Video of Martha Graham’s “Seraphic Dialogue”
 Will Be Screened at Long Island University-Brooklyn

Brooklyn, N.Y. – In its film series on dance, Long Island University’s Brooklyn Campus will present a video screening of Martha Graham’s “Seraphic Dialogue.” Former principal dancer, Mary Hinkson, who dances the lead in the video, will introduce the work and conduct a discussion

The screening will take place on Wednesday, October 13, at noon, in the Spike Lee Screening Room (LLC 122), as part of the Dance Department’s free “Afternoons at LIU” concert series.

Choreographed in 1955, the work depicts the dynamic aspects of the life of Joan of Arc as a maiden, warrior and martyr and the glorification of the martyr.

Recognized as a primal force from the beginning of her career, Martha Graham (1894-1991) has been compared to Picasso and Stravinsky because of her artistic brilliance and dominance of her art form. Choreographers and dancers acknowledge that Graham made the single most significant contribution to dance in the 20th century with her original movement technique and her monumental body of dance works, 181 ballets.

As a principal dancer with the Martha Graham Company from 1952-1973, Hinkson performed many of Graham’s roles in “Clytemnestra,” “Deaths and Entrances,” ”Cave of the Heart” and Dark Meadow. The ballet, “Circe,” was choreographed especially for her.

 Hinkson was also a principal dancer with the New York City Opera under the direction of John Butler, and also created the female role in Donald McKayle’s classic work, “Rainbow Round My Shoulder.” As a guest with the New York City Ballet she appeared in George Balanchine’s “The Figure in the Carpet” with Arthur Mitchell.

Hinkson has taught master classes and workshops to the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Garth Fagan Dance Company, the José Limón Company, the North Carolina School of the Arts and Philadanco, among others, in addition to introducing the Graham Technique to the Royal Danish Ballet, The Stuttgart Ballet, The Dance Theatre of Harlem and the Joffrey Ballet.

The Dance Department of Long Island University’s Brooklyn Campus developed its “Afternoons at LIU” series of dance concerts more than a decade ago to make dance artists accessible to students and the public. The department offers a B.F.A. in Dance, with concentrations in performance and choreography.  

For more information, call Noel Hall at (718) 488-3355.

Located at the corner of Flatbush Avenue Extension and DeKalb Avenue in Downtown Brooklyn, Long Island University’s Brooklyn Campus is accessible to all major bus and subway routes and the Long Island Rail Road.