Research Catalog

Details

Additional authors

1. McDonagh, Don.
2. Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

Description

1. 2 sound discs (ca. 94 min.) : digital, stereo; 4 3/4 in.

Summary

1. Part one (ca. 47 min.). May O'Donnell speaks with Don McDonagh about her early interactions with Martha Graham, including how she began dancing for the company in 1932; her attraction to Graham's style; early influences, including Mary Wigman and Michio Ito; her attraction to modern dance; moving to San Francisco and then L.A. on a scholarship to dance with Michio Ito; learning about Graham while she was studying with Ito; taking classes at Mary Wigman's school in N.Y., but ultimately moving to Graham's studio; joining the company after her second lesson; Graham's contraction and release techniques; Graham's assignment of one of her dancers, Gertrude Shurr, to serve as O'Donnell's teacher; her friendship with Gertrude Shurr; the first time she saw Graham dance in 1932; her work with Louis Horst, and attending his lessons in composition; Horst's attitude toward dance and dancers; Graham's frustration with dancers who did not share a depth of concentration; her professional relationship with Graham; her admiration of Graham's choreography and perfectionism; her various teaching jobs in N.Y.; her first year at Bennington in 1934, serving as Horst's assistant; her working relationship with Horst, and an anecdote involving Horst, and the dancer Sybil Shearer; Erick Hawkins' joining the company and her encouragement of him; leaving Graham's company to pursue other dance opportunities.
2. Part two (ca. 47 min.). May O'Donnell speaks with Don McDonagh about how she and Gertrude Shurr left Graham's company in 1938; the evolution of Graham's work; Graham asking her to dance a role in Appalachian spring; dancing the role of the pioneering woman; how she toured with the company in Europe; not wanting to tour but ultimately doing so as a favor to Graham; Graham's piano accompanist, Helen Lanfer, and the relationship she and her husband, Ray Green, had with her; the last time she saw Graham perform; Gertrude Shurr's opinions of reconstructed Graham dances; Graham's sacrifice for her work; Graham's company in the 1990s, including dancers Linda Hodes, Yuriko; Ron Protas, including several encounters with Protas, and her understanding of Graham's relationship with him [abrupt end].

Subject

1. Bennington School of the Dance
2. Horst, Louis
3. Shurr, Gertrude > Influence
4. Martha Graham Dance Company
5. Graham, Martha > Appalachian spring
6. Graham, Martha > Influence
7. Protas, Ron
8. Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance
9. Wigman, Mary, 1886-1973 > Influence
10. Itō, Michio, 1893-1961 > Influence
11. O'Donnell, May, 1906-2004 > Interviews

Call number

1. *MGZTL 4-2526

Note

1. Interview with May O'Donnell conducted by Don McDonagh on July 16, 1993.
2. The beginning and the end of the interview are cut off; each disc ends abruptly.
3. Open as of August 22, 2012.

Funding (note)

1. Recording was preserved through a grant from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

Source (note)

1. Don McDonagh;

Author

1. O'Donnell, May, 1906-2004. Interviewee

Title

1. Interview with May O'Donnell [sound recording].

Imprint

1. 1993.

Funding

1. Recording was preserved through a grant from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

Local note

1. Archive orig. : *MGZTCO 3-2526, nos. 1-2
2. Dubbing master : *MGZTD 4-2526, nos. 1-2

Source

1. Gift; Don McDonagh; 2007

Added author

1. McDonagh, Don. Interviewer
2. McDonagh, Don. Donor
3. Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

Research call number

1. *MGZTL 4-2526 sound disc