Margaret Morris
It seems that every moment of this womyn's life was centered
around sharing the arts of dance. Margaret had been dancing
from a very young age and by the precocious age of twelve had
begun to reject the strict nature of classical ballet. In 1909 she met
Raymond Duncan, brother of Isadora Duncan, who taught her the
six Greek positions, adapted from images on ancient Greek vases.
She elaborated on these to produce her own dance system aiming at
naturalism and freedom.
In 1922 is when she started the first educational school in England
to combine educational subjects with educational training in
dancing and acting. John Fergusson Duncan became the
art director of all her schools. The students' curriculum included
acting, dance composition and improvisation, Dance Notation,
design, and painting.
She was the first proponent of the Isadora Duncan technique
in Great Britain. She founded the Margaret Morris Movement,
Celtic Ballet, and two Scottish National Ballets in Glasgow (1947)
and in Pitlochry (1960).
I am in awe of her curriculum for the educational school.
As of 1925, the syllabus included all of the following:
- The Margaret Morris method of physical culture and dancing
- Dance composition
- Theory of movement : Breathing
- Theory of practice of teaching
- Paining, design and sculpture
- Notation of movement
- Property and mask making
- Dressmaking
- Music training
- Class singing
- Musical composition
- Literature; study of words; writing of plays and poems; essays
- Diction and acting
- Lecturing and discussion
- Stage management, including lighting
- Production of play and ballets
- General organisation and business management
- Swimming
- Ballroom dancing