Winter-Spring 2006 Newsletter

Salem High School Alumni Association Winter-Spring 2006 Vol. 22, No.1 Martha Hill ’18 Influenced American Dance The Juilliard School’s centennial celebration highlights the enormous influence of dancer and educator Martha Hill, a 1918 Salem High School gradu- ate. Hill was the first director of Juilliard’s Dance Division, which she led for 34 years. “She was so important in so many aspects of dance,” said Janet Soares, who was the head of Barnard College’s dance department until her recent retire- ment. Soares was a student of Hill’s at Juilliard in the 1950s and later served as her assistant. Soares used the personal papers Hill bequeathed her, interviews, and other research for a biography that is currently circulating among publishers. Hill was extremely influential in the merger of modern dance and ballet, and Courtesy of Juilliard School Archives in the development of choreography as Martha Hill was often surrounded by students who became famous. In this group from 1959-60 (left an American art form, according to to right) are Donald McKayle, who choreographed Broadway shows and films; William Louther, who Soares and Elizabeth McPherson, a danced on Broadway and in modern dance companies; Hill; Mabel Robinson, dancer and producer; doctoral student at New York University. for stage and film; Dudley Williams, longtime lead dancer with Alvin Aily American Dance Theater; and “Her idea was to train dancers who Pina Bausch, a ballet choreographer who is now considered “the queen of German dance theater.” could do anything, who could move of American art.” was conceived from what I had discov- from style to style,” McPherson said. Soares credits Hill with the now- ered in my life of dance,” Hill said in an McPherson is writing her dissertation accepted idea of bringing visiting artists interview excerpted on Juilliard’s from the perspective of four students Hill to campuses and hiring top professional website. “By the time I came to Juilliard, influenced. dancers to teach students. “She was a modern dance had pretty well estab- The authors attribute much of Hill’s very firm believer that you should learn lished itself, but there was still a great influence on generations of dancers and from the very best,” Soares said during a rivalry between ballet and modern audiences to two brilliant decisions. phone interview from her home in dance. It was just assumed that they Her first critical decision was to hire Arizona. She asserts that Hill’s choices mixed about as well as oil and water . Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey, Hanya of instructors and her own sensibilities Bill (Schuman, Juilliard’s president) and I Holm, and Charles Weidman – “the big as a faculty member helped develop brought them together under one roof four of modern dance” – to teach at the choreography as an American art form. and established what was probably the Summer School of Dance at Bennington Hill’s second critical decision was first dance program in the country to College. Later renamed the American requiring students to study both classical offer classes in both as well as dance Dance Festival and moved to Duke ballet and modern dance. Prior to Hill’s from other cultures,” she said. University, it still provides opportunities making this combination part of the In January, Soares moderated a panel for young students to see and learn from curriculum at Juilliard, one of the best discussion at the New York Library for outstanding dancers and choreogra- performing arts conservatories in the the Performing Arts on A Celebration of phers. The dance festival’s website nation, modern dancers intentionally Juilliard Dance: The Martha Hill Years. In describes Bennington in 1934 as “the separated themselves from ballet and addition to McPherson, the panelists unexpected scene of another American would not incorporate even basic classi- included June Dunbar, Hill’s assistant in revolution. It was a revolution that cal ballet poses in their performances. the 1950s and a long-time Juilliard managed to change irreversibly the face “I incorporated it all. The curriculum Continued on page 4 Alumni Association Board considers construction project As a result of two years of discussions wish list since the 1970s. toward making a decision about this and research about ways to advance the As the board analyzed the organiza- project, we would value the input from as mission of The Salem High School Alumni tion’s needs in recent years, the directors many alumni and friends as possible. Association, the Board of Directors is have talked over several options. During Please let members of the board know considering a monumental building these discussions it was suggested that your thoughts and potential involvement project. the association move to a larger building with this proposal via mail, email, or The Salem High School Alumni that could house not only an office, alumni personal conversation. Suggestions and Association’s primary mission is to award meeting space, and memorabilia exhibit offers of assistance will be especially scholarships to deserving Salem gradu- area, but also a banquet center that could welcome. ates who are expected to continue their be rented for class reunions, wedding The board members serving on the education in a manner that will bring credit receptions, company parties and other banquet facility exploratory committee are to Salem High School. Since 1908, the gatherings. It was suggested that the Ken Kenst [email protected], Frank association has awarded $3,438,262 in income from the rentals would provide Zamarelli at [email protected], total scholarships to 1,632 SHS gradu- revenue to increase the scholarship Matt Yerkey at [email protected], and ates. Just since 1996, 533 graduates have endowment and help SHS graduates Jeff Zimmerman at zimmerman4490@sbc shared $1,580,137 in scholarships. As the meet the rising cost of tuition. global.net. The email addresses of other endowment has grown, the board has Preliminary discussions with an archi- board members are: Melissa Moffett increased the number and size of the tect have provided the board with a rough Costa at [email protected], Janie scholarships. estimate of $3 million to cover the total Cleveland Mowery at janiemowery@hot The board also feels that the associa- cost of a new office, exhibit area, and mail.com, Lucia Apicella Fraser at tion’s secondary mission of keeping alive banquet facility. The board currently has [email protected], Tom Jesko at high school memories and friendships several suitable building sites in Salem [email protected], Connie through its newsletter and archives has under consideration. Christofaris Cranmer at cranmer@ been successfully carried out. However, As the current endowment fund cannot qccast.com, Addie Clutter Bender at the current office does not have adequate be used nor even pledged as collateral, [email protected], Grace Del Favero Finch space to display the contents of our the building project would need to be at [email protected], Barbara Erath growing memorabilia collection. funded completely with new donations by Plummer at [email protected], Rita Joseph Additionally, the long stairway up to the alumni and friends of the association. O´Leary at [email protected], and Madeline second floor office has been a problem for The board hopes the building project, if Patton Shivers at madelinepatton many alumni. Locating the office to a it is undertaken, will help to continue the @sbcglobal.net. ground floor facility with additional space proud tradition of the Salem High School - Kenneth Kenst ’68 for a museum has been on the board’s Alumni Association. As the board moves Sylvia Torti’s novel combines science, politics Sylvia Torti ’86 blends her work as an on her dissertation in Africa. American culture and politics, but her environmental researcher and her interest The novel draws on her experiences in close encounter with the uprising gave her in creative writing for her first novel, The Mexico during the early days of the a new appreciation of Mexico’s Scorpion’s Tail. Zapatista rebellion in 1994. She arrived in languages, culture, and history. In early “Science is just fascinating. It’s a whole Chiapas on Dec. 31, 1993, and got up the 1994, she felt like she was in the wrong way of knowing the world,” she said in a next day to begin a bird survey for a place at the wrong time. “These days I feel phone interview from Salt Lake City, research project. “We didn’t get very far,” like it was really good timing,” she said. where she is a she said, because rebels had taken Although she received a monetary research professor control of the area overnight. The rebels award when The Scorpion’s Tail won the at the University of allowed Torti and her colleagues to return Miguel Marmol Prize from Curbstone Utah. Her current to their hotel, where they expected the Press Inc. for the best debut work of research on birds controversy “to blow over” in a few days. fiction by a Latina/o writer in English, the examines how Instead, the military arrived shooting, and best part of the prize was its publishing ecology and physi- arresting indigenous people. contract. Curbstone is a non-profit ology affect their “We weren’t really in harm’s way, but it publisher of contemporary writing from singing. She was scary,” Torti said. The military men Latino, Latin American or Vietnamese received a National questioned her about her research and at cultures. The first press run of 3,000 Science one point accused her of being involved in books is selling well, and Torti said Foundation award the uprising. But, she thinks, her American another printing is planned this year.

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