Martha Graham (1894-1991) is one of the most important American dancers and artists of the 20th century. Time Magazine named her “Dancer of the Century” in 1988 and her influence in dance has been compared to Picasso’s influence in art. A pioneer in the creation and development of modern dance, Graham created a dance technique that has been compared to ballet in its scope and magnitude. Ancient Greek Mythology, Greek Drama, and the culture of the Greeks became a significant source of inspiration in her work.
Martha Graham and Greek Myth is a initiative combining classical philology and live dance to explore Martha Graham’s use of Ancient Greek mythology and the portrayal of Ancient Greek heroes in her work. The project highlights Greece’s cultural heritage and underscores the immense influence of the Ancient Greeks on American culture and the arts.
As part of her work on Classics outreach, work dedicated to bringing together the study of the Ancient Greek World with other disciplines and making it accessible and relevant to the broad public, Nina conceived and created Martha Graham and Greek Myth, an initiative combining classical philology and live dance to explore Martha Graham’s use of Ancient Greek mythology and the portrayal of Ancient Greek heroes in her work. The initiative highlights Greece’s cultural heritage and underscores the immense influence of the Ancient Greeks on American culture and the arts.
For the initiative Nina draws on her love and study of the Graham technique and her scholarly expertise in Ancient Greek literature. Nina has published both scholarly and public-facing articles on Martha Graham’s reimagining of the myth of Medea, the myth of Theseus, Ariadne and the Minotaur, the myth of Oedipus and Jocasta, and the myth of Clytemnestra, and has given a number of presentations and talks at conferences and colleges in Greece, the US, the UK, France, Italy and Portugal.
Martha Graham and Greek Myth spreads awareness about ancient Greek culture, ancient Greek art and its influence in modern art, myth and modern dance, and the work of Martha Graham through its social media Instagram and Facebook accounts. At the same time, it provides information on activities, events, performances, and talks that center on the intersection between Classics, myth, ancient drama, and dance.
An invaluable part of the initiative is a series of presentations on Graham’s Greek-themed works. To bring these presentations to life, Nina collaborates with Penny Diamantopoulou, renowned Graham technique and repertory instructor in Athens and a former dancer with the Martha Graham Dance Ensemble, and with a group of professional dancers from Greece, all extensively trained in the Graham technique and repertory. Having trained in a number of dance forms from the age of 9, Nina studied the Graham technique with Penny from 2001-2003 and is thrilled to be collaborating with her again, this time professionally, after so many years. The project operates with the support and permission of the Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance in New York.
Each presentation centers on a particular myth, work or theme and integrates live dance performances into an engaging and informative talk. Papathanasopoulou presents an overview of Martha Graham’s technique and vision; examines Graham’s approach to Greek mythology and her use of Greek tragedy and epic; and explores her groundbreaking portrayals of the Greek heroes and their intense emotions – anger, grief, jealousy, fear, and revenge. Meanwhile, throughout each presentation professional dancers perform excerpts from Martha Graham’s Greek-inspired works, reconstructed and restaged by Penny Diamantopoulou.
In 2022 Nina and her team launched the production of their first presentation, now titled Martha Graham and Greek Myth: Jocasta. An article on Graham’s deep inspiration from Ancient Greek culture and the significance of the Martha Graham and Greek Myth initiative can be found here. One can also read about the project’s international recognition here, as Graham for Europe, an organization dedicated to promoting Graham’s legacy in Europe chose our Martha Graham and Greek Myth presentation as the closing event of their 1st and 2nd Graham Summer Intensive in Paris, France in July 2023 and Venice, Italy in July 2024 respectively.
The team’s second presentation, Martha Graham and Greek Myth: Clytemnestra premiered at Eler – Eleni Erimou Theater in Athens in March 2025.
Martha Graham and Greek Myth provides a unique opportunity for audiences in Greece to learn about Graham’s approach to myth and her relationship to the Greeks; rethink the Greek myths through Graham’s perspective; discover some of Graham’s stunning works and enjoy excerpts from them up close.
PROJECT GOALS
- Increasing public awareness of Greece’s cultural heritage and the influence of the Ancient Greeks on American culture and the arts
- Highlighting the contribution of American modern and contemporary dance to the preservation and reinvention of ancient Greek culture
- Demonstrating the potential of underexplored interdisciplinarity: Classics and dance
- Providing the broader public with access to and appreciation of an academic analysis of Greek myth and Greek tragedy
- Underscoring the diversity of valid approaches to the interpretation of Greek myth and tragedy
- Rekindling public interest in Greek myth and Greek drama
- Promoting appreciation for the value of modern dance and the Graham technique as a unique and groundbreaking form of expression and communication
