For the fourth and final installment of Feminist Friday, today is all about dance. Dance is an inherently feminist art, putting women at the center of the stage since its creation. Dance celebrates the things about femininity that society often views as weak, proving that grace is strength. Here are some of the women that have lasting contributions to this incredible art form.
1. May O’Donnell
-T.S Eliot (a quote which influenced O’Donnell’s work)
It is no secret that women are at the center of the modern dance world. With trailblazers like Isadora Duncan and Martha Graham, to women like O’Donnell in the 1940s, this rebellious style has been heavily influenced by creative and intelligent women. As a current student of the O’Donnell technique, I always hear my teachers speak of May in the most exciting way. She considered her dancers to move like “goddesses of dance”, being powerful and championing their movements. She was an unapologetic lady who was unafraid to make statements and be bold with her dancing. I always keep these ideas in mind, and use her fearlessness to inspire me on my own dance journey.
2. The Rockettes
The Rockettes are an American dance tradition, but even more so, a group of strong and accepting women who inspire countless little girls to dream big. They are an entirely female company, and they celebrate sisterhood in a uniquely symbolic way. They are also the hardest working women in show business, dancing up to four shows a day during the Christmas Spectacular season.
3. Debra Austin
Austin was the first ever black female principal ballet dancer in an American company. Shattering this glass ceiling in 1982 (yes, it took that long) at Pennsylvania Ballet, she brought promising change to the dance world and opened the door for more inclusivity in ballet. Additionally, although she never rose to principal, Austin was also the first black dancer at New York City Ballet. Misty Copeland followed in her footsteps in 2015, famously becoming the first black principal dancer at American Ballet Theater.
4. Twyla Tharp
Tharp is a choreographing extraordinaire, creating work for a wide variety of genres from ballet to Broadway and film to modern. Proving that dance is just as intellectual as any other field, Tharp is influenced by her extensive education. She spent her adolescence with little spare time between her school and her dancing, and any free moments she had were spent with her nose in a book. She graduated from Barnard College with a degree in Art History before embarking on her own journey as a dancer/choreographer. Having a woman in charge is not rare in the dance community, but Tharp’s immense contributions to the art will leave a lasting legacy.
While Women’s History Month may be wrapping up, it is important to celebrate women all year round. From the ones who have paved the way, to the ones that inspire you on a day to day basis, we all owe so much to the women who have helped mold us into who we are, and who we continue to become.