Marion Rice
Encyclopedia
Marion Burbank Stevens Rice (September 9, 1904 - April 12, 1995) was an American modern dance choreographer, dance teacher and producer.
, settled in Fitchburg
, Massachusetts and founded the "Marion Rice Studio of the Dance" where she taught and performed Denishawn technique for over 60 years. She studied in the late 1920s and early 30's with Ted Shawn, Ruth St. Denis, Miriam Winslow and the Braggiotti sisters at the Braggiotti-Denishawn School of Dance in Boston, often performing Denishawn works in their concerts.
and Ted Shawn
as well as her own choreography. Among the dancers and choreographers she trained were her daughter Carolyn Brown of the Merce Cunningham
Dance Company, her daughter-in-law Mona Irvine Rice, and her granddaughters Robin Rice and Rebecca Rice
.
, and in 1980 staged her version of "Soaring," for Les Grands Ballets Canadiens
in Montreal. Marion Rice Denishawn
performed at the Jacob's Pillow
Dance Festival in 1972, the Marymount Manhattan Theater (New York) in 1976 and City College (New York) in 1986 at the "Roots: Foundations of American Modern Dance Festival".
performed in the "Dance in Millennium" Festival in Washington, DC. The company presented "Boston Braggiotti and Denishawn", a lecture demonstration illuminating a select number of the early Denishawn works.
Anna Kisselgoff wrote in the New York Times:
Early life
Rice was born in Hingham, MassachusettsHingham, Massachusetts
Hingham is a town in northern Plymouth County on the South Shore of the U.S. state of Massachusetts and suburb in Greater Boston. The United States Census Bureau 2008 estimated population was 22,561...
, settled in Fitchburg
Fitchburg
Fitchburg is the name of some places in the United States of America:*Fitchburg, Massachusetts*Fitchburg, Wisconsin-Other:*Fitchburg Railroad, named for the Massachusetts city*Fitchburg , current station...
, Massachusetts and founded the "Marion Rice Studio of the Dance" where she taught and performed Denishawn technique for over 60 years. She studied in the late 1920s and early 30's with Ted Shawn, Ruth St. Denis, Miriam Winslow and the Braggiotti sisters at the Braggiotti-Denishawn School of Dance in Boston, often performing Denishawn works in their concerts.
Other work
She produced work by Ruth St. DenisRuth St. Denis
Ruth St. Denis was an early modern dance pioneer.-Biography:Ruth St. Denis founded Adelphi University's dance program in 1938 which was one of the first dance departments in an American university...
and Ted Shawn
Ted Shawn
Ted Shawn , originally Edwin Myers Shawn, was one of the first notable male pioneers of American modern dance. Along with creating Denishawn with former wife Ruth St. Denis he is also responsible for the creation of the well known all-male company Ted Shawn and His Men Dancers...
as well as her own choreography. Among the dancers and choreographers she trained were her daughter Carolyn Brown of the Merce Cunningham
Merce Cunningham
Mercier "Merce" Philip Cunningham was an American dancer and choreographer who was at the forefront of the American avant-garde for more than 50 years. Throughout much of his life, Cunningham was considered one of the greatest creative forces in American dance...
Dance Company, her daughter-in-law Mona Irvine Rice, and her granddaughters Robin Rice and Rebecca Rice
Rebecca Rice
Rebecca Rice is a Boston-based modern dance choreographer whose work blends modern contemporary dance and ballet.-Biography:Rebecca is artistic director of Rebecca Rice Dance, a company that focuses on blending ballet with the creative, innovative energy of 20-21st C. modern dance...
.
Dance company
She also operated her own dance company, the Marion Rice Denishawn DancersMarion Rice Denishawn Dancers
Marion Rice Denishawn Dancers is a dance company devoted to preserving Denishawn dance, the choreography of modern dance pioneers Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn, taught and staged by Marion Rice, a Massachusetts modern dance and ballet teacher, performer, choreographer and producer who died in...
, and in 1980 staged her version of "Soaring," for Les Grands Ballets Canadiens
Les Grands Ballets Canadiens
Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal is a Canadian ballet company based in Montreal, Quebec.It was founded in 1957 by Ludmilla Chiriaeff. Conductor and composer Michel Perrault served as the organization's first music director. In 2000, Gradimir Pankov became Artistic Director...
in Montreal. Marion Rice Denishawn
Marion Rice Denishawn
Marion Rice Denishawn or Marion Rice Denishawn Dancers is a dance company devoted to preserving Denishawn dance, the choreography of modern dance pioneers Ruth St...
performed at the Jacob's Pillow
Jacob's Pillow
Jacob’s Pillow Dance is a dance center, school and performance space located in Becket, Massachusetts, in the Berkshires. The organization is known for the oldest internationally acclaimed summer dance festival in the United States. The facility also includes a professional school and extensive...
Dance Festival in 1972, the Marymount Manhattan Theater (New York) in 1976 and City College (New York) in 1986 at the "Roots: Foundations of American Modern Dance Festival".
Current events
In 2000, Marion Rice DenishawnMarion Rice Denishawn
Marion Rice Denishawn or Marion Rice Denishawn Dancers is a dance company devoted to preserving Denishawn dance, the choreography of modern dance pioneers Ruth St...
performed in the "Dance in Millennium" Festival in Washington, DC. The company presented "Boston Braggiotti and Denishawn", a lecture demonstration illuminating a select number of the early Denishawn works.
Anna Kisselgoff wrote in the New York Times:
"Marion Rice's stagings of Denishawn works are always fresh and beautiful - the perfect example was the St. Denis Valse No. 14 in which Robin Rice and Rebecca RiceRebecca RiceRebecca Rice is a Boston-based modern dance choreographer whose work blends modern contemporary dance and ballet.-Biography:Rebecca is artistic director of Rebecca Rice Dance, a company that focuses on blending ballet with the creative, innovative energy of 20-21st C. modern dance...
were also swathed in swirling fabric - but much more actively so than in theFuller solo. The amount of basic ballet taught in the Denishawn schools was evident in Robin Rice's luminous performance of Shawn's Red Radiance.