Mary Wigman
| Mary Wigman | |
|---|---|
Mary Wigman (left)
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| Born |
Karoline Sophie Marie Wiegmann 13 November 1886 Hanover, German Empire |
| Died | 18 September 1973 (aged 86) West Berlin, West Germany |
| Nationality | German |
| Known for | modern dance and dance therapy |
| Movement | Expressionist dance |
Mary Wigman (born Marie Wiegmann, 13 November 1886 – 18 September 1973) was a German dancer, choreographer, notable as the pioneer of expressionist dance, dance therapy, and movement training without pointe shoes. She is considered one of the most important figures in the history of modern dance. She became one of the most iconic figures of Weimar German culture and her work was hailed for bringing the deepest of existential experiences to the stage.
Karoline Sophie Marie Wiegmann was born in Hanover, Germany.
She came to dance comparatively late after seeing three students of Émile Jaques-Dalcroze, who aimed to approach music through movement using three equally-important elements: solfège, improvisation and his own system of movements, eurhythmics. Another key early experience was a solo concert by Grete Wiesenthal.
In 1913, she was introduced to Rudolf von Laban and following his lead, she worked upon a technique based in contrasts of movement; expansion and contraction, pulling and pushing. During the First World War she worked as Laban's assistant in Leipzig.
In 1918, she had a nervous breakdown.
In 1920, Wigman was offered the post of ballet mistress at the Dresden Opera House, but conflict cut this short.
In the school year 1920/1921, Wigman instead started her own dance school which became known as "Dresden Central School" or simply "Mary Wigman-Schule", a center of new, expressionist dance. The rivalry and competition between her new school and the old schools of dance in Dresden emerged, especially with the Palucca School of Dance.
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