Dancer Tyler jo Smith studies ancient Greek art
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Tyler Jo Smith, a Classics professor at the University of Virginia, is helping to organize a symposium in Athens, Greece, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Martha Graham Dance Company.
Smith has long studied the connection between dance and ancient Greek art, beginning her research during graduate studies at Oxford. Martha Graham, a pioneering American dancer and choreographer, drew inspiration from Greek mythology and art, including pottery and small terracotta figurines called Tanagrai, to inform her choreography, sets, and costumes.
Graham did not aim to recreate ancient dances or directly copy myths, but rather used imagery from Greek and other cultures to create movement and enrich her performances. Smith and Nina Papathanasopoulou, a professor of Classical Studies at College Year in Athens, are co-organizing the event with the American School of Classical Studies, which will host it.
The symposium will focus on how ephemeral arts like dance have played a critical role in the ancient past, and how scholars can better appreciate Graham’s work within the context of classical studies. Organizers hope the event will encourage new collaborations between artists and archaeologists, and inspire new interpretations of ancient myths for modern audiences, as seen recently with Christopher Nolan’s film adaptation of The Odyssey.
