“The dance is a communication between body and soul, to express what is too deep to find for words.”
Ruth St. Denis was a legendary pioneer of American modern dance and a “spiritual revolutionary” who looked upon the stage as an altar. Known as “The First Lady of American Dance,” she viewed movement not merely as entertainment, but as a sacred act capable of expressing the deepest longings of the soul and that the body should be a transparent vessel for the divine.
The Vision of Spiritual Dance
St. Denis was deeply inspired by Eastern philosophies and sought to bring a sense of the divine back to the Western theatre. She co-founded the famous Denishawn School, where she mentored many great dancers, but her most profound influence on the DUP came through her mentorship of Samuel Lewis.
Influence on the Dances
She championed the idea of “Spiritual Dance,” believing that the body could be a temple for divine expression. She encouraged Samuel Lewis to take his spiritual realisations and “put them into his feet.” It was her artistic encouragement and her belief that dance should be a form of prayer that gave Murshid Sam the confidence to develop the simple, rhythmic movements that define the Dances of Universal Peace today.
“Our bodies are at once the temple and the priest, and every movement we make is a ritual of the spirit.”
More links to learn about Ruth St Denis:
- The Jacob’s Pillow Dance Interactive: Jacob’s Pillow was co-founded by St. Denis and Ted Shawn. This site contains rare video clips and historical essays on her work.
- The Ruth St. Denis Papers (UCLA Library): While more academic, this is the home of her personal archives, journals, and photographs.
- Wisdom Comes Dancing: a beautifully illustrated collection of Ruth St. Denis’s poetry, journals, and iconic portraits that reveal the body as a temple for the divine.