May O'Donnell: Modern Dance Pioneer

O'Donnell's name is familiar in some dance circles, but certainly far less so than that of Martha Graham, with whom she trained and danced in the 1930s before establishing her own company. As the interviews included here attest, though, O'Donnell's teaching method and choreography had a pervasive, if subtle, influence on modern dance. Less a biography than a quasi-memoir, the book mostly consists of transcribed conversations Horosko had with O'Donnell about her lengthy career, interspersed with brief explanatory passages. In some ways, this approach preserves O'Donnell's voice, which is especially valuable in her discussion of the ideas behind her approach to dance; also useful for professionals is the included routine for an O'Donnell intermediate class, transcribed from a videotape. However, the reliance on O'Donnell's memory means there are inevitable gaps that will frustrate some readers, especially those who aren't already familiar with the woman who originated the role of the Pioneer Woman in Graham's Appalachian Spring, trained later-famous dancers like Robert Joffrey and Norman Walker and only in the late 1970s began receiving substantial accolades for the choreographic style she originated. A welcome appreciation of O'Donnell, this book whets the appetite for a more comprehensive volume. B&W photos.