3- By Martha Graham

Duration: 1600

Year Published: 1969

Creator: Pyramid Film and Video (PYR)

Complete Record: Martha Graham and her dance company present three modern dances. This film contains part 3 of 3: pt. 3. Seraphic dialog (27 min.) The film begins with still images of Martha Graham and her dance company on stage performing in elaborate costume. The first performance is called “Seraphic Dialogue”. It begins with four people on stage, three of which are in long black robes, while the fourth person, Martha Graham is in a long red dress. Graham begins to dance in a modern expressive style. Others join Graham on stage and begin to dance in the same style. Graham stops dancing, and a woman in blue begins to dance by herself. She dances towards a metal sculpture and appear to be directing her emotional movements towards the sculpture. Two women join her on stage and drape a cape around her shoulders; all three sit down and Graham begins to dance again, also towards the metal sculpture. Three performers, two women and Robert Powell, who have been motionless in the background thus far begin to dance towards the woman in blue and three performers around her. Powell places his hand on a woman in a white top and brown tights, he moves backwards and she moves towards him until they are in the middle of the stage. Powell grabs what appears to be a large sword that was attached to the metal sculpture. They perform dance that simulates a struggle, eventually the man stabs the woman. They continue dancing, the woman is now mainly dancing with the sword, two performers join them. Graham begins to dance again. Another performer is draped in a red velvet cape, she dances the cape is removed and she is holding a metal cross up towards the metal sculpture as if offering or praying. She begins a performance with the cross. She stops dancing and embraces the sculpture. Powell begins to dance towards the sculpture, he carries the woman embracing the sculpture to the middle of the stage and he performs around her until she draped in a red cape again. Graham, now in a long white long sleeved dress walks onto the stage and towards the sculpture. Three women in cape walk off the stage and Graham dances to the middle and then stands against Powell, her back to his chest, as two performers close a metal gate like door in font of them.