Ted Shawn is one of unique pioneers of men's dance and founder of
Jacob's Pillow, a dance school, theatre and retreat in Massachusetts, and home to one of the dance world's leading festivals.
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| Ted Shawn |
Originally intending to become a minister of religion, Ted Shawn attended the University of Denver. There he caught diphtheria, which led him to take up dance in 1910 to regain his muscle strength. Shawn's dancing was discouraged by the University, which still had a Methodist affiliation, and was the cause of his expulsion the following year.
Shawn did not realise his true potential as an artist until marrying Ruth St Denis in 1914. St Denis served not only as partner but an extremely valuable creative outlet to Shawn. Soon after their marriage the couple opened the first Denishawn School in Los Angeles, California, where they were able to choreograph and stage many of their famous vaudeville pieces. The following year Shawn launched a cross-country tour with his dance partner, Norma Gould, and their Interpretive Dancers. Notable performances choreographed by him during Denishawn’s 17-year run include
Julnar of the Sea,
Xochitl and
Les Mysteres Dionysiaques. The school and company went on to produce such influential dancers as Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman.
Together, Shawn and Ruth St Denis established the principle of Music Visualisation in modern dance - a concept that called for movement equivalents to the timbres, dynamics, and structural shapes of music in addition to its rhythmic base. In 1916 and 1917 Shawn choreographed the first of these,
Inventions and Fugues to Bach, as classroom exercises. Soon after, St Denis presented works using music visualisation techniques to the public.
Although Denishawn came to an end in 1929 due to tough circumstances both in Shawn’s and St. Denis’ marriage as well as the economy, Shawn’s second dance group
Ted Shawn and His Men Dancers were soon to follow in his dancing career. The new all male company was based out of Massachusetts near his then home of Lee. In creating this company Shawn was hoping to make America become more aware, and accept the importance and dedication of the male dancer along with his role in the arts. It was with this new company that Shawn produced some of his most controversial and highly skilled choreography to date. With works such as
Ponca Indian Dance,
Sinhalse Devil Dance,
Maori War Haka,
Hopi Indian Eagle Dance, and
Dyak Spear Dances he was able to showcase performances that all stressed male body movement. His love for the relationships created by the men in his dances soon translated into love between himself and one of his company members
Barton Mumaw which lasted from 1931-1948. He also had another partner following Mumaw,
John Christian whom he was with from 1949 until his death in 1972.
The ironic thing about Shawn's work is that despite his pioneering work in developing and promoting the notion of male dancing and the fact that he created an all-male company, the one thing he could not risk was the taint of homosexuality, hence the hyper-masculine and often martial aspect of his choreography. He could celebrate the joy of men dancing together and tour it successfully around the States as long as there was no suggestion of sensuality between men or give people the idea that things were anything less than fraternal and comradely between his dancers.
Looking at some of the images through the lens of history it's a miracle they were able to pull that one off.
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| Ted Shawn |
Ted Shawn's letters to Barton Mumaw (1940-71) are archived in the Jerome Robbins Dance Division in New York Public Library.
