How did Mary Wigman and Hanya Holm contribute to expressionist modern dance in Germany?

Mary Wigman and Hanya Holm were pivotal figures in the development of Ausdruckstanz, or expressionistic dance, in Germany during the early 20th century.1

Mary Wigman was a pioneer of modern expressive dance who formulated her own theories of movement, often performing without music or accompanied only by percussion. Her work as a dancer, innovator, and choreographer gained significant prominence after World War I, and her influence fundamentally changed the course of dance history in central Europe.2

Hanya Holm was a student of Wigman and served for several years as the chief instructor at Wigman’s Central Institute in Dresden. She also performed in and helped choreograph Wigman’s major work, Das Totenmal (1930).3

Together, they were instrumental in spreading this movement beyond Germany. In 1931, Wigman sent Holm to the United States to establish the Mary Wigman School in New York City, which later became the Hanya Holm School. Holm’s subsequent career in the U.S. emphasized both technical expertise and emotional expression, and she became a major influence on the development of American modern dance through her own concert works and choreography for Broadway musicals.23