Who is Martha Clarke?

Martha Clarke, born on June 3, 1944, is an American choreographer and dancer known for her emotionally evocative work that draws on theatrical elements. Clarke's early training included studies at the Perry-Mansfield School of Theater and Dance, summer sessions at Connecticut College School of Dance with José Limón and Alvin Ailey, and the Martha Graham technique at Juilliard. She later joined Anna Sokolow's modern dance company, which she credits with developing the emotional expressionism found in her work. In 1973, Clarke joined the Pilobolus Dance Theatre but left in 1979 due to internal conflicts. She then formed Crowsnest with Robert Barnett and Félix Blaska. Clarke's notable works include The Garden of Earthly Delights , Vienna: Lusthaus , and Angel Reapers . She has also directed operas and plays, such as The Magic Flute and Alice’s Adventures Underground .

What is a choreographer?

A choreographer is someone who practices choreography , the art of creating and arranging dances. Choreographers gather and organize movement into order and pattern. They are considered the authors of their works, similar to writers, composers, and painters. Martha Clarke (born June 3, 1944) is an American choreographer and dancer whose emotionally evocative work draws extensively on theatrical elements. Clarke's notable works include The Garden of Earthly Delights , Vienna: Lusthaus , and Angel Reapers .

What kind of performances does Martha Clarke create?

Martha Clarke is an American choreographer and dancer known for emotionally evocative work that incorporates theatrical elements. Some of her notable performances include: * Fallen Angel Clarke, clad in an evening gown and bird mask, danced to a Gregorian chant. * The Garden of Earthly Delights a phantasmagoric series of sketches based on the work of the 15th-century painter Hieronymus Bosch. * Vienna: Lusthaus evokes the decadence of fin de si\u00e8cle Europe. * Endangered Species considered the irony of human cruelty and animal gentleness and included live animals. * Ch\u00e9ri based on French author Colette’s 1920 novel.

How does Martha Clarke mix dance with other art forms?

Martha Clarke is an American choreographer and dancer whose emotionally evocative work draws extensively on theatrical elements. Clarke's creations often mix dance with other art forms: * She collaborated with actress Linda Hunt on performance art pieces, including A Metamorphosis in Miniature (1982), a musical adaptation of Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis . * In 1984 Clarke created The Garden of Earthly Delights , a series of sketches based on the work of the 15th-century painter Hieronymus Bosch. * Clarke directed plays and operas, including Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s The Magic Flute (1992) and Così Fan Tutte (1993) at Glimmerglass Opera, Cooperstown, New York, and Alice’s Adventures Underground (1994) for the Royal National Theater, London. * In the 21st century Clarke created such pieces as Sueño (2005), recalling Francisco Goya’s etching The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters (1797–99); Kaos (2006), inspired by the short stories of Italian author Luigi Pirandello; and Sandman (2008), based on the photographs by Diane Arbus.

How has Martha Clarke influenced modern dance and theater?

Martha Clarke is an American choreographer and dancer whose emotionally evocative work draws extensively on theatrical elements. After training with modern dance figures such as Jos\u00e9 Lim\u00f3n and Alvin Ailey , Clarke joined the Pilobolus Dance Theatre in 1973 and later formed her own chamber group, Crowsnest. Clarke's solo performances, such as Fallen Angel, and her collaborations, including A Metamorphosis in Miniature , were highly praised. Her work The Garden of Earthly Delights (1984), based on the work of Hieronymus Bosch, and later pieces like Vienna: Lusthaus , and The Hunger Artist , solidified her reputation for imaginative and dramatic dance-theater. In the 21st century, Clarke continued to create thought-provoking pieces such as Sue\u00f1o (2005) and Angel Reapers (2011).

Martha Clarke

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Born:: June 3, 1944, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. (age 82)

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Martha Clarke

American choreographer

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Who is Martha Clarke?
Martha Clarke, born on June 3, 1944, is an American choreographer and dancer known for her emotionally evocative work that draws on theatrical elements.

Clarke's early training included studies at the Perry-Mansfield School of Theater and Dance, summer sessions at Connecticut College School of Dance with José Limón and Alvin Ailey, and the Martha Graham technique at Juilliard. She later joined Anna Sokolow's modern dance company, which she credits with developing the emotional expressionism found in her work.

In 1973, Clarke joined the Pilobolus Dance Theatre but left in 1979 due to internal conflicts. She then formed Crowsnest with Robert Barnett and Félix Blaska. Clarke's notable works include The Garden of Earthly Delights, Vienna: Lusthaus, and Angel Reapers. She has also directed operas and plays, such as The Magic Flute and Alice’s Adventures Underground.
1 Britannica Source
1. Martha Clarke
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What is a choreographer?
A choreographer is someone who practices choreography, the art of creating and arranging dances. Choreographers gather and organize movement into order and pattern. They are considered the authors of their works, similar to writers, composers, and painters.

Martha Clarke (born June 3, 1944) is an American choreographer and dancer whose emotionally evocative work draws extensively on theatrical elements. Clarke's notable works include The Garden of Earthly Delights, Vienna: Lusthaus, and Angel Reapers.
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Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What kind of performances does Martha Clarke create?
Martha Clarke is an American choreographer and dancer known for emotionally evocative work that incorporates theatrical elements.

Some of her notable performances include:
* Fallen Angel Clarke, clad in an evening gown and bird mask, danced to a Gregorian chant.
* The Garden of Earthly Delights a phantasmagoric series of sketches based on the work of the 15th-century painter Hieronymus Bosch.
* Vienna: Lusthaus evokes the decadence of fin de si\u00e8cle Europe.
* Endangered Species considered the irony of human cruelty and animal gentleness and included live animals.
* Ch\u00e9ri based on French author Colette’s 1920 novel.
1 Britannica Source
1. Martha Clarke
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How does Martha Clarke mix dance with other art forms?
Martha Clarke is an American choreographer and dancer whose emotionally evocative work draws extensively on theatrical elements.

Clarke's creations often mix dance with other art forms:
* She collaborated with actress Linda Hunt on performance art pieces, including A Metamorphosis in Miniature (1982), a musical adaptation of Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis.
* In 1984 Clarke created The Garden of Earthly Delights, a series of sketches based on the work of the 15th-century painter Hieronymus Bosch.
* Clarke directed plays and operas, including Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s The Magic Flute (1992) and Così Fan Tutte (1993) at Glimmerglass Opera, Cooperstown, New York, and Alice’s Adventures Underground (1994) for the Royal National Theater, London.
* In the 21st century Clarke created such pieces as Sueño (2005), recalling Francisco Goya’s etching The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters (1797–99); Kaos (2006), inspired by the short stories of Italian author Luigi Pirandello; and Sandman (2008), based on the photographs by Diane Arbus.
1 Britannica Source
1. Martha Clarke
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What are some of Martha Clarke’s most famous works?
Martha Clarke is an American choreographer and dancer known for her emotionally evocative work that incorporates theatrical elements.

Some of Clarke's most famous works include:
* Fallen Angel, a solo piece in which she dances in an evening gown and bird mask to a Gregorian chant.
* A Metamorphosis in Miniature (1982), a musical adaptation of Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis.
* The Garden of Earthly Delights (1984), a series of sketches based on the work of Hieronymus Bosch.
* Vienna: Lusthaus (1986), which evokes the decadence of fin de siècle Europe.
* The Hunger Artist (1987), about the life of Kafka.
* Miracolo d’amore (1987–88), an exploration of erotic love.
1 Britannica Source
1. Martha Clarke
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How has Martha Clarke influenced modern dance and theater?
Martha Clarke is an American choreographer and dancer whose emotionally evocative work draws extensively on theatrical elements. After training with modern dance figures such as Jos\u00e9 Lim\u00f3n and Alvin Ailey, Clarke joined the Pilobolus Dance Theatre in 1973 and later formed her own chamber group, Crowsnest.

Clarke's solo performances, such as Fallen Angel, and her collaborations, including A Metamorphosis in Miniature, were highly praised. Her work The Garden of Earthly Delights (1984), based on the work of Hieronymus Bosch, and later pieces like Vienna: Lusthaus, and The Hunger Artist, solidified her reputation for imaginative and dramatic dance-theater. In the 21st century, Clarke continued to create thought-provoking pieces such as Sue\u00f1o (2005) and Angel Reapers (2011).
1 Britannica Source
1. Martha Clarke
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Martha Clarke (born June 3, 1944, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.) is an American choreographer and dancer whose emotionally evocative work draws extensively on theatrical elements.

Clarke studied at the exclusive Perry-Mansfield School of Theater and Dance in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. She attended summer sessions at the Connecticut College School of Dance, where she worked with José Límon and Alvin Ailey. At the Juilliard School in New York City she studied the Martha Graham technique and then joined the modern dance company of Anna Sokolow, under whose direction Clarke tapped what she later described as an emotional expressionism evident in all her subsequent work.

Clarke joined the Pilobolus Dance Theatre, a previously all-male acrobatic troupe, in 1973; intense competition and discord between members caused her to leave the group in 1979. With Robert Barnett and Félix Blaska, Clarke then formed Crowsnest, a chamber group. Her dramatic and imaginative solos—such as Fallen Angel, in which, clad in an evening gown and bird mask, she danced to a Gregorian chant—were highly praised. She worked with actress Linda Hunt on performance art pieces, including A Metamorphosis in Miniature (1982), a musical adaptation of Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis. In 1984 Clarke created a phantasmagoric series of sketches called The Garden of Earthly Delights, based on the work of the 15th-century painter Hieronymus Bosch. Her other works included Vienna: Lusthaus (1986), which evokes the decadence of fin de siècle Europe; The Hunger Artist (1987), about the life of Kafka; and Miracolo d’amore (1987–88), an exploration of erotic love that some critics called obscene.

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In 1990 Clarke staged Endangered Species at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York. The theatre piece was intended to consider the irony of human cruelty and animal gentleness, and its cast included a number of live animals, notably an elephant. Costly to mount and widely panned by critics, the production closed before its run was scheduled to end. In the wake of that disappointment Clarke focused on directing plays and operas, including Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s The Magic Flute (1992) and Così Fan Tutte (1993) at Glimmerglass Opera (later the Glimmerglass Festival), Cooperstown, New York, and Alice’s Adventures Underground (1994) for the Royal National Theater, London. She returned to full-length dance-theatre in 1995 with An Uncertain Hour, which was performed by Nederlands Dans Theater 3, a company of dancers over the age of 40. Clarke later created Vers la Flamme (1999; “Toward the Flame”), a piece drawing from Anton Chekhov’s short stories.

In the 21st century Clarke created such pieces as Sueño (2005), recalling Francisco Goya’s etching The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters (1797–99); Kaos (2006), inspired by the short stories of Italian author Luigi Pirandello; and Sandman (2008), based on the photographs by Diane Arbus. Clarke’s later works included Angel Reapers (2011; with text by Alfred Uhry), which explores the life of Ann Lee, the founder of the Shakers; Chéri (2013), based on French author Colette’s 1920 novel; and Canticle (God’s Fool) (2021), a narrative about St. Francis of Assisi.

Clarke was the subject of Martha Clarke, Light and Dark: A Dancer’s Journey, a 1981 Public Broadcasting Service documentary. She also was the recipient of a MacArthur Foundation fellowship (1990).

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Encyclopaedia Britannica.

Martha Clarke

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