Mary Grace Swift entered the Ursuline Order in 1947 and was educated at Creighton University and Notre Dame University, in history and Russian studies. Swift taught at Loyola University. Her first book, The Art of Dance in the U.S.S.R., was published in 1968. A Loftier Flight was awarded the first de la Torre Bueno Prize for the best unpublished book-length manuscript in the field of dance, in 1973.
“[A] delicate and careful study of one of the modern-dance pioneers that very clearly sets her work and her ideas within the context of her life. You will learn a lot of the background of contemporary modern dance through this.”—Clive Barnes, The New York Times., “It is good to have Hanya Holm rescued from the mysterious and invisible status of choreographer and brought into tangible focus both as a person and as a master and teacher of movement.” —John Martin., Known as one of the “big four” dance pioneers, Hanya Holm (born Johanna Eckert; 1893–1992) learned from, then worked with, Mary Wigman. Holm’s interest in patterns and spactial dimensions influenced future dancers including Alwin Nikolais., Walter Sorell (1905–1997) was a prolific and respected dance writer and artist. Read his New York Times obituary: http://www.nytimes.com/1997/02/24/arts/walter-sorell-91-who-wrote-about-dance-and-culture.html
