Administrative History
Ruth St. Denis (1879-1968), née Ruth Dennis, was an American modern dancer who first performed in vaudeville and musical theater. She produced her earliest choreographic work, a solo dance titled Radha, in 1906 in New York City, and then embarked on a three-year European tour that met with critical acclaim. American modern dancer Ted Shawn (1891-1972) became St. Denis's dance partner; they were married in 1914. The following year, they founded the Denishawn School of Dancing and the Related Arts, which is reputed to be the first dance institute to establish a professional dance company.
The choreography of St. Denis and Shawn exhibited diverse influences, including elements drawn from Latin American, Asian, Native American, and Middle Eastern cultures. Denishawn greatly influenced the careers of numerous prominent dancers and choreographers, such as Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey, Charles Weidman, Anne Douglas, Grace McCrea, Louise Brooks, Francesca Braggiotti, and Jack Cole. Denishawn was seriously impacted by the stock market crash of 1929, and in 1931, St. Denis and Shawn had separated, which marked the end of Denishawn. They never divorced. After Denishawn closed, St. Denis continued to focus on the connection between religion and dance by reassembling her Rhythmic Choir and by founding the Society of Spiritual Arts in 1940. She also established the dance department at Adelphi University in 1938, and in 1941, began to perform annually at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival until 1955. She died in Los Angeles in 1968.
Ted Shawn bought Jacob’s Pillow in Becket, Massachusetts, in 1931. That same year he founded a company of male dancers. The company used Jacob’s Pillow as a summer rehearsal space and held public performances that later became the foundation for Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. When Shawn's company disbanded in 1940, Jacob's Pillow was sold to ballet stars Alicia Markova and Anton Dolin the following year. They built a new theater, which Ted Shawn directed until his death in 1972. Jacob’s Pillow theaters and archives remain a renowned center for performances and research.