A Time to Dance; 3; Invention in Dance
- Series
- A Time to Dance
- Episode Number
- 3
- Episode
- Invention in Dance
- Producing Organization
- WGBH Educational Foundation
- Contributing Organization
- Thirteen WNET (New York, New York)
- Library of Congress (Washington, District of Columbia)
- AAPB ID
- cpb-aacip/75-010p2p0z
- NOLA Code
- TITD
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- Description
- Episode Description
- Mr. Alwin Nikolais and Miss Myers discuss the dancer's need to say something new in terms of his medium, and the resulting break with the classical forms which was pioneered by Isadora Duncan and Ruth St. Denis. Film clips show Miss St. Denis' famous dance "Rhada," and one of Miss Duncan's students demonstrating some of Miss Duncan's techniques. Finally, Mr. Nikolais and his troupe present examples of modern techniques to express ideas such as fear, love, height, and weight. They perform excerpts from four of the concert pieces they have created.
- Series Description
- A Time To Dance is a series of nine half-hour episodes which serve to introduce the audience to the three major dance forms modern, ballet, and ethnic. Hostess-commentator Martha Myers and a distinguished group of dancers explain and illustrate the differences between each form, their special qualities and traditions, and their relations to each other through common sources. The dancers and Miss Myers perform excerpts from noteworthy dances, and discuss different attitudes towards the life and work of a dancer. In addition to performances by such well-known dancers as a Maria Tallchief, Andre Eglevsky, Jose Limon, Nora Kaye and Geoffrey Holder, Miss Myers uses early prints and unusual films of earlier artists such as Anna Pavlova and Ruth St. Denis to trace the changing look of dance. Martha Myers, assistant professor at Smith College, is a recognized authority in dance education. She has studied with famous dancers such as Martha Graham, Jose Limon, and Hanya Holm, and regularly lectures at six Eastern colleges. Her film experience includes choreography and direction of a film on dance composition, made for educational use in 1952. She was the winner of the Amy Morris Homans Fellowship for educational filming awarded by Wellesley College. Currently, in addition to her position at Smith College, she is the director of the Dance Department of the Williamstown Summer Theatre, Williamstown, Massachusetts, where she teaches and is choreographer for many of the productions. (Description adapted from documents in the NET Microfiche)
- Description
- Mr. Alwin Nikolais and Miss Myers discuss the dancers need to say something new in terms of his medium, and the resulting break with the classical forms which was pioneered by Isadora Duncan and Ruth St. Denis. Film clips show Miss St. Denis famous dance Rhada, and one of Miss Duncans students demonstrating some of Miss Duncans techniques to express ideas such as fear,love, height, weight. In this episode, Martha Myers provides historical perspective on the evolution of Dance from the art of traditional Ballet, including film clips of Ruth St. Denis, to modern dance. Choreographer Alwin Nikolais narrates while members of the Henry Street Playhouse Dance Company perform modern dance techniques. Nikolais is interviewed and presents excerpts from three of his pieces, 'When', 'Fixation', and Disks. The dances are performed by Murray Louis, Arlene Laub, Phyllis Lamhut, Coral Martindale, Beverly Schmidt, and Dorothy Vislocky, utilizing body-length fabrics to hide the physical form, or metal disks clamped on one foot to provide percussive ornamentation to the music.
- Broadcast Date
- 1960-02-21
- Asset type
- Episode
- Media type
- Moving Image
- Credits
-
-
Guest:
Nikolais, Alwin
Host: Myers, Martha
Performer: Nikolais, Alwin
Performing Group: Henry Street Playhouse Dance Company
Producing Organization: WGBH Educational Foundation
- AAPB Contributor Holdings
-
Thirteen - New York Public Media (WNET)
Identifier: wnet_aacip_2756 (WNET Archive)
Format: 2 inch videotape: Quad
-
Library of Congress
Identifier: 2329754-1 (MAVIS Item ID)
Format: 16mm film
Generation: Master
Color: B&W
-
Indiana University Libraries Moving Image Archive
Identifier: [request film based on title] (Indiana University)
Format: 16mm film
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- Citations
- Chicago: “A Time to Dance; 3; Invention in Dance,” 1960-02-21, Thirteen WNET, Library of Congress, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC, accessed June 7, 2026, http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-75-010p2p0z.
- MLA: “A Time to Dance; 3; Invention in Dance.” 1960-02-21. Thirteen WNET, Library of Congress, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Web. June 7, 2026. <http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-75-010p2p0z>.
- APA: A Time to Dance; 3; Invention in Dance. Boston, MA: Thirteen WNET, Library of Congress, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-75-010p2p0z