Martha Graham (1894-1991) was an influential American modern dancer and choreographer. In 1926, the Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance was established. In the following decades, it would help develop many of her famous proteges. In 1938, Graham became the first dancer to perform at the White House. In 1976, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Gerald Ford. Graham's influence on dance has been compared with the influence of Picasso on modern visual arts, Stravinsky on music, and Frank Lloyd Wright on architecture. This recording is from a lecture Graham gave on the requirements for being an exceptional dancer.