Born: 20 January 1879, United States
Died: 21 July 1968
Country most active: United States
Also known as: Ruth Dennis
The following is republished from the Library of Congress. This piece falls under under public domain, as copyright does not apply to “any work of the U.S. Government” where “a work prepared by an officer or employee of the U.S. Government as part of that person’s official duties” (See, 17 U.S.C. §§ 101, 105).
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.