Martha Graham - Errand into the maze, performance by Terese Capucilli and Larry White

Errand into the maze (1947). Choreography by Martha Graham

Performed to music by Gian-Carlo Menotti, Errand into the Maze premiered on February 28, 1947, at New York' Ziegfeld Theater. The mother of Modern Dance resumes the greek myth of Ariadne imprisoned in the labyrinth of the Minotaur. The theme of the ballet is the relationship of the individual in fear, in this case sexual. It is really about the conquest of one’s inner demons and fears, a psychological journey Graham took repeatedly. Costumes were designed by Graham and the set was created by Isamu Noguchi, who created a sculpture that recalls the shape of the female pelvis. The work was performed by Martha Graham and Mark Ryder. Walter Terry, writing for the New York Herald Tribune (March 9, 1947) noted, "…the demon is fear, the deity is courage. Aspects of the evil and the good, then, in humankind, are given substance for us to regard in that pantheon which is Miss Graham's theatre of dance…It is a distinguished and appealing work."
In this video the ballet is performed by the fabulous Terese Capucilli and Larry White. The Martha Graham Dance Company - 1990