Title Page | Collection Summary | Biographical/Organizational Note | Scope and Content | Arrangement
Biographical Note
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1906, May 1 | Born, Sacramento, Calif. |
| 1928 | Began dance training with Michio Ito and Estelle Reed in San Francisco, Calif. |
| 1929-1931 | Performed with Estelle Reed's dance company |
| 1932-1938 | Member of the Martha Graham Dance Company Appeared in Heretic, Primitive Mysteries, Celebration, Course, Chronicle |
| 1937 | Premieres of Dance Energies and Of Pioneer Women |
| 1938 | Married composer Ray Green (died 1997) Moved to San Francisco, Calif. |
| 1939 | Co-founded San Francisco Dance Theatre with Ray Green and choreographer Gertrude Shurr |
| 1939-1942 | Concerts in San Francisco and on tour with José Limón Co-choreographed Three Inventories of Casey Jones and This Story Is Legend with Limón Choreographed Cornerstone |
| 1943 | Premiere of Suspension, with original music by Ray Green and set mobile by artist Claire Falkenstein Co-founded Shurr-O'Donnell Dance Studio, New York City |
| 1944-1952 | Guest artist with the Martha Graham Dance Company Created roles of Pioneer Woman in Appalachian Spring and Attendant in Heriodiade in 1944 Created roles of She of the Earth in Dark Meadow and the Chorus in Cave of the Heart in 1946 |
| 1945 | Joint performance programs with Nina Fonaroff Joint performance programs with Erick Hawkins Choreographed two solos, Running Set and Theme and Variations, with music by Ray Green |
| 1946 | Choreographed Horizon Song, with music by Ray Green |
| 1949 | Premiere of Celtic Ritual, with music of Henry Cowell |
| 1952 | Premiere of The Queen's Obsession, based on Macbeth (later revised) |
| 1954 | Premieres of Dance Concerto and Incredible Adventure |
| 1956 | Premiere of Illuminations, with music from Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 |
| 1959 | Premiere of Dance Energies |
| 1959-1961 | Summer teaching engagements and performances at University of California |
| 1961 | Company performances with Kansas City Philharmonic Orchestra and Knoxville Symphony Orchestra Retired from performing |
| 1974 | Founded May O'Donnell Concert Dance Company |
| 1980 | Premiere of Homage to Shiva with traditional music |
| 1984 | Premiere of Powers of Ten |
| 1988 | Premiere of Etudes and Scherzos |
| 1993 | Last concert performance by her company |
| 2002 | Awarded Martha Hill Lifetime Achievement Prize |
| 2004, Feb. 1 | Died, New York City |