Todd, Arthur

Louis Horst was born to Conrad and Leva Horst on the twelfth of January, 1884, in Kansas City, Missouri. Horst began to study piano at an early age. He became a professional accompanist, playing for silent films, stock theater companies, Broadway rehearsals, and later for many of the modern dance personalities of the thirties and forties.

In 1915, Horst joined the Denishawn Company as accompanist; his wife, Betty, was a member of the company. He remained with Denishawn until 1925. There he met, among others, Doris Humphrey, Charles Weidman, and Martha Graham. Horst later collaborated with these second generation modern dance pioneers as accompanist, composer and teacher of choreography.

Leaving Denishawn with Martha Graham, Horst composed several of Graham's early group works: Primitive Mysteries (1931), Frontier (1935), and El Penitente (1940). He also wrote scores for other dance artists, for dance classes and for publication. He taught the art of choreography at the Neighborhood Playhouse, several colleges such as the Juilliard School of Music and Connecticut College, and in workshops around the country.

In 1934, Horst founded a major dance periodical, The Dance Observer. This magazine was a voice through which modern dance spoke. He and the other writers volunteered their knowledge, experience, and time to the critical review of modern dance concerts and recitals. Horst also published two books, Pre-Classic Dance Forms (1937) and Modern Dance Forms (1960). Aside from Horst's musical, literary, and aesthetic criticism of modern dance performances, he “managed to train at least half of the choreographers now producing.” His students include Anna Sokolow, Meredith Monk, Yvonne Rainer, and Lucinda Childs.

Louis Horst was granted many awards, including the Capezio Award and an honorary degree from Wayne State University in 1964.

From the guide to the Louis Horst collection, 1928-1964, (The New York Public Library. Jerome Robbins Dance Division.)

Biography

Todd was a dance critic and photographer; he died on Aug. 18, 1978.

From the guide to the Arthur Todd Dance collection, ca. 1900-1968, (University of California, Los Angeles. Library. Department of Special Collections.)