History Quiz: Pearl Lang
1. Which dance company inspired Lang as a young child?
2. How old was Lang when she was accepted into Martha Graham’s Company?
3. Graham created _____ roles for Lang, including Deaths and Entrances and Appalachian Spring.
4. Name the pop star who studied with Lang.
5. What served as inspiration for almost half of Lang’s 60 works?
6. Which choreographic work brought her unanimous critical acclaim, and what role did she dance?
7. Like her mentor, Lang was the _____ of her company and her work mostly featured _____ characters.
8. Did Graham and Lang have a good relationship, after Lang left the company to establish The Pearl Lang Dance Theater in 1952 because Graham wasn’t willing to bill another choreographer on her stage?
9. How many principal roles, originally created and performed by Graham, including Clytemnestra and Herodiade, did Lang perform after Graham retired from the stage?
10. True or False: When Lang yelled “Thieves! Robbers! Liars! Criminals!” in her classroom, she was referring to a dancer’s lackluster performance of triplets across the floor.
BONUS: How long did Pearl Lang carry on Martha Graham’s technique, and what was different about her movement?
ANSWER KEY
1. The Isadora Duncan Dance Company; 2. 19; 3. Nine; 4. Madonna; 5. Jewish themes; 6. Shirah; a biblical princess; 7. Star; female; 8. Yes; 9. Seven; 10. True; BONUS: Three decades; her movement quality and dancing was more lyrical and rounded and she had an analytical approach to movement
