Jennifer Edwards hosts this episode honoring the life and legacy of teacher and choreographic mentor, Bessie Schönberg. Included are excerpts of D.A. Pennebaker's documentary film entitled "Bessie: A Portrait of Bessie Schönberg," with remembrances from Merce Cunningham, Jerome Robbins, Meredith Monk and from Schönberg herself.
Jennifer Edwards hosts this episode honoring the life and legacy of teacher and choreographic mentor, Bessie Schönberg. Included are excerpts of D.A. Pennebaker's documentary film entitled, "Bessie: A Portrait of Bessie Schönberg," with remembrances from Merce Cunningham, Jerome Robbins, Meredith Monk and from Schönberg herself.
Schönberg speaking about how to watch dance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaAI6uyUn0Y
[Music begins, composed by J.S. Bach, performed by Jess Meeker]
NORTON OWEN: Welcome to PillowVoices, a production of Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival with content from the Pillow archives. I'm Norton Owen the Pillow’s Director of Preservation, and I'm happy to introduce pillow scholar Jennifer Edwards, who is also the director, producer of PillowVoices. She will be your host for this episode honoring Bessie Schoenberg, the beloved teacher, mentor, and friend to many generations of dance artists.
JENNIFER EDWARDS: As I sat down to research this episode of PillowVoices an email popped up in my inbox from Dance/NYC inviting me to the Bessie Awards Ceremony in early August. This invitation references The New York Dance and Performance Awards, that were established in 1984 by David White at Dance Theater Workshop. The awards recognize groundbreaking work in choreography, performance, music composition, visual design, legacy, and service to the field of dance and are known as “The Bessies” in honor of revered dance teacher Bessie Schönberg. I never met Ms. Schönberg personally but worked with and learned from so many of her students, I’ve come to recognize in listening to her that her voice and teaching style have echoed through my own, without my awareness. Perhaps some of you will find this as well. We begin with some history, to highlight just how deep her passion went for dance. Here is Pillow Scholar Maura Keefe sharing a brief biography of Schönberg’s work at the beginning of a Pillow Talk tilted a Centennial Tribute to Bessie Schönberg in August of 2006.
MAURA KEEFE: One of the foremost dance educators and teachers of choreography in the United States, Bessie Schönberg, 1906 to 1997 was born in Hannover, Germany. She studied eurhythmics in Germany, but it was only after she came to the United States in 1926 that she began serious dance studies. Settling in New York, she worked with Martha Graham and performed with her company from 1929 to 1931, when an injury ended her performing career and diverted her into teaching. After a short stint as Martha Hill’s assistant at Bennington College, she began to teach at Sarah Lawrence College. In 1941, she took over the chairmanship of the dance department, a position she held into her retirement in 1975. Schönberg brought luminaries of modern dance to the college and developed an approach to teaching composition that guided student choreographers to what she deduced they were trying to create rather than impose her own style or taste. After retiring from Sarah Lawrence, she taught composition at many institutions, including the Juilliard School Dance Theatre of Harlem and served as the artistic director to the art and was here for several seasons at Jacob's Pillow.
JENNIFER EDWARDS: Here is Schönberg herself speaking about her childhood, her mother, and her deep interest in dance that began at a very early age.
BESSIE SCHÖNBERG: I was born in Germany. My mother was singing there. She was one of the well-known opera singers of her time. Even though she was American. She lost her job because she became pregnant. Evidently, the man in charge of opera house had a crush on mother and decided that prima donnas, don't get pregnant. The war broke out. On the first of August 1914, father went off to join his regimen, and go to the Western front. Mother had gone to Denver, where her parents. She decided, so what if I have such a fine career In Germany, why not in America? And so, she went to the Opera in New York, and had a meeting with Scotty Scarzatza who was the impresario of the opera at the time, and introduced herself and had evidently her stuffer with her to tell him how good she was. And he evidently courteously enough, listened for a bit. And then he said, ‘my dear girl, we sing Italian in New York. We are not interested in German opera, and she was out. Well, the years went by, and father had taken all of us to Dresden. Mother was in America, and there was no chance for her to come back because the war. Well, I got into everybody's way and was a pest because I was constantly underway dancing. So, the family broke down and said maybe she should have some Dalcroze eurhythmics. That seemed safe. It was heaven, just heaven. So, I corralled all my pals in school and teach them everything I had learned the night before. And oh, was marvelous. Until I came home, and the superintendent of our school had written a letter saying Elizabeth, that’s me, Elizabeth, has something that disturbs her and takes her attention away from her regular schoolwork. This must be stopped. Au revoir Dalcroze. That was the end of that. Dance? No, my daughter does not dance. Oh, in the house where nobody sees it, but makes no difference. But we are not going, we've had one person in the family professionally on the stage and that I think is quite enough. So, the thought of studying with Mary Wigman, which I was dying to do. Out. We had a store where you bought music and scores and that sort of thing, and they would string across their windows, perform, pictures of performing artists, violinists, singers and dancers. And there would be pictures of Wigman and the company and Bessie would stand in front of it and cry.
JENNIFER EDWARDS: At age seventeen, her mother, who had by that time taken a teaching position at the University of Oregon, made arrangements for her to come to America. Young Bessie was finally able to study dance under Martha Hill, a pioneer of and life-long advocate for dance in higher education. It was Hill who created the Dance Division at The Juilliard School. Schönberg traveled to New York with Hill and that is where she met Martha Graham. In Schönberg’s retelling of the story, we get a sense of the grit, passion, and determination that shaped her teaching and her career.
BESSIE SCHÖNBERG: Seventeen, I had a letter from mother that she was coming to collect me. And I went and saw Father with this letter. And he said, it's about time that you get to know your mother. And from there to Oregon, she was head of the department of voice and opera, and they had hockey, basketball, baseball, riding, swimming, dadda, dadda, dadda, dadda, dance, at the very, very bottom, and I said life is good after all. But then dancing was Martha Hill. It was something sent from heaven. I'd never seen or heard about anybody like this. And she taught dance. And she knew about Martha Graham, and she knew about Mary Wigman. And she knew, you know, it was just, it was unbelievable. It was just unbelievable. We would sit in the studio on the floor, and we talk and talk and talk and talk. And we’d dance and dance and dance and dance and, and she was a lifesaver. What I didn't know was that she had a two-year contract. And that after two years, my paradise was going to come to an end. I couldn't stand it and I just couldn't stand it. I felt I had to go to New York I had to study was Graham. I knew I couldn't ask for anything. Mother was very generous. And she was very good to me. I better find out how I could do it. So, I thought, well, this is America. I was taught since I was a little child that nothing is impossible to do in America. I'm going to get some money. And so, in my funny dirndl dress, I'm glad I can’t remember what I looked like. I marched down the hill toward the city part of Eugene and went to the First National Bank. And I had such guts, you know, really. I walked in and I asked to see the director of the bank. And he said certainly, and I was ushered into one of those fine green leather upholstered offices, you know, and sat down and just felt a charming elderly gentleman came in. Introduced himself. I said who I was, and he made me sit down. He said, what can I do for you? And I said, I think I have talent. But I need money five hundred dollars. And I think you should give it to me. And he said I will. I got it. Martha Hill and I took off for New York. In the cheaper version of a Pullman. I was taken to the Neighborhood Playhouse where Martha Graham taught. I knew this is where I wanted to be. This is where I longed to be. That quiet husky voice, she was much smaller than I thought she wouldn't be. She was a giant on stage and a very small person in life. And she and these deep-set eyes and this raven hair that flowed down the back of her shoulders. And wonderful lithe kind of a figure with strange, square little feet and rather square little hands too. She probably was most exciting dancer I would maybe ever see. I certainly have never seen anything like it before. And what was what was is and is unforgettable to me to this day is that I felt like wanting to say yes to everything. You know, she’d say and then do so and so, and I wanted to say yes, yes. And her eyes were on me a lot, which was both wonderful and frightening. And after class, she waved me over and I thought, oh, what will that be like? And she said the group and I have a meeting tonight. At 10th Street where I have an apartment, and I hope you will come over. I’ve asked Martha Hill if she’ll come. And we were invited to become members of a company.
JENNIFER EDWARDS: In the end Schönberg’s dance performance life was short-lived due to a knee injury that today would have only been a minor set-back, but in the early 1930s, ended her career. However, her commitment remained, and she dedicated her life to teaching and mentoring, or as she called it, “meddling” in the work of many of history's great choreographers. Here is Merce Cunningham and then Jerome Robbins speaking about their experiences with Schönberg at a birthday celebration in the Dance Collection at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts in 1995.
MERCE CUNNINGHAM:One of the remarkable things about Bessie is that she came to see many of us when we began. And the amazing thing is that she still comes, looks at what we do, and often enough, enjoys it. One is grateful not only for her perseverance, but also her vigilance. She loves the dance and wants it and us to be responsive.
JEROME ROBBINS: Many, many, many, many years ago, in the late 30s, I decided to become a dancer. I was working with a modern group, Gluck Sandor. And he was sort of my guru. And then I decided well, I need some lessons. So, I scrounged around New York. And one of the places I landed up was the I think it was called The New Dance League. And I looked at the catalog and I spoke to the lady who was in charge, and I said I want to take some classes. I have no money. What can I do? She said, well, you can deliver posters for us and take whatever classes you want. I said fine. And so, I was looking over the posters, and I saw a program called choreography. And it was run by Miss Schönberg. And I went to it. That was my first and only occurrence of working with a professor of choreography. And I listened to everything she had to say. And I went home that night. And I had to bring in a dance the next day or the next next week and I did that. And I showed it to her. I don't know if you remember it or not.
BESSIE SCHÖNBERG: It had the Spanish flavor.
JEROME ROBBINS: I think so. [laughing] Anyway, it was my first attempt. And when I got through with it, she said that was very good. And it was like an angel putting her hand on my shoulder and giving me a nudge and saying go on with it. And I went on with it.
JENNIFER EDWARDS:From 1980 - through the 1990s Schönberg taught at the School at Jacob’s Pillow. She worked closely with Norton Owen, who at that time directed the school. Owen reflected the following in his preface to a book titled “Bessie Schönberg, Pioneer Dance Educator and Choreographic Mentor” by Cynthia Noble. Here is Owen reading an excerpt of the preface.
NORTON OWEN: “She even resisted the label of teacher, preferring the concept of a gardener who guides and nurtures, encouraging growth.She would often describe her occupation with a mischievous smile and the overly simplistic statement, "I meddle." This humble view of herself was reflected in one piece of advice she often gave to young choreographers: "Never call yourself an artist - let other people do that.You are a worker. You are a craftsman."
JENNIFER EDWARDS: I’d like to share a few clips of Schönberg doing what she did best. Here, she guides students at The Juilliard School.
BESSIE SCHÖNBERG:Hello, [students: hello!] how are you all? [students: How are you?] Have you been working? [students: We went over things.] Yeah, yeah. Can I see things? All right, well, let's begin with that. Well, I'd like to see the sharp movement first. We don't in this class need to do things that you know already, that you're comfortable with. We need to set ourselves out on voyages of strangeness, of discomfort, if you will, right into movement to hiss and spit and do that kind of really sharp thing to lash out into the, shall we say, the most emphatic statement of sharp movement. [Sound of jumping and movement] Alright, do the same thing again and let us hear nothing. But give it to us really give it to us.
JENNIFER EDWARDS: As we heard from both Jerome Robins and Merce Cunningham, and as Stephan Koplowitz and Elise Bernhardt shared in episode 50 of PillowVoices, Schönberg remained dedicated to the choreographers who she mentored. Perhaps before we talked much about dramaturgy in dance, Bessie was coaching, guiding, and providing space for dance makers to hone their craft with her and also in community with one another. In this clip we hear Schönberg working with a group of choreographers. She pulls no punches as she brings concepts of responsibility to each other, to the field, to dancers, and one’s craft together in careful instruction and feedback. We will hear Schönberg speaking with choreographers and then we’ll hear from another former student, Meredith Monk.
BESSIE SCHÖNBERG:This is our first day of meeting and greeting. And the purpose of your performances is many-fold. One of them of course, is that you get to know each other in the way in which you should get to know each other, namely, through your work. Now, you see, you feel entirely different about each other, don't you? It's one of the saner ways to start is to bring to each other something of what you do it because there's a barrier between what we think and then put into speech, and what our bodies do, because they're dancers. The wonderful thing about being a dancer is you never need to speak. But if you become a choreographer, all of a sudden… [participants laughing, That’s very good, Bessie.] Remember that your dancers are sainted, I would say, first of all, it costs you a lot of money, which they should get. They earn it. But they also are the carriers of your ideas. They are responsible for what we get to see of your work, correct? [participants: yes.] Do pay your dancers. Any argument?
PARTICIPANT: There's a part of me that wished, like the whole rhythm of it, and they're walking in there marching in the beginning, it got redundant, I wanted to change and like there was one part when they were all marching and one girl stopped and then went down. I was like, ah, you know, like that worked. So maybe trying not have music for a while, you know, so you get used to your internal rhythm.
BESSIE SCHÖNBERG:Try not to use “I” it has nothing to do with you. It has to do with her and her work. Suggestion very good.
PARTICIPANT: I love seeing different shapes of non-trained dancers, you know, getting out of that sort of form of dance and when you see that about the same…
BESSIE SCHÖNBERG:Can you say the same things without making it something that you have experienced? But just that it was there? Yeah, see what was happening.
PARTICIPANT: It was it was a wonderful situation, scenario you created, environment… the atmosphere…
BESSIE SCHÖNBERG:You get it, you get the point.
PARTICIPANT: And I was bothered by the music…
BESSIE SCHÖNBERG: No, you didn’t…
PARTICIPANT: No, I wasn’t, [laughter]
MEREDITH MONK: I’m Meredith Monk and I had the privilege of being a student of Bessie’s at Sarah Lawrence, I learned so much not only about dance, but I learned a lot about living from Bessie, I actually can't think of anybody I would rather have a telephone conversation with who's so stimulating, I have to run around the room a little bit after I hang up the telephone. What she always taught all of us that was so special was, first of all, incredible respect for our own bodies, and respect for each other. Respect for the working process.
JENNIFER EDWARDS: We’ll conclude this episode with a message from Schonberg. She’s speaking to students at the close of the last century, but this feels incredibly relevant for today.
BESSIE SCHÖNBERG:I learned only yesterday, I think, that some of you expected that choreography would be a lecture course. Or that somebody would would talk to you about choreography. God forbid, keep those people out. Get get to do get to do - do do a lot. Always remember that you are children of today, and that you're living in the end of the 20th century, and that you have a very difficult problem of being loyal to your ancestors, in that particular style of dancing in which you've grown up and don't forsake it. But make it come to life in our age in your age. Now. Have courage. Stick your necks out. Don't be afraid of anything. Don't be afraid of anybody. If you have convictions, fight for them. Lot's of luck.
[Music begins, composed, and performed by Jess Meeker]
NORTON OWEN: That’s it for this episode of PillowVoices. Thank you for joining us today. On behalf of Jacob’s Pillow, we look forward to sharing more dance with you through the films, essays, and podcasts at Dance Interactive dot Jacob’s Pillow dot org. And of course, through live experiences during our festival and throughout the year. Special thanks to the National Endowment for the Arts for helping launch this podcast series. Please subscribe to PillowVoices wherever you get your podcasts, and visit us again soon, either online or on site.