Between 1919 and 1931,
Ruth St. Denis, Ted Shawn and their company toured the entire United States, England, Cuba and the Far East. Within that period, they created some 300 pieces, using their original technique based on classic ballet discipline molded to pliant bodies and bare feet, with emphasis on various ethnic cultures.
With the new expression of movement, they became the creators of the choreography from which American Modern dance evolved. Sadly, little of the rich body of work from that time could be visually preserved. Only over the last twenty years did Barton Munaw, a member of Denishawn in its last year and Jane Sherman, the last living member of the original Denishawn company succeed in creating this documentary – the largest re-creation of Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn’s dances in existence, featuring 23 powerful works of the Mother and Father of American Modern Dance.
With the issue of this DVD, their mission to preserve these seminal works from oblivion has been accomplished.
