Martha Graham’s name was internationally recognized as part of the modern dance world, and though trends in choreography continue to change, her influence on dance as an art form endures. In this book, the first extended feminist look at the modern dance pioneer, Victoria Thoms explores the cult of Graham and her dancing through a critical lens that exposes the gendered meaning behind much of her work. Thoms synthesizes a diverse archive of material on Graham from films, photographs, memoir and critique in order to highlight Graham’s unique contribution to the dance world and arts culture in general.
'This extremely well-documented book is a marvelous resource for those interested in choreographic and feminist thought. Summing Up: Highly recommended.'
— Choice, L. K. Rosenberg
Victoria Thoms' research employs an intertextual analysis of the moving gendered body. Using a feminist cultural studies approach, she reads the dancing body across different interdisciplinary, geographic and historical matrices. This approach has led her to investigate specific women in the concert dance genre. She is presently working toward a monograph-length intertextual reading of the work and life of Martha Graham.