Modern-Dance Guru Martha Hill Dies

Martha Hill, a modern-dance pioneer who founded the American Dance Festival, died Sunday. She was 94.

Hill founded programs at the Juilliard School in New York, Bennington College in Vermont and Connecticut College, whose American Dance Festival was moved to Duke University in North Carolina in 1978.

Among those who proved their talent at the festivals were Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey, Charles Weidman, Hanya Holm, Jose Limon, Alwin Nikolais, Merce Cunningham, Paul Taylor and Alvin Ailey.

A native of Ohio, Hill received a bachelor’s degree from Teachers College at Columbia University and a master’s degree from New York University.

She performed with Graham from 1929-31, but committed herself to dance education early on.