Shawn, Ted (1891-1972), was a pioneer in establishing the role of the male dancer in America. Shawn developed his own method for training male dancers. He also created dances for men based on American Indian and Western folklore and on modern themes.
Edwin M. Shawn was born on Oct. 21, 1891, in Kansas City, Missouri. In 1915, he and his wife, Ruth St. Denis, formed the Denishawn dance company. He trained dancers and toured with his wife and the company until 1931 (see Saint Denis, Ruth ). From 1933 until 1940, Shawn headed his own performing group of male dancers. He created and starred in several ballets, including Invocation to the Thunderbird, Gnossienne, and St. Francis. In 1933, Shawn and his dancers began giving public performances at Jacob’s Pillow, an estate owned by Shawn in Becket, Massachusetts. These shows evolved into an annual summer dance festival that has showcased established dancers as well as young dancers and foreign companies. Shawn died on Jan. 9, 1972.
