Edith Segal (November 11, 1902 – 1997) was a
Jewish-American choreographer
Choreography is the art or practice of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which motion or form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design itself. A choreographer is one who cr ...
,
dance
Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...
r,
poet and
songwriter.
Early life
Born and raised in New York City to immigrant parents, Segal chose to pursue a professional career in dance against the wishes of her mother who called her a “bummarke” (
Yiddish
Yiddish (, or , ''yidish'' or ''idish'', , ; , ''Yidish-Taytsh'', ) is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated during the 9th century in Central Europe, providing the nascent Ashkenazi community with a ver ...
for bum).
[Perelman, Josh. “Choreographing Identity: Modern Dance and American Jewish Life, 1924–1954” (New York University, 2008). ISBN 978-0-87081-941- 4"] She soon became a dance student of the highly regarded
Blanche Talmud, and later earned a scholarship with ballet dancer
Michael Mordkin.
Early career
An early supporter of the
Soviet Union, in 1929 she formed a dance company known as the
Red Dancers.
Some of her first works were in tribute to
VI Lenin and were performed at a memorial she organized for him. The next year, along with other American artists, she visited the Soviet Union and upon returning declared with the others that "Art is a weapon".
During this period she also studied with
Martha Graham
Martha Graham (May 11, 1894 – April 1, 1991) was an American modern dancer and choreographer. Her style, the Graham technique, reshaped American dance and is still taught worldwide.
Graham danced and taught for over seventy years. She wa ...
.
[Mickenberg, Julia. "Tales For Little Rebels: A Collection of Radical Children's Literature" (New York University, 2008). "]
In 1930 she created her best-known work, ''Black and White'', along with
Allison Burroughs which was one of the first interracial dance performances in the United States.
["Manning, Susan. "Modern, Dance, Negro Dance, Race In Motion" (University of Minnesota, 2006) ISBN 0-8166- 3736-9.] ''Black And White'' has been noted as the signature work in American leftist dance.
Other Segal choreographed works on race relations included ''Scottsboro'', ''Third Degree'' and ''Southern Holiday''. In addition to civil rights themes, Segal created many dances around Jewish cultural themes as well as worker’s rights, always sympathetic to communist causes.
During the Red Scare in the 1950s she was called to testify before the
New York state legislature investigating committee regarding her communist ties.
Later career
Retiring as a professional dancer in the late 1930s, Segal became a dance teacher and was active for decades at the progressive Jewish
Camp Kinderland. She published numerous books of poetry around progressive themes, often illustrated by her artist husband
Samuel Kamen. Well known progressives including
Langston Hughes
James Mercer Langston Hughes (February 1, 1901 – May 22, 1967) was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist from Joplin, Missouri. One of the earliest innovators of the literary art form called jazz poetry, Hug ...
and
Dr. Spock
Benjamin McLane Spock (May 2, 1903 – March 15, 1998) was an American pediatrician and left-wing political activist whose book '' Baby and Child Care'' (1946) is one of the best-selling books of the twentieth century, selling 500,000 copie ...
praised her writings.
She died in
New York City in 1997.
References
External links
Edith Segal papers, 1920–1997Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library.
Edith Segal papers, Additions, 1915–1991Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Segal, Edith
1902 births
1997 deaths
Jewish American writers
Jewish American songwriters
Poets from New York (state)
20th-century American poets
American women poets
20th-century American women writers
20th-century American musicians
20th-century American Jews