Martha Graham Took Classic Ballet and Turned It Into Modern Dance. It’s Still Moving Us 100 Years Later

The Martha Graham Dance Company, the oldest professional dance troupe in the United States, is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a worldwide centennial tour. The company is marking the milestone by performing Graham's classic works, like the 1946 ballet *Cave of the Heart*, alongside newer commissions that continue her innovative legacy.

This centennial underscores Graham's foundational role in creating an American art form. She revolutionized dance by breaking from classical ballet's fluidity, introducing a sharp, angular, and emotionally charged movement vocabulary that told profound stories. Her influence extends beyond choreography to stage and costume design, cementing her status as a pivotal figure whose artistic language continues to shape modern dance a century later.