Every Soul is a Circus

Every Soul Is a Circus is a comedic ballet choreographed by Martha Graham. The dance premiered on December 27, 1939, at the St. James Theatre in New York City. The original score was composed by Paul Nordoff. Philip Stapp created the set. Edythe Gilfond designed the costumes. The production marked the first appearance of Merce Cunningham with the Martha Graham Dance Company.[1]

Every Soul Is a Circus
Martha Graham Dance Company performing Every Soul Is a Circus in 2012
ChoreographerMartha Graham
MusicPaul Nordoff
Premiere27 December 1939 (1939-12-27)
St. James Theatre, New York
GenreModern dance

The troupe still performs the work on occasion. It was last reprised for the 85th anniversary season in 2012.[2]

Title and theme

The title Every Soul Is a Circus is borrowed from a Vachel Lindsay poem:

Every soul is a circus
Every mind is a tent
Every heart is a sawdust ring
Where the circling race is spent.[3]

The ballet's theme is Everywoman's inner desire to be the center of attention and the ridiculous lengths to which she will go to attain that end. As Empress of the Arena, the lead female dancer imagines herself as the star of every act. In a vignette with the Ringmaster and Acrobat, she is the apex of a love triangle. In another scene, she performs a romantic duet as the Ringmaster's beloved.[4] But after taking her "star turn," she is ultimately humiliated by the Ringmaster.[5] The lone spectator, the empress' alter-ego, watches as the frenzy of the circus performance builds. The empress' movements and demeanor progress from childlike to flirtatious to addled. She is finally overcome with confusion, her actions becoming ever more undignified and absurd.[6]

Initial reception

When the ballet debuted, many audiences and critics were astonished to see Graham's wry, witty side.[7] Most of her dances were so serious, she had been dubbed "Mirthless Martha" by her musical director Louis Horst.[8] Reviewers described her performance in Every Soul is a Circus as "poignant clowning" having a "warmth of personality",[9] "frank and funny" and "belly-laugh provoking."[10]

Original cast

The original cast comprised the following nine performers:[4]

  • Martha Graham as the Empress of the Arena
  • Erick Hawkins as the Ringmaster
  • Merce Cunningham as the Acrobat
  • Jean Erdman as the Ideal Spectator
  • Nellie Fisher as the First Arenic Performer
  • Sophie Maslow, Ethel Butler, Marjorie Mazia, Frieda Flier as Other Arenic Performers

Structure

The dance is approximately 30-minutes long. The action takes place in 12 sequences. The original performers for each section were:[4]

  1. Prologue: Empress of the Arena - Martha Graham
  2. The Ringmaster - Erick Hawkins
  3. Parade - Nellie Fisher, Sophie Maslow, Ethel Butler, Marjorie Mazia, Frieda Flier
  4. Training Ring - Martha Graham, Erick Hawkins
  5. Entrance of the Spectator - Jean Erdman
  6. The Show Begins: Star Turn - Martha Graham
  7. Garland Entry - Sophie Maslow, Frieda Flier, Ethel Butler, Marjorie Mazia, Merce Cunningham
  8. Arenic World 1. Triangle - Martha Graham, Erick Hawkins, Merce Cunningham
  9. Poses and Plastiques - Nellie Fisher, Frieda Flier, Marjorie Mazia, Ethel Butler, Merce Cunningham
  10. Arenic World 2. Duet - Martha Graham and Erick Hawkins
  11. Aerial Interlude - Nellie Fisher, Frieda Flier, Marjorie Mazia, Ethel Butler, Merce Cunningham
  12. Finale - Entire Company
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References
  1. Every Soul Is a Circus (Ballet choreographed by Martha Graham), Library of Congress http://memory.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.200182828/default.html
  2. Robert Greskovic, Martha Graham Made Young Again, The Wall Street Journal, March 20, 2012 https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304636404577291491876950240
  3. Deborah Jowitt, Re-entering Martha’s Inner Landscapes, DanceBeat, March 22, 2012 http://www.artsjournal.com/dancebeat/2012/03/re-entering-marthas-inner-landscapes/
  4. Betty Carper and Group in Concert, Guest Artist Martha Graham, Concert Program, February 15, 1940 https://memory.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.200154363/default.html
  5. Stuart Hodes, Part Real, Part Dream: Dancing with Martha Graham, Concord ePress, 3rd edition, August 2011, location 9101
  6. Stephanie Sirabian, Martha Graham Dance Company’s Inner Landscape at the Joyce Theater, Bachtrack, March 16, 2012 https://bachtrack.com/review-martha-graham-dance-company-inner-landscape-joyce
  7. Jennifer Dunning, The Dance: Graham's "Every Soul", The New York Times, June 8, 1986 https://www.nytimes.com/1986/06/08/arts/the-dance-graham-s-every-soul.html
  8. Janet Mansfield Soares,Louis Horst: Musician in a Dancer's World, Duke University Press, 1992, p. 168
  9. David Diamond, Modern Music, December 1939
  10. Martha Graham and Group, Chicago Dancer, March 1940 https://memory.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.200154208/pageturner.html
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