Martha Hill
Encyclopedia
Martha Hill was one of the most influential American
dance instructors in history. She was the first Director of Dance at the Juilliard School
, and held that position for almost 35 years.
. She attended the Battle Creek Normal School of Physical Education in Battle Creek, Michigan
, graduating in 1920. She took over the position of dance instructor, teaching ballet and Swedish gymnastics for the next three years. In 1923, she was hired as dance instructor at Kansas State Teachers College. Hill taught there for three years, moving to New York City
in 1926.
After arriving in New York, she studied with various dance teachers; one of note was Martha Graham
who would have a lasting impact on Hill. She was hired in 1927 as Assistant Professor of Dance at the University of Oregon
where Bessie Schonberg was one of Hill's student.
By 1929, Hill had saved up enough money to move back to New York. She joined the Martha Graham Dance Company, completed a BS degree from Teachers College, Columbia University
, and began teaching high school students at the Lincoln School
of Teachers College. She was hired to teach at New York University
in the Physical Education Department of the School of Education in 1930, soon becoming Director of Dance. Hill reluctantly left the Martha Graham Dance Company in 1931 because of an increasing teaching schedule. In 1932, Hill was hired by the brand new Bennington College
in Bennington, VT, as Chairman of the Dance Department. She held the positions at NYU and Bennington College simultaneously until 1951.
In the summer of 1934, Hill initiated a summer dance festival on the Bennington College campus, named the "Bennington School of the Dance", which ran until 1942, with a brief interlude at Mills College
in 1939. Doris Humphrey
, Martha Graham
, Charles Weidman
, and Hanya Holm
were key faculty members.
Hill received her Masters degree from New York University
in 1941. In 1948 she formed a School of the Dance at Connecticut College
calling it the "Connecticut College School of the Dance". The new summer festival employed many of the same teachers/choreographers from the Bennington festival. Hill was a co-director of the festival until 1952. The festival was later renamed the American Dance Festival
and is currently housed at Duke University
in North Carolina.
In 1951, William Schuman
, president of The Juilliard School, hired Hill to be the first Director of Dance. Schuman and Hill had the bold new concept of creating a training ground for dancers that would be equally split between ballet and modern dance.
Hill married Dr. Thurston Davies in 1952. Davies died in 1961.
Hill remained the director of dance at Juilliard until 1985, training generations of dancers to the highest level of technique and artistry. Her students included Paul Taylor, Muriel Topaz, Pina Bausch
, Daniel Lewis
, Lar Lubovitch
, Dennis Nahat, Linda Kent, Bruce Marks
, Mercedes Ellington, H.T. Chen, Martha Clarke
, Susan Marshall
, Jenny Coogan, Robert Garland
, Mark Haim, Henning Rübsam
and Stanley Love. Hill was named Artistic Director Emeritus in 1985, but continued to teach at Juilliard for several years.
At 94 years of age she died on November 19, 1995.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
dance instructors in history. She was the first Director of Dance at the Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
, and held that position for almost 35 years.
Biography
Hill was born in East Palestine, OhioEast Palestine, Ohio
East Palestine is a city in Unity Township, Columbiana County, Ohio, United States, near the border with Pennsylvania. The population was 4,917 at the 2000 census....
. She attended the Battle Creek Normal School of Physical Education in Battle Creek, Michigan
Battle Creek, Michigan
Battle Creek is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, in northwest Calhoun County, at the confluence of the Kalamazoo and Battle Creek Rivers. It is the principal city of the Battle Creek, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area , which encompasses all of Calhoun county...
, graduating in 1920. She took over the position of dance instructor, teaching ballet and Swedish gymnastics for the next three years. In 1923, she was hired as dance instructor at Kansas State Teachers College. Hill taught there for three years, moving to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1926.
After arriving in New York, she studied with various dance teachers; one of note was Martha Graham
Martha Graham
Martha Graham was an American modern dancer and choreographer whose influence on dance has been compared with the influence Picasso had on modern visual arts, Stravinsky had on music, or Frank Lloyd Wright had on architecture.She danced and choreographed for over seventy years...
who would have a lasting impact on Hill. She was hired in 1927 as Assistant Professor of Dance at the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
where Bessie Schonberg was one of Hill's student.
By 1929, Hill had saved up enough money to move back to New York. She joined the Martha Graham Dance Company, completed a BS degree from Teachers College, Columbia University
Teachers College, Columbia University
Teachers College, Columbia University is a graduate school of education located in New York City, New York...
, and began teaching high school students at the Lincoln School
Lincoln School
- Places named more or less exactly "Lincoln School" :in Nepal*Lincoln School, Kathmandu, Nepalin the United Kingdom* Lincoln School was a boys' grammar and boarding school on Wragby Road in Lincoln, Lincolnshire which in 1974 became Lincoln Christ's Hospital School, a co-educational comprehensive...
of Teachers College. She was hired to teach at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
in the Physical Education Department of the School of Education in 1930, soon becoming Director of Dance. Hill reluctantly left the Martha Graham Dance Company in 1931 because of an increasing teaching schedule. In 1932, Hill was hired by the brand new Bennington College
Bennington College
Bennington College is a liberal arts college located in Bennington, Vermont, USA. The college was founded in 1932 as a women's college and became co-educational in 1969.-History:-Early years:...
in Bennington, VT, as Chairman of the Dance Department. She held the positions at NYU and Bennington College simultaneously until 1951.
In the summer of 1934, Hill initiated a summer dance festival on the Bennington College campus, named the "Bennington School of the Dance", which ran until 1942, with a brief interlude at Mills College
Mills College
Mills College is an independent liberal arts women's college founded in 1852 that offers bachelor's degrees to women and graduate degrees and certificates to women and men. Located in Oakland, California, Mills was the first women's college west of the Rockies. The institution was initially founded...
in 1939. Doris Humphrey
Doris Humphrey
Doris Batcheller Humphrey was a dancer and choreographer of the early twentieth century. Humphrey was born in Oak Park, Illinois but grew up in Chicago, Illinois. She was the daughter of Horace Buckingham Humphrey and Julia Ellen Wells and was a descendant of pilgrim William Brewster...
, Martha Graham
Martha Graham
Martha Graham was an American modern dancer and choreographer whose influence on dance has been compared with the influence Picasso had on modern visual arts, Stravinsky had on music, or Frank Lloyd Wright had on architecture.She danced and choreographed for over seventy years...
, Charles Weidman
Charles Weidman
Charles Weidman is a renowned choreographer, modern dancer and teacher. He is well known as one of the pioneers of Modern Dance in America. He wanted to break free from the traditional movements of dance forms popular at the time to create a uniquely American style of movement...
, and Hanya Holm
Hanya Holm
Hanya Holm is known as one of the “Big Four” founders of American modern dance...
were key faculty members.
Hill received her Masters degree from New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
in 1941. In 1948 she formed a School of the Dance at Connecticut College
Connecticut College
Connecticut College is a private liberal arts college located in New London, Connecticut.The college was founded in 1911, as Connecticut College for Women, in response to Wesleyan University closing its doors to women...
calling it the "Connecticut College School of the Dance". The new summer festival employed many of the same teachers/choreographers from the Bennington festival. Hill was a co-director of the festival until 1952. The festival was later renamed the American Dance Festival
American Dance Festival
The American Dance Festival is a six and four-week school for dance and a six-week summer festival of modern dance performances, currently held at Duke University and the Durham Performing Arts Center in Durham, North Carolina....
and is currently housed at Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
in North Carolina.
In 1951, William Schuman
William Schuman
William Howard Schuman was an American composer and music administrator.-Life:Born in Manhattan in New York City to Samuel and Rachel Schuman, Schuman was named after the twenty-seventh U.S. president, William Howard Taft, although his family preferred to call him Bill...
, president of The Juilliard School, hired Hill to be the first Director of Dance. Schuman and Hill had the bold new concept of creating a training ground for dancers that would be equally split between ballet and modern dance.
Hill married Dr. Thurston Davies in 1952. Davies died in 1961.
Hill remained the director of dance at Juilliard until 1985, training generations of dancers to the highest level of technique and artistry. Her students included Paul Taylor, Muriel Topaz, Pina Bausch
Pina Bausch
Philippina "Pina" Bausch was a German performer of modern dance, choreographer, dance teacher and ballet director...
, Daniel Lewis
Daniel Lewis (choreographer)
Daniel Lewis is a choreographer and author, and Dean of Dance at the New World School of the Arts. Internationally recognized dancer, teacher, choreographer and author-Dancer:...
, Lar Lubovitch
Lar Lubovitch
Lar Lubovitch is an American choreographer and founded his own dance company, the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company in 1968. Based in New York City, he and the company have toured worldwide....
, Dennis Nahat, Linda Kent, Bruce Marks
Bruce Marks
Bruce S. Marks is a former Republican member of the Pennsylvania State Senate.He appeared to lose a 1993 election for the 2nd senatorial district for the Pennsylvania Senate, but a federal judge declared him the winner of that election after finding that the campaign of William G. Stinson had...
, Mercedes Ellington, H.T. Chen, Martha Clarke
Martha Clarke
Martha Clarke is an American theater director and choreographer noted for her multidisciplinary approach to theatre, dance, and opera productions. She is the creator of plotless, dreamlike works that are perhaps described by the term "moving paintings. Her work frequently emphasizes striking...
, Susan Marshall
Susan Marshall
Susan Marshall is an American choreographer and dancer. She is the Artistic Director and Choreographer of Susan Marshall & Company which she formed sometime between 1982 and 1983, working initially with dancers Arthur Armijo, David Dorfman, Jackie Goodrich, and David Landis...
, Jenny Coogan, Robert Garland
Robert Garland
Robert Garland was a principal dancer with the Dance Theatre of Harlem, which he joined in 1985, and their first official resident choreographer, making dances for their School Ensemble, for the "A Demand Performance" benefit, for the DTH "Dancing Through Barriers" Ensemble, and for New York City...
, Mark Haim, Henning Rübsam
Henning Rübsam
Henning Rübsam is a choreographer and dancer based in New York City. He is the artistic director of SENSEDANCE, a resident choreographer for Hartford City Ballet, a Professor at The Juilliard School, and a visiting guest professor at Texas Academy of Ballet .-Early Life and Work:Rübsam was born in...
and Stanley Love. Hill was named Artistic Director Emeritus in 1985, but continued to teach at Juilliard for several years.
At 94 years of age she died on November 19, 1995.