1. Doris humphrey

2. The Beginning Born October 17, 1895 Place of Birth: Oak Park, IL
Began taking ballet as a child, but was more inspired by her “interpretive” dance teacher, Mary Wood Hinman
Humphrey took a leave of absence from high school while performing as a dancer for a concert group and touring the West.
To help alleviate financial stress, Humphrey opened her own successful dance studio in Oak Park.

3. What’s Next?
Hinman encouraged Humphrey to go to Los Angeles and train at Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn’s summer intensive.
She impressed them so much that they gave her solo roles and offered her a teaching job.
She was a member of the Denishawn company for 10 years, where she became a choreographer, as well.

4. Famous Works “Valse Caprice” (also known as “Scarf Dance”) “Soaring”
“Scherzo Waltz” (“Hoop Dance”)

5. Breakaway and New Technique
Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman left the Denishawn Company and moved to NYC in 1928
They became leaders of a radical new art form named modern dance
Humphrey created the technique based on fall and recovery from gravity to understand all the movement capabilities of the human body
New Works: “Water Study,” “Life of the Bee,” “Two Ecstatic Themes,” and “The Shakers.”

6. Birth of Humphrey-Weidman
The Humphrey-Weidman Company toured the country in the 1930s
They created works addressed to contemporary concerns. “Theatre Piece,” an exposition of innate human competitiveness and rivalry
“With My Red Fires,” a portrayal of emotional life, the consuming passion of love
“New Dance,” a depiction of the possibility of reaching a state of human harmony which recognizes individualism.
1934—First Summer at Bennington- a site of many important premieres by all major modern dance figures.
1935 – Humphrey-Weidman makes first national tour by a modern dance company; establishes college circuit

7. Lasting Impression
1944– Humphrey’s last dancing role & Humphrey-Weidman Company dissolved.
In 1945, suffering from arthritis became Artistic Director for the Jose Limon Company
In 1958, she made her last and very lasting contribution, a book, The Art of Making Dances, in which she set forth her choreographic principles.
Doris Humphrey died December 29, 1958.