Erdman, Jean

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Jean Erdman was born in 1916. A native of Honolulu, she began her formal dance instruction at Sarah Lawrence College. Her career as professional dancer began in 1938 as a member of Martha Graham Dance Company, and in the same year she married Joseph Campbell, a professor at Sarah Lawrence College and noted mythologist. In 1943 Erdman began her solo career. Soon afterwards she founded her own company, and in 1948 she founded the Jean Erdman School of Dance. The period from the 1940s to 1960s was a period of intense choreographing, dancing, teaching, and touring. During these years she choreographed and performed her own works in New York City and throughout the United States and Canada, in cooperation with the Arts Program of the Association of American Colleges. She also conducted several world tours. In 1955 she was the first American dancer to perform in Japan after World War II, and also held performances in India, and several European countries. At the same time, Erdman's career as dance instructor in academic institutions developed. She gave numerous lecture-demonstrations and master classes in American colleges throughout the United States. In 1949-1955 she was Artist-in-Residence and head of the Dance Department at the University of Colorado. In 1954-1957 she served as Head of Dance Department and Director at Bard College. She was a founding member of the Dance Theater Program for the School of the Arts at New York University, where she remained from 1967 until 1972. As faculty member and dance instructor, her contribution was significant in adding a theater art dimension to American college dance, which to that date focused largely on physical education. Reflecting her interests in different cultural traditions through the looking-glass of dance, Erdman participated in several academic conferences and published a number of articles on modern dance and Japanese theater and dance. Throughout her career Erdman choreographed numerous pieces for solo and group dances, often joining forces with visual artists and composers who produced works specifically for these collaborative pieces. Some of the noted composers and designers with whom Erdman collaborated include John Cage, Henry Cowell, Lou Harrison, Louis Horst, Paul Jenkins, Ezra Laderman, Peter Max, Ralph Lee, as well as Teiji Ito, with whom she worked closely for several years, and who was a vital member of the Theater of the Open Eye. Eleven of her early choreographed pieces from the 1940s and 1950s were later reproduced and recorded in a three-volume documentary series, Dance and Myth: The World of Jean Erdman . Through an ongoing creative exchange with her husband's research, Erdman's search for a more abstract direction to American Modern Dance led her to create innovative and challenging choreographed works, in an ever-renewing language. Erdman's most celebrated production, The Coach with the Six Insides, was a turning point in her career. Based on James Joyce's Finnegan's Wake and partly inspired by her husband's own research on James Joyce, Erdman created a work that won the 1962 Vernon-Rice and OBIE Awards. Erdman's three-act event opened in November 1962, went on tour in the U.S. and Canada as well as Europe and Japan, and was later revived twice, in 1977-1978 and 1981-1982. As she stated herself in one of the numerous interviews she gave, the success and royalties she received from The Coach gave her the means to open her own theater and fulfill her artistic vision with much greater freedom than before. Certainly this is evident in the prolific creativity of the 1970s. In 1972 Erdman and Joseph Campbell founded the Theater of the Open Eye, an institution that aimed at creating dance-based works following the concept of Total Theater, and became the venue of many of Campbell's talks and seminars. Erdman served as the artistic director of the Theater of the Open Eye for fifteen years, during which she directed and produced several shows. Erdman's productions there all display her interest in blending Total Theater with literary and mythological explorations. Productions from this period include works such as Moon Mysteries, Paul Gauguin in Tahiti, and The Shining House, while other projects created under her direction at the Theater of the Open Eye included residency programs, and several shows for Children's Theater. After the death of Joseph Campbell in 1987, Erdman moved back to Honolulu, where she still resides to this date.

From the guide to the Jean Erdman papers, 1925-2001, 1935-1996, (The New York Public Library. Jerome Robbins Dance Division.)

Dancer.

From the description of Reminiscences of Jean Erdman : oral history, 1979. (Columbia University In the City of New York). WorldCat record id: 122564901

Born in 1916, American dancer, choreographer, and teacher Jean Erdman, had a lengthy and singular career.

A native of Honolulu, she had an interest in ethnic dance forms early on, but she began her formal dance instruction at Sarah Lawrence College. Her career as professional dancer began in 1938 as a member of the Martha Graham Dance Company, and in the same year she married Joseph Campbell, a professor at Sarah Lawrence College and noted mythologist. In 1943, Erdman began her solo career. Soon afterwards she founded her own company, and, in 1948, she started the Jean Erdman School of Dance. The period from the 1940s to the 1960s was a time of intense activity. During these years, she choreographed and performed her own works in New York City and throughout North America. She also conducted several world tours. At the same time, she developed associations with several academic institutions, including the University of Colorado, Bard College, and New York University. Throughout her career, she created numerous solos, as well as group dances, often joining forces with visual artists and composers who produced works specifically for these collaborative pieces. Some of the noted composers and designers with whom Erdman collaborated include John Cage, Henry Cowell, Lou Harrison, Louis Horst, Paul Jenkins, Ezra Laderman, Peter Max, as well as Teiji Itō, with whom she worked closely for several years, and who was a vital member of the Theater of the Open Eye. Erdman also often worked closely with Campbell; her most celebrated production, The Coach with the Six Insides (partly inspired by Campbell's research), was a turning point in her career. Based on James Joyce's Finnegan's Wake, the success and royalties she received from this piece gave her the means to open her own theater and fulfill her artistic vision with much greater freedom than before. Certainly this is evident in the prolific creativity of the 1970s. In 1972, Erdman and Campbell founded the Theater of the Open Eye, which became the venue for many of Campbell's talks and seminars. Erdman served as the artistic director of the Theater of the Open Eye for fifteen year and was responsible for several productions, including Moon Mysteries, Paul Gaugin in Tahiti, and The Shining House. After the death of Campbell in 1987, Erdman moved back to Honolulu.

From the description of Jean Erdman papers, 1925-2001 (bulk 1935-1996) (New York Public Library). WorldCat record id: 84647458

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Marchowsky, Marie. [Programs] New York Public Libraries for the Performing Arts, Dance Collection
referencedIn Cummings, E. E. (Edward Estlin), 1894-1962. Papers, 1870-1969 Houghton Library
creatorOf Cage, John. Credo in us : music for the dance which was made by Merce Cunningham and Jean Erdman / John Cage. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Erdman, Jean. Miscellaneous manuscripts. New York Public Libraries for the Performing Arts, Dance Collection
creatorOf Erdman, Jean,. Interview with Jean Erdman. New York Public Libraries for the Performing Arts, Dance Collection
creatorOf Cage, John. Construction in metal / John Cage. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Harrison, Lou, 1917-2003. Counterdance in the spring / Lou Harrison. Northwestern University
creatorOf Jean Erdman papers, 1925-2001, 1935-1996 The New York Public Library. Jerome Robbins Dance Division.
creatorOf Cage, John. Jean's trio, original form / [John Cage]. Northwestern University
creatorOf Erdman, Jean. [Programs] New York Public Libraries for the Performing Arts, Dance Collection
creatorOf Erdman, Jean. Reminiscences of Jean Erdman : oral history, 1979. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
referencedIn Jean Erdman [ca. 1950-ongoing]. Museum of Performance & Design
creatorOf Cage, John. Forever and sunsmell : (E.E. Cummings) : music for the dance which was made by Jean Erdman : manuscript, 1942 Oct. Houghton Library
referencedIn Cummings, E. E. (Edward Estlin), 1894-1962. Additional papers, 1870-1969. Houghton Library
referencedIn Jean Erdman and Company. [Programs, announcements] New York Public Libraries for the Performing Arts, Dance Collection
creatorOf Erdman, Jean. Jean Erdman papers, 1925-2001 (bulk 1935-1996) New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Cage, John. Ophelia : music for the dance / John Cage. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Lucille Lortel papers The New York Public Library. Billy Rose Theatre Division.
referencedIn Allison, Nancy. [Programs] New York Public Libraries for the Performing Arts, Dance Collection
referencedIn Bennington College (Bennington, Vt.). School of the Dance, 1934-1942. Rating sheets. New York Public Libraries for the Performing Arts, Dance Collection
creatorOf Cage, John. Daughters of the lonesome isle : music for the dance by Jean Erdman / John Cage. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Erdman, Jean. Press materials. New York Public Libraries for the Performing Arts, Dance Collection
creatorOf Cage, John. Credo in us : music for the dance which was made by Merce Cunningham and Jean Erdman / John Cage. New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn Walter Terry papers, 1913-1982 The New York Public Library. Jerome Robbins Dance Division.
referencedIn Theater of the Open Eye. [Programs, announcements, etc.] New York Public Libraries for the Performing Arts, Dance Collection
referencedIn Allison, Nancy. [Programs]. New York Public Library System, NYPL
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Allison, Nancy. person
associatedWith Bennington College. corporateBody
associatedWith Bennington College (Bennington, Vt.). School of the Dance, 1934-1942. corporateBody
associatedWith Bowers, Theresa, person
associatedWith Cage, John person
associatedWith Cage, John. person
associatedWith Cage, John. person
associatedWith Cage, John. person
associatedWith Cage, John. person
associatedWith Cage, John. person
associatedWith Cage, John. person
associatedWith Cage, John. person
associatedWith Cage, John. person
associatedWith Campbell, Joseph, 1904-1987. person
associatedWith Cowell, Henry, 1897-1965. person
correspondedWith Cummings, E. E. (Edward Estlin), 1894-1962 person
associatedWith Cunningham, Merce. person
associatedWith Graham, Martha, 1894-1991. person
associatedWith Harrison, Lou, 1917-2003. person
associatedWith Horst, Louis person
associatedWith Horst, Louis. person
associatedWith Itō, Teiji. person
associatedWith Jean Erdman and Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Jenkins, Paul, 1923- person
associatedWith Laderman, Ezra. person
associatedWith Lortel, Lucille person
associatedWith Marchowsky, Marie. person
associatedWith Martha Graham Dance Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Max, Peter, 1937- person
associatedWith Saddler, Donald person
associatedWith Small, Linda, person
associatedWith Terry, Walter person
associatedWith Theater of the Open Eye. corporateBody
associatedWith Theater of the Open Eye. corporateBody
associatedWith Theater of the Open Eye. corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
Subject
Choreographers
Choreographers
Dancers
Dance teachers
Dance teachers
Modern dance
Women dancers
Women dancers
Occupation
Choreographer
Dancers
Dance teachers
Financial records
Activity

Person

Birth 1916-02-20

Americans

English

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