By JESSICA NEU

Founded by Martha Graham in 1926, the acclaimed Martha Graham Dance Company is the oldest dance company and the oldest integrated dance company in the United States. Hailed by the Washington Post as “one of the seven wonders of the artistic universe,” the company brought five moving pieces out of its repertoire of 181 works to the Byham Theater last night. Celebrating its 100th anniversary and part of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust‘s Pittsburgh Dance Council 2025-26 season, the Martha Graham Dance Company proved that it is still an innovative and prolific force in the dance world. 

The emotional solo piece “Immediate Tragedy” began the program. Choreographed by Martha Graham, reimagined by Janet Eilber, and performed by Anne Souder, the piece depicts resistance to the rise of fascism in Europe in the late 1930s, during the Spanish Civil War. The piece premiered in 1937, and Graham dedicated it to the women of Spain who faced adversity while protesting the fascist regime. In the spirit of history repeating itself, the piece’s introduction drew a few applause and snickers from the crowd, noting the timely relevance of “Immediate Tragedy.” Souder took the stage for this modern dance piece in a plain white T-shirt, bright red bow, and flowing skirt with a bold red lining. Her performance was marked with profound control. Slow, controlled, and balanced leg extensions depicted a woman’s calm tenacity during tumultuous times. Intricate floor work found Souder twisting, turning, and reaching with clenched fists.  Fueled by frustration and lamenting grief, Souder repeatedly and dramatically rose from the floor before falling back down, representing the struggle of any woman who has ever fought against a militant takeover, or simply fought for her own rights. 

Next was the 1935 piece, “Panorama.” This special piece featured roughly thirty dancers from Point Park University. The piece depicts the power of individuals coming together to make change in the face of danger. Graham’s innovative choreography allows dancers to create intricate geometric patterns as they move in counterpoint and in unison. Clad in plain bright-red two-piece costumes, the PPU dance students brought “Panorama” to life. The word panorama implies an unbroken view of a whole area. The dancers took the stage in groups, filling the entire stage, creating a wide-angle view of citizens in action. Composer Henry Cowell’s militant orchestration, marked with drums and horns, rang out as dancers marched in unison as though they were forging ahead against a common enemy. Right, left, right, left, the dancers remained in constant motion, moving in circular patterns and leaping across the stage as if seeking a new sense of hope. Staccato arm movements created powerful imagery as the music swelled to a powerful crescendo. The local students certainly brought Graham’s historic piece to life, proving its relevancy 101 years after its debut. 

The new, highly acclaimed piece “En Masse” closed out the first act before a brief pause for intermission. The longest piece of the act one, “En Masse,” premiered in 2025 as part of the company’s centennial celebration. Choreographed by Hope Boykin, “En Masse,” the score for “En Masse” is an expansion of “Vivace” by Christopher Rountree. The score also features posthumous, original, never-before-heard music by famed composer Leonard Bernstein. It is believed that Bernstein composed this music specifically for Graham in the 1980s. “En Masse” featured eight dancers performing in unison and individually. The piece explores themes of community and connection despite physical limitations or restrictions. Boykin’s choreography is gentle yet dramatic. Dancers executed deep plies, quick turns in releve, and beautifully turned-out passes. The use of stretch bands during intricate floor work highlighted the physical restrictions we sometimes face when we attempt to connect with others. The score contained elements of drama, with soloists lit by a single spotlight as they recoiled and trembled with emotion, but also Fosse-esque up-tempo elements that allowed dancers to thrive in jazz and modern ballet choreography. Ultimately, “En Masse” left audiences with a sense of rebirth and a reason to rejoice. 

After a brief intermission,  Xin Ying took the stage for Graham’s famous piece, “Lamentation.” Cloaked in purple fabric that constricts her arms and legs, Ying beautifully executed this provocative, ground-breaking piece from 1930. Ying remained seated for nearly the entire performance, creating images of tension, struggle, and grief. Graham created “Lamentation” as an outlet when she was struggling to find a way to express real human emotion on stage. It seemed that Ying’s performance was no less powerful than that of the dancers who originally brought “Lamentation” to life. This piece helped to embed contemporary dance as a mainstream genre in the dance world and nearly 100 years later, contemporary dance and contemporary ballet are still very much alive and relevant. 

The Company’s centennial celebration ended with the powerful piece, “We the People.” Choreographed by Jamar Roberts and music by Rhiannon Giddens, “We the People” premiered in 2023. Eleven dancers take the stage for this piece, divided into four sections. Each section begins with an interlude where the dancers perform in silence. The Byham became eerily calm in these moments, proving silence is possibly a more powerful piece of performance than orchestrated music. The silence represents equal parts lamentation, protest, and the power of coming together to evoke change (all were common themes throughout the show). Once the silence broke, the dancers executed Robert’s energetic choreography with ease. They reveled in the sounds of fiddles and folk music almost as if they were at a local line dance. Intricate partner work, lifts, and energy were perfectly juxtaposed with stillness, a simple head tilt, and the powerful push-pull that can come from a bent elbow and raised fist. Dancers changed tempo and direction as they remained hopeful in their pursuit of what I interpreted as a plea for democracy. Haunting visuals of a man being knocked down marked the end of this thought-provoking piece, priming audiences for a rich post-show discussion on the dangers of ignoring history. 

This vibrant centennial performance shows how innovative, well-developed, ground-breaking dance can remain a relevant art form and powerful tool for social commentary. Even in our current era of digital platforms, instant gratification, shorts, and reels, the Martha Graham Dance Company proves that technique, beautiful movement metaphors, and allegories can still be celebrated. 

Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s Pittsburgh Dance Council series next performance is by Step Afrika! at the Byham Theater on February 13, 2026 |https://trustarts.org/pct_home/events/series/pittsburgh-dance-council

Categories: Arts and Ideas