Martha Graham Abroad
Between 1955 and 1962, the U.S. State Department sent dance companies to many of the Cold War’s contested regions, and, in October 1955, the Martha Graham Dance Company went to Burma, India, Pakistan, Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaya, and Ceylon, believed to be countries that would create a “domino effect” if “lost” to communism. The tour ended in Iran in 1956 after the CIA-British led coup that deposed Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh's civilian government in 1953. This was the first of many State Department-sponsored tours undertaken by Graham.
Between 1955 and 1962, the U.S. State Department sent dance companies to many of the Cold War’s contested regions, and, in October 1955, the Martha Graham Dance Company went to Burma, India, Pakistan, Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaya, and Ceylon, believed to be countries that would create a “domino effect” if “lost” to communism. The tour ended in Iran in 1956 after the CIA-British led coup that deposed Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh's civilian government in 1953. This was the first of many State Department-sponsored tours undertaken by Graham.