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Lawrence ‘Reed’ Hansen: The Sacrosanct Accompanist—a musical journey through Martha Graham’s dance technique

Produced and directed by Terese Capucilli

Pianist ‘Reed’ Hansen accompanied dance classes of Martha Graham’s technique at The Juilliard School from 1958 to 2017 and had an enduring relationship from the early ‘70’s with the Martha Graham School and the Martha Graham Dance Company. Martha Graham chose Hansen as her personal accompanist and considered him ‘sacrosanct’.

The Sacrosanct Accompanist, both a documentary and educational tool, offers a pristine journey through sound and movement, giving overdue credence to the essential contribution that accompanists make to the dance world. Directed and produced by former principal dancer and artistic director of the Martha Graham Dance Company and Juilliard faculty member, Terese Capucilli, this film focuses on Graham’s essential Floorwork vocabulary. The only film of its kind, it gives the viewer an inside look at the technique, uncommonly from the perspective of the accompanist while revealing an endearing journey of a dedicated life.

Through masterful improvisation, Hansen’s lifetime development of the musical underpinning of Graham’s formalized physical language, its progressive vocabulary, transitional phrasing and nuance, has enriched the artistry of generations of dancers and forged the way for other dance accompanists. For generations to come, the film preserves Hansen’s unprecedented knowledge of Graham’s expressive language and the dynamic, triangular energy of teacher, student and accompanist. A goldmine of information for musicians, dance teachers and students, this film also gives those less familiar with the inner workings of a dance classroom an unprecedented look into this hidden world.