Martha Graham in Serenata Morisca (1916)

Photograph of Martha Graham in Serenata Morisca (1916).

"Ted Shawn had choreographed a solo called "Serenata Morisca", a Moorish dance, and I was allowed to teach it in four lessons at the school. One day he was trying to decide which dancers would perform this on the road. The lead dancer had fallen ill. He looked over the dancers on the platform, then over to where I was sitting. 'It's too bad Martha doesn't know a dance. If she did she might replace her.' I stood up to him and said that I could dance Serenata Morisca. He said, 'Really, Martha? You've never danced. You've never studied with me. How can you do it?' I got up quickly, hastily put on a skirt, and did Serenata Morisca. I went up to him afterword and said a bit breathlessly, 'Was it so terrible?' He said, 'No, that is always how I wanted it to be performed. And you'll do it in San Diego.' " – Martha Graham

Choreography by Ted Shawn
Photograph by White Studio