Martha Nishitani was born in Seattle, Washington on February 27, 1920. She was a modern dance teacher and choreographer in Seattle for the majority of her lifetime. Her passion for dance arose at the age of six when she was taken to her first performance, however, she did not begin formal instruction until her high school years, 1935-1939. She was taught at Lincoln High School by Katharine A. Wolfe, who became like a second mother to her. In 1942, Nishitani and her family were sent first to Camp Harmony and then the Minidoka Relocation Camp for two years. In the late 1940s, Nishitani was approached by dance critic, Maxine Cushing Gray, who introduced her to modern dance choreographer, Eleanor King. She would study with King and performed in her company for six years. In 1951, after King left Seattle, Nishitani started a company, the Martha Nishitani Modern Dance Group. She also formed her own dance school, taking over King's former space on FirstHill. In 1954, Nishitani moved her studio to a location in Seattle's University District (4205 University Way, N.E.), where it remained as the Martha Nishitani Modern Dance School until her retirement in 2002. Nishitani's additional dance training included the Cornish College of the Arts and Connecticut College, where she performed in the American Dance Festival in a piece choreographed by Doris Humphrey. She also attended summer programs at Perry Mansfield and Long Beach State College, and received a Bachelor's degree from the University of Washington in1958. In 1954, Nishitani became the choreographer for the University of Washington School of Music's Opera Theatre, a position she held for ten years. She taught and choreographed as an artist in residence for the University of Washington, and also worked with other schools and organizations, including Seattle Public Schools, Helen Bush School, and Seattle Parks and Recreation. Nishitani received many awards, including the Matrix Table Award as a woman of outstanding achievement given by Beta Sigma Phi (1968); the Northwest Asian American Theatre honored her as an "Asian American Living Treasure" (1984). Nishitani also was a member of the American Dance Guild and the Congress on Research in Dance (CORD).
From the description of Martha Nishitani modern dance history / compiled by Martha Nishitani. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 123953768
