MARTHA GRAHAM DANCE COMPANY

The Martha Graham Dance Company has been a leader in the evolution of the modern dance art form since its founding in 1926. It is both the oldest dance company in the United States and the oldest integrated dance company. Janet Eilber has been its artistic director since 2005. Today, the company embraces a new programming vision that showcases Graham’s masterpieces alongside newly commissioned works by contemporary artists. A perfect example of this is the four-piece program presented at Teatro Arriaga.

Martha Graham once described Diversion of Angels as three aspects of love: the couple dressed in white represents mature love in perfect balance; red, erotic love; and yellow, adolescent love. The dance follows no storyline. Its action unfolds in the imaginary garden that love creates for itself. The ballet was originally called *Wilderness Stair*.

Martha Graham created the solo Immediate Tragedy in 1937 as a reaction to the atrocities of the Spanish Civil War. We see the woman in *Immediate Tragedy* as a universal figure of determination and, ultimately, resilience. The dance was remarkably well-received, but when Graham stopped performing it in the late 1930s, the solo was forgotten and considered lost. In 2020, Janet Eilber reimagined the choreography of *Immediate Tragedy* using newly discovered photographs of Graham performing in 1937 and many other archival references.

Premiered in February 2024, We The People reflects and resonates with American culture of the 21st century. Its new score by Rhiannon Giddens, arranged by Gabe Witcher, offers the historic sound of American folk music. Jamar Roberts’ choreography, on the other hand, is very contemporary and provides a counterpoint to the music. *We The People* is equal parts protest and lament, speculating on the ways in which America has not always fulfilled its promise. It serves as a reminder that the power of collective change belongs to the people.

As a finale, a piece by the versatile artist Hofesh Shechter, created in 2022 for the American company, explores the essence that makes crowds of people move (dance) together in a profoundly primal and connected way. In CAVE, this essence is expressed so powerfully that it transcends the dance on stage. The result is a visceral and cathartic movement experience with an inescapable shared kinetic energy.