Martha Graham

Martha Graham (1894–1991) was an American dancer and choreographer widely regarded as a foundational figure in modern dance. Born in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, she studied at the Denishawn School and later began choreographing her own works. In 1926 she founded the Martha Graham Dance Company, one of the oldest modern dance companies in the United States. Graham developed the Graham technique, centered on “contraction and release,” which became a major system of modern dance training. Over a long career she created influential dances including *Appalachian Spring* and *Lamentation*, and she performed and choreographed well into later life.