Wisdom Comes Dancing: Selected Writings of Ruth St. Denis on Dance, Spirituality, and the Body
Ruth St. Denis (1878^-1968), called Miss Ruth by her students and admirers, is credited with creating modern dance in America, and, without question, inspired generations of dancers, including Martha Graham. A woman far ahead of her time, she challenged Victorian mores with her worship of beauty and the eloquence of the body and by dancing freely in revealing costumes to celebrate the sensual as well as the spiritual. Miss Ruth also wrote essays and poetry expressing, as editor Miller explains, her "philosophy of sacred dance, her belief in the role of women in peace-making, her innate love of the earth, and her ever-present connection to the divine." Her exalted prose and poetry articulate the mysticism inherent in her devotion to dance and her belief in humanity's ability to attain enlightenment. Miss Ruth's writings are introduced with a lively biographical profile and accompanied by elegant photographs of her in her stage roles and mystical poses.Donna Seaman