THE 2025 GRAHAM 2 HOLIDAY EVENT
The family-friendly program includes an excerpt of Ritual to the Sun from Act of Lights (1981), the beloved Diversion of Angels (1948), and an excerpt of a dance with a French flair, La Guinguette de la Marne, by Graham 2 Director Virginie Mécène. The holiday event will feature crafts, snacks, and goodie bags for younger audience members, and a chance to dance and be photographed with the dancers!
There will be a special raffle drawing with prizes that include a ticket to one of the Martha Graham Dance Company’s 100th anniversary performances at New York City Center, a ticket to Graham 2’s 2026 New York Season, and other exciting items.
SHOWTIMES:
Friday DECEMBER 5 at 7:00pm
Saturday DECEMBER 6 at 3:00pm and 6:00pm
TICKETS:
$35 adult / $15 student / $10 children under 12
Graham 2 is a company that draws from the most advanced dancers of the Martha Graham School.
Serving as a bridge between the Graham School and the Martha Graham Dance Company, the mission of Graham 2 is to elevate the Graham tradition to younger audiences, diverse cultural communities, and smaller venues all while serving as a springboard for young dancers before entering the professional dance world.
GRAHAM 2 OFFERINGS
GRAHAM 2 brings an exhilarating dance experience to theaters, schools, community centers, and other venues. The performance begins with an introduction of GRAHAM 2 by the Artistic Director, a brief history of Martha Graham, and an overview of the dances to be performed. GRAHAM 2 will then perform works and excerpts from the Martha Graham repertory and of other choreographers who work in the Martha Graham tradition. Following the performance, the audience is treated to a full question / answer session with the Artistic Director, dancers, and technical crew.
This behind-the-scenes look reveals the preparation required to produce an evening of dance and for dancers to adapt to a new performance venue. The Stage Manager welcomes visitors and explains what happens in a “technical rehearsal,” such as setting lights, sound levels, and all “cues.” The audience will observe the dancers “spacing” the dances and learning entrances and exits. An open “tech” rehearsal includes a complete run-through of the work being rehearsed. The length of this offering depends upon the discretion of the presenter, as actual technical rehearsals run from 1 to 5 hours.
The Lecture Demonstration illustrates how a Martha Graham dancer is trained. GRAHAM 2 Director begins with a brief introduction about Martha Graham’s life, philosophy, and her impact on American Modern Dance and the fundamental elements of Ms.Graham’s technique are demonstrated by GRAHAM 2 dancers. The class proceeds from floor work to standing phrases to leaps across the floor and demonstrations of her dramatic falls to the floor. Then, excerpts from dances are presented and briefly commented on by the Artistic Director before each selection. A question and answer session for audience and dancers concludes the program. Lecture / Demonstrations last approximately one hour and can be adjusted to fit available time.
Master Classes provide a unique opportunity to explore the principles of the technique of Martha Graham, recognized as the foundation for contemporary dance forms that have followed. The Master Class consists of the three components that make up the Graham Technique Class: Floor Work, Center Work, and Across-the-Floor. The class is designed based upon the age group, skill level, and previous dance experience of the student body. The class may be taught at the Introductory, Intermediate, or Advanced technique level. Master Classes are taught by a faculty member of the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance and demonstrated by members of GRAHAM 2.
Each class is 1 1/2 hours in length and can accommodate 30 students based upon the size of the space available.
A Master class prior to an open rehearsal can be booked at the School.
A Lecture Demonstration followed by a Master Class lasts 2 hours.
The three classroom sections of the Master Class are shortened by 10 minutes each, followed by a video presentation of a dance choreographed by Martha Graham. We conclude with a question and answer discussion with the teacher, demonstrator, and students. Total time is 1 hour, 45 minutes.