''Fragilité'' was a modern dance solo choreographed by

Martha Graham Martha Graham (May 11, 1894 – April 1, 1991) was an American modern dancer, teacher and choreographer, whose style, the Graham technique, reshaped the dance world and is still taught in academies worldwide. Graham danced and taught for over s ...

to music by

Alexander Scriabin Alexander Nikolayevich Scriabin, scientific transliteration: ''Aleksandr Nikolaevič Skrjabin''; also transliterated variously as Skriabin, Skryabin, and (in French) Scriabine. The composer himselused the French spelling "Scriabine" which was a ...

. The piece was originally part of ''Five Poems,'' a ballet divided into five solo sections: ''Fragilité'', ''Lugubre'', ''Poeme ailé'', ''Danse Languide'' and ''Désir'' (first performed in 1926). Each of the sections appears in various programs as individual solos. ''Five Poems'' premiered on October 16, 1927, at the Little Theatre in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. Other works on the program were ''Choral''; ''Adagio (from second Suite)''; ''Scherzo, Op. 16 No.2''; ''Tanzstück''; ''Deux Valses''; ''Danse''; ''Tanagra''; ''Esquisse Antique''; ''Lucrezia''; ''Alt-Wein''; ''La Cancion''; ''Ronde''; ''Two Poems of the East'' and ''Baal Shem''. Graham performed with her small company of dancers: Evelyn Sabin, Betty MacDonald and Rosina Savelli. According to ''

Dance Magazine ''Dance Magazine'' is an American trade publication for dance. It was first published in June 1927 as ''The American Dancer''. ''Dance Magazine'' is currently part of Dance Media, led by longtime arts publisher Joanna Harp as president, and has mu ...

s critic, "''Fragilité'' was done in a stylized transparent evening dress made of organdy, exposing enough of the body to see its outline clearly, doing justice to the title." In the biography ''Martha'', Graham's longtime friend

Agnes De Mille Agnes George de Mille (September 18, 1905 – October 7, 1993) was an American dancer and choreographer. Early years Agnes de Mille was born in New York City into a well-connected family of theater professionals. Her father William C. deMill ...

described the solo as "an exquisite mood picture" done "in half-light, with Martha standing on an elevation of two shallow, round steps dressed in blue gauze of a moonlit translucency..." "It was a dance of such enticement, allure, promise, and evanescence as to tease and excite with the power of dreams." In a later ''Dance Magazine'' article, the piece and Graham's oeuvre were favorably reviewed. "Martha Graham is one of the pioneers of the new era, who, many of us hope will, will stay with us. I certainly hope that she keeps up her inspiring work, developing with such rapid strides as she has in the past two years. It is probably not the easiest thing on earth to create gems that remain with us and frame them for good in our memories. Among them this season were ''Tanagra'', ''Fragilité'', ''Revolt'' and ''Strike''."

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fragilite (ballet) 1927 ballets Ballets by Martha Graham