New performance of Appalachian Spring, 1947!

The Martha Graham Dance Company has shared newly found and digitized film footage of a performance of the iconic “Appalachian Spring” from 1947!

My sincere thanks and appreciation to Janet Eilber (Artistic Director of the Martha Graham Dance Company) and Oliver Tobin (Director of Martha Graham Resources Archive) for bringing this new performance by the original cast to us! Enjoy!!!

APPALACHIAN SPRING ~

Choreography and Costumes by Martha Graham
Music by Aaron Copland
Set by Isamu Noguchi
Lighting by Jean Rosenthal

Springtime in the wilderness is celebrated by a man and woman building a house with joy and love and prayer; by a revivalist and his followers in their shouts of exaltation; by a pioneering woman with her dreams of the Promised Land.

The Bride – Martha Graham
The Husbandman – Erick Hawkins
The Preacher – Merce Cunningham
The Pioneering Woman – May O’Donnell
The Followers – Nina Fonaroff, Pearl Lang, Marjorie Mazia, Yuriko

The original title chosen by Aaron Copland was “Ballet for Martha,” which was changed by Martha Graham to “Appalachian Spring.”

For more information on Martha Graham Dance Company, please visit https://MarthaGraham.org/