Born in Sacramento, California, May O'Donnell studied dance in San Francisco with Estelle Reed and performed in Reed's company before moving to New York City to study with Martha Graham. O'Donnell was a member of the Martha Graham Dance Company from 1932 until 1938.
In 1939, she returned to California and, with her husband, the composer Ray Green, and another former Graham dancer, Gertrude Shurr, founded the San Francisco Dance Theater. In 1941, O'Donnell joined creative forces with Jose Limon in a dance duo until 1942. She worked with the Graham Company again from 1944 to 1952 as a guest artist, at which time she created several roles notably the Pioneering Woman in "Appalachian Spring", Attendant in "Herodiade" (1944), She of the Earth in "Dark Meadow" (1946), and Chorus in "Cave of the Heart" (1946).[1] In the mid-1940s she established the O'Donnell-Shurr Modern Dance Studio with Gertrude Shurr and continued the development of her own dance repertory.
Throughout her career O'Donnell created 50 documented dances, from 1937 to 1988. Notably, in 1943 O'Donnell choreographed a modern-dance classic, "Suspension", a thirteen-minute composition. The dance was inspired by her memory of seeing a plane below the hilltop on which she was standing in wartime California. That work was best explained, she felt, by T. S. Eliot's observation in Four Quartets that "At the still point of the turning world . . . . there the dance is."[2] She often included T. S. Eliot's words in the program notes. In the piece, dancers moved slowly amid large boxes under a turning mobile.[3]
O'Donnell retired from performing in 1961, but continued to choreograph through 1988.
O'Donnell was also an important teacher who counted Robert Joffrey, Ben Vereen, Cora Cahan, and Gerald Arpino among her students. She is known for an original dance technique that has influenced generations of modern dancers. In 1974 the May O'Donnell Concert Dance Company was formed and located at the May O'Donnell Modern Dance Center at 429 Lafayette Street in New York City. There, O'Donnell and her staff taught the May O'Donnell Dance Technique until the studio was sold in the 1980s.[4]
O'Donnell died in Manhattan at the age 97 in 2004.
In 2005, her biography, May O'Donnell: Modern Dance Pioneer, was published by Marian Horosko.
Referencesedit
^Solomons, Gus Jr. "Remembering May O'Donnell" "Dance Magazine", June, 2004.
^"‘At the Still Point of the Turning World': January Term Course Explores Pioneering Dance" 2010-05-04 at the Wayback Machine January 24, 2003.
^Dunning, Jennifer "May O'Donnell, 97, Dancer And Modern Choreographer" "New York Times", February 07, 2004.
^"The O'Donnell-Green Music and Dance Foundation, Inc" 2011-08-14 at the Wayback Machine
External linksedit
Chujoy, Anatole. The Dance Encyclopedia. (Simon and Schuster, 1967) ISBN0-671-24027-7
McDonagh, Don The Complete Guide to Modern Dance.( Doubleday and Company, 1976) ISBN0-385-05055-0
The New York Times, February 7, 2004
May O' Donnell and Marian Horosko "May O'Donnell: My Life in Dance, 1931-1951" Dance Chronicle, Vol. 26, No. 2 (2003), pp. 189–217.
donnell, 1906, february, 2004, american, modern, dancer, choreographer, born, 1906, 1906sacramento, californiadiedfebruary, 2004, 2004, aged, york, city, york, nationalityamericanknown, fordance, choreographymovementmodern, dance, born, sacramento, california,. May O Donnell May 1 1906 February 1 2004 was an American modern dancer and choreographer May O DonnellBorn 1906 05 01 May 1 1906Sacramento CaliforniaDiedFebruary 1 2004 2004 02 01 aged 97 New York City New York U S NationalityAmericanKnown forDance and choreographyMovementModern dance Born in Sacramento California May O Donnell studied dance in San Francisco with Estelle Reed and performed in Reed s company before moving to New York City to study with Martha Graham O Donnell was a member of the Martha Graham Dance Company from 1932 until 1938 In 1939 she returned to California and with her husband the composer Ray Green and another former Graham dancer Gertrude Shurr founded the San Francisco Dance Theater In 1941 O Donnell joined creative forces with Jose Limon in a dance duo until 1942 She worked with the Graham Company again from 1944 to 1952 as a guest artist at which time she created several roles notably the Pioneering Woman in Appalachian Spring Attendant in Herodiade 1944 She of the Earth in Dark Meadow 1946 and Chorus in Cave of the Heart 1946 1 In the mid 1940s she established the O Donnell Shurr Modern Dance Studio with Gertrude Shurr and continued the development of her own dance repertory Throughout her career O Donnell created 50 documented dances from 1937 to 1988 Notably in 1943 O Donnell choreographed a modern dance classic Suspension a thirteen minute composition The dance was inspired by her memory of seeing a plane below the hilltop on which she was standing in wartime California That work was best explained she felt by T S Eliot s observation in Four Quartets that At the still point of the turning world there the dance is 2 She often included T S Eliot s words in the program notes In the piece dancers moved slowly amid large boxes under a turning mobile 3 O Donnell retired from performing in 1961 but continued to choreograph through 1988 O Donnell was also an important teacher who counted Robert Joffrey Ben Vereen Cora Cahan and Gerald Arpino among her students She is known for an original dance technique that has influenced generations of modern dancers In 1974 the May O Donnell Concert Dance Company was formed and located at the May O Donnell Modern Dance Center at 429 Lafayette Street in New York City There O Donnell and her staff taught the May O Donnell Dance Technique until the studio was sold in the 1980s 4 O Donnell died in Manhattan at the age 97 in 2004 In 2005 her biography May O Donnell Modern Dance Pioneer was published by Marian Horosko References edit Solomons Gus Jr Remembering May O Donnell Dance Magazine June 2004 At the Still Point of the Turning World January Term Course Explores Pioneering Dance Archived 2010 05 04 at the Wayback Machine January 24 2003 Dunning Jennifer May O Donnell 97 Dancer And Modern Choreographer New York Times February 07 2004 The O Donnell Green Music and Dance Foundation Inc Archived 2011 08 14 at the Wayback MachineExternal links editChujoy Anatole The Dance Encyclopedia Simon and Schuster 1967 ISBN 0 671 24027 7 McDonagh Don The Complete Guide to Modern Dance Doubleday and Company 1976 ISBN 0 385 05055 0 The New York Times February 7 2004 May O Donnell and Marian Horosko May O Donnell My Life in Dance 1931 1951 Dance Chronicle Vol 26 No 2 2003 pp 189 217 May O Donnell Papers at Newberry Library May O Donnell papers 1929 2004 at the Library of Congress Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title May O 27Donnell amp oldid 1167896545, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
