Nikolais
and Joanne Woodbury. Another student and protege of Wigman's was Margret Dietz. Margret taught in America from 1953 until 1972.
Choreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
, and dance instructor.
A pioneer of expressionist dance
Expressionist dance
Expressionist dance is a European dance form that is part of the German Expressionist movement. Although considered a part of the modern dance movement, it is separate from modern dance per se. Other names for it that have fallen out of use include Moderner Tanz, Absoluter Tanz, Freier Tanz,...
, her work was hailed for bringing the deepest of existential experiences to the stage. She became one of the most iconic figures of Weimar German culture
Weimar culture
Weimar culture was a flourishing of the arts and sciences that happened during the Weimar Republic...
and is considered to be one of the most important figures in the history of European dance.
Early days
Karoline Sophie Marie Wiegmann was born in Hannover, Germany. In 1910 she enrolled in School of Rhythmic Gymnastics at HellerauHellerau
Hellerau is a quarter in the City of Dresden, Germany. It was the first garden city in Germany.Based on the ideas of Ebenezer Howard, businessman Karl Schmidt-Hellerau founded Hellerau near Dresden in 1909. The idea was to create an organic, planned community...
(outside of Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
), where she studied with Émile Jaques-Dalcroze
Émile Jaques-Dalcroze
Émile Jaques-Dalcroze , was a Swiss composer, musician and music educator who developed eurhythmics, a method of learning and experiencing music through movement...
for three years. In 1913, she began studying dance at Monte Verità
Monte Verita
Monte Verità is a hill in Ascona , which has served as the site of many different Utopian and cultural events and communities since the beginning of the twentieth century.-History:...
under Rudolf von Laban, an important innovator dance history.
Career
Wigman started a school in Dresden in 1920, which became known as "Dresden Central School", a center for modern dance innovation. Her students and collaborators there included Yvonne GeorgiYvonne Georgi
Yvonne Georgi was aGerman dancer, choreographer and balletmistress.Georgi was born in Leipzig...
, Hanya Holm
Hanya Holm
Hanya Holm is known as one of the “Big Four” founders of American modern dance...
, Harald Kreutzberg
Harald Kreutzberg
Harald Kreutzberg , was a German dancer and choreographer.Kreutzberg was born at Reichenberg/Liberec. Trained at the Dresden Ballet School, he also studied dance with Mary Wigman and Rudolf Laban....
, Gret Palucca
Gret Palucca
Gret Palucca was a German dancer and teacher.Shortly after birth, her family moved to San Francisco, returning with her mother to Dresden in 1909. There she received ballet lessons with Heinrich Kröller from 1914 to 1916...
, Max Terpis, Irena Linn, Margarethe Wallmann, and Inge Weiss
Inge Weiss
German-American dancer and choreographer. Danced with Mary Wigman, one of the early pioneers of modern dance. Retired from Stanford University in the 1990s.- References :...
.
Mary Wigman toured the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1930 with her company of dancers; a school was founded by her disciples in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1931. Her schools in Germany continued to operate under Nazi rule in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
where she obeyed the rule of government and fired all her Jewish dancers. She also taught again in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
in 1948; from 1950 (until her death in 1973), Mary Wigman taught at a studio in West Berlin
West Berlin
West Berlin was a political exclave that existed between 1949 and 1990. It comprised the western regions of Berlin, which were bordered by East Berlin and parts of East Germany. West Berlin consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors, which had been established in 1945...
.
Mary Wigman's choreography often employed non-Western instrumentation: fifes
Fife (musical instrument)
A fife is a small, high-pitched, transverse flute that is similar to the piccolo, but louder and shriller due to its narrower bore. The fife originated in medieval Europe and is often used in military and marching bands. Someone who plays the fife is called a fifer...
, bells
Bell (instrument)
A bell is a simple sound-making device. The bell is a percussion instrument and an idiophone. Its form is usually a hollow, cup-shaped object, which resonates upon being struck...
, gongs, and drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. However, the primary musical accompaniment for her most well known dances was percussion, which contrasted greatly with her use of silence. Mary would often employ masks in her pieces, influenced again by non-western/tribal motifs, as well as ecstatic spinning. Her choreography was also inspirational to communist dance troupes in the 1930s in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
Some of Wigman's works include Summer Dance, Dream Image, Witch Dance, Dance of Lorrow, Visions, Cycles, and the Bay, Festive Rhythm and Dance of Spring.
Mary Wigman taught at the renownd "Mary Wigman-Schule" in Dresden, which existed from 1920 until 1942. At this first college of further education for modern dance
Modern dance
Modern dance is a dance form developed in the early 20th century. Although the term Modern dance has also been applied to a category of 20th Century ballroom dances, Modern dance as a term usually refers to 20th century concert dance.-Intro:...
in Europe and the USA, she developed the modern stage dance (without pointe shoes
Pointe shoes
A pointe shoe is a type of shoe worn by ballet dancers when performing pointework. Pointe shoes developed from the desire for dancers to appear weightless and sylph-like and have evolved to enable dancers to dance on the tips of their toes for extended periods of time...
), dance- and moving-pedagogy and dance therapy
Dance therapy
Dance therapy, or dance movement therapy is the psychotherapeutic use of movement and dance for emotional, cognitive, social, behavioral and physical conditions. As a form of expressive therapy, DMT is founded on the basis that movement and emotion are directly related...
. A student of the Mary Wigman-Schule is the famous opera-dancer Ursula Cain
Ursula Cain
Ursula Cain was a German dancer and dance teacher. -Biography:The dancer and the dance teacher Ursula Cain began her dance education at the age of 12 years in the preparatory class of the Mary Wigman Schule for modern dance...
(*1927), who at the age of more than 80 years still can be seen on stages and on TV (f. ex.: ARTE
Arte
Arte is a Franco-German TV network. It is a European culture channel and aims to promote quality programming especially in areas of culture and the arts...
) - dancing in cross-genre
Cross-genre
A cross-genre is a genre in fiction that blends themes and elements from two or more different genres.-Examples:*Action comedy *Comedy-drama or dramedy *Comedy-horror...
projects like Dancing with Time
Dancing with Time
Dancing with Time is a film by Trevor Peters about the autobiography Dance Theater Zeit – tanzen seit 1927 by Heike Hennig.- Plot :...
by Heike Hennig
Heike Hennig
Heike Hennig is a German dancer, choreographer and director of the opera and dance ensemble “Heike Hennig & Co”.-Life:Heike Hennig had her first dance-lessons at the age of 5 years in Leipzig...
. Her work in the United States is credited to her protegee Hanya Holm
Hanya Holm
Hanya Holm is known as one of the “Big Four” founders of American modern dance...
, and then to Hanya's students Alwin Nikolais
Alwin Nikolais
Alwin Nikolais was an American choreographer.Nikolais studied piano at an early age and began his performing career as an organist accompanying silent films. As a young artist, he gained skills in scenic design, acting, puppetry and music composition...
and Joanne Woodbury. Another student and protege of Wigman's was Margret Dietz. Margret taught in America from 1953 until 1972.
Sources
- Newhall, Mary Anne Santos (2009) Mary Wigman. Routledge. ISBN 0-415-37527-4
- Manning, Susan (1993). Ecstasy and the Demon: Feminism and Nationalism in the Dances of Mary Wigman, University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-08193-5.
- Partsch-Bergsohn, Isa and Harold Bergsohn (2002). The Makers of Modern Dance in Germany: Rudolf Laban, Mary Wigman, Kurt Jooss, Princeton Book Company Publishers. ISBN 0-87127-250-4.
- Toepfer, Karl Eric (1997). Empire of Ecstasy: Nudity and Movement in Germany Body Culture, 1910-1935 (Weimer and Now: German Cultural Criticism, No 13), University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-20663-0.
- Wigman, Mary (1975). The Mary Wigman Book: Her Writings, Olympic Marketing Corp. ISBN 0-8195-4079-X.
- Gilbert, Laure (2000), Danser avec le Troisième Reich, Brussels, Editions Complex, ISBN 2-87027-697-4
- Karina, Lilian & Kant, Marion (2003), German Modern Dance and the Third Reich, Berghahn Books, New York & Oxford, ISBN 1-57181-688-7
- John Martin, Workers League In Group Dances, The New York Times, December 24, 1934