Voting Station

Ruth St. Denis

Please vote to return to collections.

Dancer

The Resume

    (January 20, 1878-July 21, 1968)
    Born in Newark, New Jersey
    Birth name was Ruth Denis
    With husband Ted Shawn founded the Denishawn School of Dance (1915)
    Dances included ‘Radha’ (1906), ‘Egypta’ (1909) and ‘O-Mika’ (1912)
    Called the ‘Mother of Modern Dance in America’

Why she might be annoying:

    She was kicked out of her only ballet class.
    She and Shawn danced publicly to celebrate their 50th anniversary even though they had been separated for over 30 years.
    Shawn said of one of her lovers, ‘If he were any younger, he’d be a fetus.’
    She was bossy and domineering.
    She said of Shawn, ‘Teddy will never be happy until he admits to himself – he need not say it out loud – that of the two, I am the greater.’
    Denishawn established a quota to reduce the number of Jewish students.

Why she might not be annoying:

    She founded one of the first dance departments in America at Adelphia University (1938).
    She incorporated Egyptian, Indian and Oriental influences into her dances.
    Her students included not just rising dancers but also Hollywood stars such as Louise Brooks and Lillian Gish.
    She said of Shawn, ‘He married a goddess who didn’t exist except on stage. The deception was of his own making, not mine.’

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 10 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 18 Votes: 5.56% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 10 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 4 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 10 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 17 Votes: 58.82% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 9 Votes: 55.56% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 132 Votes: 53.03% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 9 Votes: 55.56% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 24 Votes: 70.83% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 33 Votes: 54.55% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 44 Votes: 68.18% Annoying