Hanya Holm facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hanya Holm
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| Born |
Johanna Eckert
3 March 1893 Worms, Rhineland-Palatinate, German Empire
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| Died | 3 November 1992 (aged 99) New York City, New York, U.S.
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| Education | Dalcroze Institute of Applied Rhythm, Wigman School |
| Occupation | Dancer, choreographer, educator |
| Known for | Modern dance |
Hanya Holm (born Johanna Eckert; March 3, 1893 – November 3, 1992) was a very important person in American modern dance. She was one of the "Big Four" founders of this dance style. Hanya was a talented dancer, a creator of dances (a choreographer), and most importantly, a wonderful dance teacher.
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Early Life and Dance Beginnings
Hanya Holm was born Johanna Eckert on March 3, 1893, in Worms, Germany. From a young age, she loved music and drama. She studied at the Dalcroze Institute of Applied Rhythm, learning about music and movement.
When she was 28, Hanya saw a performance by Mary Wigman, a famous German expressionist dancer. This inspired Hanya to join Wigman's dance school in Dresden. She quickly became a member of Wigman's dance company. Mary Wigman saw Hanya's amazing talent and creative spirit.
Bringing Modern Dance to America
Mary Wigman recognized a great chance to share modern dance with the world. She asked Hanya Holm to open a Wigman dance school in New York City. So, on September 26, 1931, Hanya moved to America to direct the new school. This was a big step for modern dance in the United States.
The Hanya Holm Studio
Hanya Holm was excellent at representing Mary Wigman's dance ideas. She also began to develop her own unique style. As Nazism grew in Germany, it became important to separate the New York school from its German roots. So, in 1936, the school changed its name to the Hanya Holm Studio. It operated under this name until 1967.
In 1936, Hanya also started her own dance group called the Hanya Holm Dance Company. Her first major performance in the United States was a piece called Trend in 1937.
Hanya Holm's Dance Style
Hanya Holm developed a special way of teaching dance. This style influenced many future dancers and choreographers. Some famous dancers who learned from her include Alwin Nikolais and Glen Tetley.
Her technique focused on how the body moves in space. She taught about pulse, different directions, and how to use the floor. Hanya's movements emphasized the freedom of the upper body, especially the torso and back. She believed in natural movement based on how physics works.
Hanya often taught through improvisation. This meant dancers learned by exploring and discovering movements themselves. She didn't have a strict set of steps to memorize. Instead, her goal was for dancers to understand where movement comes from in their bodies.
Choreography and "Absolute Dance"
Hanya Holm's choreography focused on how the body relates to space and feelings. She wanted her dances to project into the space around them. She believed in "absolute dance," which meant dance for its own sake. It wasn't about acting out a story or showing strong emotions through pantomime.
For Hanya, conveying an idea in her dances was more important than a dancer's perfect technique. She once said, "I want to see a sign of passion. I want to see the raw if struggling to express itself. A work must have blood."
The "Big Four" of Modern Dance
In 1934, Hanya Holm was invited to Bennington College. She joined Martha Graham, Charles Weidman, and Doris Humphrey. These four became known as "The Big Four" of modern dance. They were some of the most important modern dancers of their time.
The American Dance Festival (ADF) grew out of Bennington College. It was a place where modern dancers could learn, practice, and show new dances. Hanya's work Trend (1937) was about social issues.
In 1941, she opened a Center of Dance in Colorado Springs. Here, she held summer courses and continued to develop her creative teaching methods.
Broadway Choreography
Hanya Holm also became famous for her work on Broadway musicals. In 1948, she choreographed Ballet Ballads and Kiss Me, Kate. This led to her choreographing twelve other musicals.
Her dance piece Metropolitan Daily was the first modern dance ever shown on NBC television. Also, her written dance score for Kiss Me, Kate (1948) was the first choreography to be officially protected by copyright in the United States.
She choreographed many other popular musicals, including:
- Out of This World (1950)
- My Fair Lady (1956)
- Camelot (1960)
She also directed a TV musical version of Pinocchio in the 1960s.
Hanya Holm as a Dance Teacher
Hanya Holm's main goal as a teacher was to help each student find their own dance style. She wanted them to express their inner personality and explore freely. She told her students, "You have a perfect right to branch out, if you have the stuff in you, if you discover your own richness, if you have something to say."
Her teaching philosophy was about understanding the true meaning of dance. She wanted students to feel where movement came from in their bodies, making it a natural response. Hanya was strict, but she expected great things from her students. She believed that hard work would lead to success.
Hanya had an amazing ability to see what was needed in a dancer. She could explain her ideas using vivid descriptions and comparisons. She used her technique classes to prepare students for improvisation and composition classes. These classes allowed students to expand on their skills and make the movements truly their own. Much of Hanya's choreography came from these creative classes.
Hanya Holm taught many subjects at her school, including anatomy, Dalcroze eurhythmics (music and movement), improvisation, and Labanotation (a way to write down dances).
After 1974, she taught at the Juilliard School in New York. In 1988, a documentary about her life, Hanya: Portrait of a Pioneer, was released. It was narrated by Julie Andrews.
Later Life and Legacy
Hanya Holm's son was Klaus Holm, a lighting designer for Broadway shows. Hanya and her son are buried in Hanover Township, Pennsylvania.
Hanya Holm received many honors for her contributions to dance. In 1976, the National Dance Association gave her the Heritage Award. In 1988, she was added to the National Museum of Dance's Hall of Fame.
Hanya Holm passed away on November 3, 1992, in New York City, at the age of 99. She died from pneumonia. Her legacy lives on through the many dancers and choreographers she inspired and taught.
See also
In Spanish: Hanya Holm para niños
- Women in dance
