The Ultimate Flex: ‘Martha Graham Dance Company: We Are Our Time’ Directors On How Graham Revolutionized The Form – Doc Talk Podcast

The feet. Martha Graham did not stick her dancers into dainty ballet slippers. No, her dancers and Graham herself in performance, went barefoot. And the foot was flexed – taut and expressive – not elegantly pointed as in classical ballet.

This is just one of the ways Graham revolutionized what is generally referred to as modern dance, although she preferred the term “contemporary dance” – a form of artistry rooted in its time.

This year, the company she founded celebrates its 100th anniversary, carrying on the legacy of the woman who left an indelible mark on culture. The two-part PBS documentary  explores the company on its centenary as dancers and choreographers continue Graham’s work. The film directed by Peter Schnall and Cyndee Readdean is contending for Emmy nominations in multiple categories.

The directors join the latest edition of Deadline’s Doc Talk podcast to explore how Graham changed the world’s conception of dance, emphasizing the torso, contraction and release over the extended line favored by traditional choreographers. She didn’t want her dances to be “decorative” but to reveal something about “the soul of man.”

Schnall and Readdean tells us why they framed their film around the eyes and experiences of young dancers. And they reveal how they landed three-time Oscar winner Meryl Streep to voice the words of Graham, drawn from the legend’s writings and statements. Schnall describes Graham as a philosopher as much as a choreographer and dancer.

The filmmakers also share an anecdote about what Graham once did to one of her dancers – something that wouldn’t be allowed today.

That’s on the new episode of Doc Talk hosted by John Ridley (12 Years a Slave, Shirley) and Matt Carey, Deadline’s senior documentary editor. The pod is a production of Deadline and Ridley’s Nō Studios.

Listen to the episode above or on major podcast platforms including Spotify, iHeart and Apple.