Martha Graham Teaching a Master Class

Photograph of Martha Graham teaching the opening series known as "the bounces" in at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance.

"There is one bit of technique, which takes sixteen beats, that I have always used to instruct students. Imagine that the crown of your head is on your feet and you must bring the rest of your head down to join it. Let the soles of your feet come together like a prayer. There is a high lift on the counts of two and four, with the entire body in a seated position rising from the floor. The movement is coming up from the base of your body to the top of your head." – Martha Graham

Photographer Unknown