Bennington School of the Dance: A History in Writings and Interviews

The story of this groundbreaking summer dance program is told through the voices of staff, faculty, and students. Administrative director Mary Josephine Shelly’s previously unpublished writings form a key summary of eight of the nine summer sessions. The Bennington School of the Dance held classes from 1934 through 1942 at Bennington College in Vermont, with one summer spent at Mills College in California. Its effects were far-reaching in the development and dissemination of modern dance as an original American art form.

The school produced unique choreographic works by teachers in residence: Martha Graham, Hanya Holm, Doris Humphrey, and Charles Weidman. Leading choreographers of the later 20th century such as Merce Cunningham, Anna Halprin, José Limón, Alwin Nikolais and Anna Sokolow participated at the school. The largest portion of students were high school and college level teachers who would spread modern dance across the country and abroad.

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Giving a talk about the Bennington School of the Dance at the Martha Graham Studio Theatre, 2016. Ohoto by Joel Cadman.

Reviews

"This book, a comprehensive review of the Bennington School, is both instructive and enjoyable. The use of original source material (quotations from faculty and students, many of whom became notable artists in their own right) enlivens the comprehensive statistics."

-- Ruth Grauert, Bearnstow Journal (2013)

"[McPherson's] well-researched book, The Bennington School of the Dance: A History in Writings and Interviews, brings new details about the day-to-day and year-to-year events there in a readable way that completes our understanding of what made this plaec and the period of time during which it flourished, between 1934 an 1942, so special."

-- Alice Helpern, Ballet Review (2013)

A must-read for modern dance enthusiasts and dance history students, Elizabeth McPherson’s The Bennington School of the Dance: A History in Writings and Interviews, traces the evolution of the program that became today’s internationally respected American Dance Festival.

-- Kristen Schwab, Dance Teacher Magazine (2013)

Using recently discovered writings and reports by director Martha Hill and administrative director Mary Jo Shelly (intended for a never-published book), McPherson (Montclair State Univ.) chronicles the initiation and year-by-year growth of the summer sessions.... Summing Up: Recommended.

--M. A. Brennan, Choice Reviews (2013)

Elizabeth's goal in the book was to bring the legend of the Bennington School of the Dance "down to earth by letting the participants...tell the story themselves".... [T]he book is invaluable for its diverse points of view.

--Wendy Perronl, Dance Magazine (2013)

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