Martha Graham lived a wonderful life and many accomplishments. Martha was born in Allegheny Pennsylvania in 1894. Her parents are George Graham who worked with the mentally disturbed and Jane Beers who was a director. She had two younger siblings who are Mary and Georgia. Graham grew up with people telling her about fantasies and tales, such as witches and wee folk. Martha had an Irish background and believed that she was a witch, because she had a flexible body and was disciplined. Her father rather than her mother favored Martha during her childhood and he would always tell her stories that would be life lessons. The one she always remembered was “Movement doesn’t lie,” (George Graham). For her own performances Martha would say, “Either a performance is honest or it is not,” (Martha Graham).
Martha’s father died in 1914, and Martha continues her education at Comnock School of Expression. Eventually she had an idol and it was Ruth St. Denis, and she was to have an impact on Martha’s life. Martha started dancing at Denishawn productions at age 22, and since she was a late dancer, her performance in front of St.…show more content… Graham always wanted to create her own dance, and have it be unique unlike the rest of the dances. After Graham taught in New York she moved to Rochester. “Evelyn Sabin Mannes danced in Graham’s first recital in 1926” (Horosko, 7). Another member of the Graham Company is Ailes Gilmour. Ailes started school at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York; Ailes believed that Martha’s movements was not “pretty” (Horosko, 8). Bessie Schonberg was a member of Martha Graham Dance Company, but before joining her company she was studying at the Neighborhood Playhouse. Bessie believed was in aw when she saw Martha perform for the first time, and she knew she had awesome flexibility and strength. Bessie Schonberg had so much passion and desire to dance; it is what made her