As this project progresses, I'm beginning to ask myself more specific questions about American Modern Dance pieces that are considered to be products of its historical time. Post World War II, right before the Cold War, Graham created one of her most famous works, Diversion of Angels, which toured internationally thanks to financial support from the U.S. government. Why was it considered to be a cultural export? What techniques did Graham use in Diversion of Angels both artistically and technically and in addition, how did these methods emphasize the political climate of the time?
The work of Martha Graham is some of the greatest expressions of artistry, sentiment and complex ideology. As one of the most influential modernists, Graham’s work was and still is highly acclaimed. Thanks to her rapport and charismatic personality, Graham’s pieces were created, mastered and then often performed throughout the world. She was able to represent American modern dance in a way unlike any others. In 1948, Graham premiered an exceptionally joyous work, Diversion of Angels. Unlike her traditionally dark and serious nature of her previous pieces, Diversion of Angels represents universal love and the overall discovery of self, mutual and pure attachment. Conceived and performed right after WWII, the United States was looking for a way to build nationalistic pride during such a tumultuous time. Diversion of Angels was an ideal piece to be taken across borders and performed internationally because it tackles the issues of human affection, an aspect of life touching the hearts of all.
Under the score made by Norman Dello Joio, Diversion of Angels portrays couples performing duets and evoke feelings of lightness, harmony and flirtation. Martha Graham’s work was considered to be an export of the United States. Graham’s company was sent by the State Department and the Ford Foundation to Europe, and additionally the Far East, often for diplomatic functions. Performances and lecture demonstrations fascinated audiences. One notable tour began in Japan on October 23rd, 1956. The four performances in Tokyo were packed with 2,000 viewers, emphasizing the success of the Graham Company abroad. That same year, Dance Observer, described the performance in two short articles comprised of reviews from Japan and elsewhere. A Japanese critic expressed the positive feedback. “Calmness to motion, motion to serenity… those two and a half hours gave hole audience deep emotion; even noticed lot of young dancers had swimming eyes with high praise.”[1] Diversion of Angels’s angular movement, intricate patterns and sensual duets, characterized by an overwhelming sentiment of human love, contributed to this program’s acclaim.
By bringing art to such a “hot-spot”, during the height of the Cold War, President Eisenhower’s decision to encourage dance abroad was a success. Graham and Diversion of Angels, in particular, sought to ease tensions and express American sentiment fondly. Easily accessible for many types of audiences, this movement is somewhat traditional in the sense of content but her technique of contraction, cause and effect, and tension evokes a progressive vision of American Modern Dance.
[1] Naima Prevots, Dance for Export: Cultural Diplomacy and the Cold War, page 48, Wesleyan University Press: 1999.
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