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Martha Graham (May 11, 1894 -- April 1, 1991) is regarded as one of the foremost pioneers of contemporary dance, because she invented a new language of movement, and used it to reveal the passion, the rage and the ecstasy common to human experience.

Those who had the privilege of seeing her perform in her prime have attested to her precision, form and mesmerizing brilliance as a dancer on stage. Though she is arguably one of the most important choreographers in the history of dance (and perhaps one of the most important artists of the 20th century) she always said that she preferred to be known and remembered as a dancer. Graham danced and choreographed for over seventy years, and during that time was the first dancer ever to perform at The White House, and the first dancer ever to travel abroad as a cultural ambassador. In her lifetime she received honors ranging from the key to the City of Paris to Japan's Imperial Order of the Precious Crown. Ms. Graham was also the first dancer ever to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom (the highest civilian award of the USA) in 1976 by President Gerald Ford (the First Lady Betty Ford had danced with Graham in her youth).

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15y ago

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