Wow, do i have a lot to learn about blogging. I just discovered that I wrote this but never hit "publish". This is old news but hey it was just sitting there on the draft table.
Ruth St. Denis, the mother of modern dance in America, was a Somerset County, NJ native - as am I. In the early 1980's we formed a special bond - she invaded my brain, heart and soul. Reading her autobiorgraphy, An Unfinished Life, I became totally hooked. This incredible woman ran multiple businesses, published volumes of poetry, articles, essays and books, danced until she died in 1968 and was perpetually attractive to gentleman half her age! Miss Ruth, as she was called by her dancers, their students and their grand-students, was conceived in a socialist art colony by one of the first female doctors in the US and her not quite yet inventor husband.
Ruth St. Denis, the mother of modern dance in America, was a Somerset County, NJ native - as am I. In the early 1980's we formed a special bond - she invaded my brain, heart and soul. Reading her autobiorgraphy, An Unfinished Life, I became totally hooked. This incredible woman ran multiple businesses, published volumes of poetry, articles, essays and books, danced until she died in 1968 and was perpetually attractive to gentleman half her age! Miss Ruth, as she was called by her dancers, their students and their grand-students, was conceived in a socialist art colony by one of the first female doctors in the US and her not quite yet inventor husband.
In November of 2006, I got a call from the Director of the Performing Arts Program at Somerset County Vocational Technical High School. The Dance Department and the Somerset County Cultural and Heritage Commission wanted to produce a multi-month celebration of Miss Ruth. Was I interested? I - who hate meetings - raced to the first one. Having more than twenty years ago with Michelle Mathesius produced the first Ruth St. Denis Festival in the county, I had file boxes full of information.
Gulp, that one meeting led to a nine month journey with my favorite lady. The ultimate project included my curating an exhibit that represented the various sides of Miss Ruth - that was pretty easy since I have a huge collection of St. Denis pix.
Loving the poetry of Miss Ruth, I selected some and Shiela Buttermore had her student dancers choreograph movement to each poem. I worked with the student actors on a reader's theatre style presentation. Our first performance was on a 900000000 degree day at the Grounds for Sculpture.
The dances and words were wonderful. I practically fainted as the water dripped off me. We did the pieces again at the Somerset County Environmental Center. An audience of approximately 70 dance afficiandos came and enjoyed!
The dances and words were wonderful. I practically fainted as the water dripped off me. We did the pieces again at the Somerset County Environmental Center. An audience of approximately 70 dance afficiandos came and enjoyed!
We conducted a poety writing contest in the County's middle schools. The theme was 'movement". In September the winning poems were presented to an audience and young dancers choreographed movement to represent the feeling of each piece. Sounds easy! I took the poems and interwove them - so that the total poem was eventually read just not necessarily in order. That meant that I had to work with the student actor readers on breathing real life into the words and the dances would intermingle and overlap. It was a wonderful time for authors, dancers and actors.
Not done yet! On October 4th and 5th, we presented the dance/theatre event that I wrote. A high-school actor, complete with white wig and sari, played Miss Ruth. The convention that I used was
based on a taped interview I heard at the Performing Arts Library in NYC. Miss Ruth, on that tape, was dancing away from questions being asked by the interviewer. My interviewer became a young reporter for MS Magazine trying to find out what made this feminist tick. Well that sounds like enough now for a multi month festival - wrong.
based on a taped interview I heard at the Performing Arts Library in NYC. Miss Ruth, on that tape, was dancing away from questions being asked by the interviewer. My interviewer became a young reporter for MS Magazine trying to find out what made this feminist tick. Well that sounds like enough now for a multi month festival - wrong.
October 13th was the final event. Ruth St. Denis Spiritual Words and Movement featured the wonderful recreation of Miss Ruth's solo Incense by Martha Graham Company soloist, Katherin Crockett. I read the spritual poetry of St. Denis. Some of which were interpreted by student dancers. One piece was investigated by a contempory modern dance company "moe Tion." Students from Rider University's dance department also presented a piece.
Whew, a nine month ride. I'm ready to start again. Any producers?
Whew, a nine month ride. I'm ready to start again. Any producers?
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