Ted is where it's at!!

With most American Modern dancers, their dance lineage goes way back to the beginning. Well, Ted Shawn is the beginning. Some of the most popular dancers in America were discovered by, or were given performance opportunities from Mr. Ted Shawn. Martha Graham, Charles Weidman, Doris Humphrey, Jack Cole, Agnes de Mille, Anton Dolin, Pearl Lang, Merce Cunningham, Anna Sokolow, Alvin Ailey, and Robert Joffery have all either studied under Ted Shawn or performed at Jacob's Pillow because of Ted Shawn.

Because of Ted's minimal dance technique training, I believe that Ted started the line of American Modern Dancers. Ted only got into dance because of a serious illness. The doctor's suggested that he take up dance as a form of therapy to recuperate his paralyzed lower body. I couldn't find much on who he trained with and where, mostly because I think what he did with his life after his recovery is much more astonishing then how he began. However, I did find that he wasn't only being rehabilitated in ballet or modern dance, but he also trained in ballroom and had one of his first dance experiences with a Metropolitan Opera ballerina!

Once Ted began working, he realized that men were not getting the same opportunities to perform as women. Most of the time, men were placed on stage to support the leading ladies. They were never really given the staring roles. So, with the creation of his all male dance company, one of Ted's biggest influences took center stage: masculinity. Masculinity was what Ted thrived on. He loved to see men dance, and he loved to see them dance like men. He loved men so much, most of the time their costumes barely covered the "goods". He also drew inspiration from Native Americans, American folk dance, and American popular culture.

He didn't begin with his all male dance company however. During his first tour of America, when the company stopped in New York, Ted met his biggest collaborator to date. Someone who he collaborated with on the stage, and in life. He met his wife, and long time collaborator Ruth St. Dennis on that tour. I could write about what they did together forever, so I'll keep it short. Ruth and Ted created one of the most influential dance techniques in the Modern world. The Denishawn technique ruled modern dance until their divorce, and with this separation Ted created Jacob's Pillow and Ted Shawn and His Men Dancers. Another important collaborator that put Ted on the map was Norma Gould. Working with Norma put Ted in the first dance recorded on film, Dance of the Ages.

Most of Ted's life was spent with Ruth St. Dennis limiting his collaborations. However, after their split and Jacob's Pillow was founded, the list of people who can say they collaborated with him continues to grow. During his time at Jacob's Pillow, Ted asked that his students call him Papa. I think it is safe to say that he is indeed, the Papa of American Modern Dance.

Ted "Papa" Shawn

Ted Shawn, born Edwin Myers Shawn" on October 21st, 1891 in Kansas City, Missouri, is the original male modern dancer. Throughout his childhood, Ted began studying to become a minister. At the age of 19, he suffered from a case of diphtheria which left him paralyzed. As a form therapy, his doctor suggested dance. Dance therapy worked and after his full recovery, Ted decided to leave the ministry and pursue dance as a career.

When Ted finally arrived in New York City, he was hoping to enter a new stage for his career. That change would come in the form of a woman. Ruth St. Dennis and Ted Shawn met in New York City and instantly fell in love. They were married on August 13th, 1914 and without knowing it, formed an extremely powerful dance alliance. They started a company and school under the name Denishawn, which became the largest dance academy of its time. Ted was the business head of the school as well as the main technique teacher. Ruth was more of the creative, free-spirited side of the Denishawn school. If modern dancers of today traced their dance lineage, it would most likely find its way to the Denishawn techniques. A few famous modern dancers who trained at the Denishawn school are Martha Grahm, Doris Humphery, and Charles Weidman.

After their, Ted continued to work in the dance world. He found an old run down farm in Becket, Massachusetts and transformed it into what is now the largest summer dance festival. He created Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival. It was here that he formed his first modern dance company of all male dancers. He named it "Ted Shawn and his Men Dancers". With this company he made it acceptable for men to dance. Before, it was considered feminine if a man was good at dancing. He also broke the stereotype that men were to dance light and airy like ballet dancers. He made sure that the nearly 200 dances he choreographed throughout his career showcased the strength and virtuosity of his male dancers.

Ted Shawn died in 1972. He lived a very long and successful life and will forever go down in history as the original male modern dancer. Before his death he was knighted by the King of Denmark, and received two awards: the Capezio Award in 1957 and the Dance Magazine Award in 1970. If Ted Shawn were around today, I would shake his hand and thank him for breaking the mold and opening up the possibilities for every male dancer that followed him.

Who am I?

So I can tell you are dying to find out more about me. My "About Me" section just doesn't do me justice. Like I said, my name is Andrew Zanoni, I am 24, and currently working towards my BFA in Dance from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. I didn't start my dance training until I came to college, but my movement history began long before then.

When I was younger, I had tons of energy. I spent a lot of my time choreographing dances in my bedroom for my sister and me to perform for my parents in our living room. I would spend hours watching and rewinding tapes of music videos attempting to learn the dance breaks. I wasn't aware that training in dance was available to me, so instead I asked my parents if I could enroll in gymnastics. There was a gymnastics studio in town and I was enrolled immediately. I didn't last long, just two years, but the two years was enough for me. I was bitten by the physical bug and I wasn't going back.

Through middle school I wasn't too active, mostly because I was going through so many physical changes, but when high school came around I found the closest thing to dance: color guard. Although I never actually "danced", we had choreographed routines and that was good enough for me. In my freshman year, I auditioned for the musical and was cast. Within the first week of rehearsal however, I came down with a horrible cold and was kicked out of the show. When I look back at the situation now, I wish I had put up more of a fight with the director. Who knows, if I had made it through the entire production, I may have fallen in love with dance much soon then I have.

Graduation came around and it was off into the "real world". I did not come to UW-Milwaukee directly after high school. Instead, I worked full time at a gas station and paid my way through two part-time years at MATC (Milwaukee Area Technical College). Once I had enough credits to transfer out, I applied and was accepted to UW-Milwaukee. My first year at UWM was spent as a theatre major but it wasn't long until I noticed fliers for an audition. The audition was for another musical, and this time I would make it through the entire show. West Side Story introduced me to dance and I was hooked. The choreographer suggested I audition for the Dance Department and I did. When I was accepted into the department my world changed.

I was suddenly part of a new world with new vocabulary and new people. I probably looked like a dear caught in headlights throughout my entire first year. After my first year however, I became more comfortable with my technical ability as well as my creative skills. Now, I am in my last year and I feel like I've grown so much.

When I am asked about what my goals are and where my interests lie, I have a hard time explaining it. I am the type of person who goes with the flow and doesn't make long-term plans. As of right now, my goal is to graduate college. After that, who knows. I could stay in Milwaukee if I find work. I, of course, NEED to give New York City a shot. As a performer, I can't not go to NYC and test the waters. Who knows when I'll make it out there, but I will!

In regards to my work and what influences it, my life influences it. What is happening in my world and the entire world will influence the dances that I make. Because my world is so "small" right now (the same people, same teachers, same city), my art is mostly affected by what is happening with me as a person. I can't predict what I will be making a year from now, five years from now, or ten years from now. I will change and the world will change. The best thing for me to do is to take it day by day and see what happens.

This blog however, is not about me. This blog is about a modern dance choreographer who I have a particular interest in. Ted Shawn is the founding father of Jacob's Pillow and a very well known choreographer in the dance world. This blog will be about him and his accomplishments. I just thought you'd enjoy getting to know me ;)