Wednesday, January 5, 2022

Readings in Modern Dance Volume 1

Submitted by Mei-Chen Lu -- January 5, 2022

Readings in Modern Dance was prepared for the Intermediate Labanotation Students and was published in 1974 by the Dance Notation Bureau  The volume one consists of nine excerpts from Modern dance master works. The editors of the book stated: "Our hope is to provide a literature which while furnishing material or the practice of reading skills will at the same time engage technical and interpretive abilities."

The excerpts of modern dance in volume one are:

  • Variations From Day to Day (1957) by Norman Walker. Notation by Ray Cook, assisted by Barbara Katz, 1968.
  • Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor (1938) by Doris Humphrey. Notation by Lucy Venable, assisted by Joan Gainer, 1955.
  • Negro Spirituals (1941) by Helen Tamiris. Notation by Lucy Venable, 1967.
  • The Beloved (1948) by Lester Horton. Notation by Ray Cook, 1971.
  • Screenplay (1966) by Job Sanders. Notation by Muriel Topaz, 1971.
  • Folksay (1942) by Sophie Maslow. Notation by K. Wright Dunkley, 1972.
  • Odes (1965) by Anna Sokolow. Notation by Muriel Topaz, 1971.
  • Going (1962) by Marion Scott. Notation by Barbara Katz and Stephanie Thomas, 1972.
  • Partita V in G Major (1942) by Doris Humphrey. Notation by Els Grelinger, 1950. 

Last but not the least, the DNB would like to acknowledge the kind support from Gill Wright Miller and Dension University for sponsoring the scanning service.