Dance Legends: Graham100

sUMMER 2026

Dance Legends: Little Traverse Bay Celebrates Graham100

This summer, Crooked Tree Arts Center - Petoskey invites you to experience Dance Legends: Little Traverse Bay Celebrates Graham100, a dynamic, multi-disciplinary celebration honoring the 100th anniversary of the Martha Graham Dance Company. Through live performances presented by CTAC School of Ballet under the guest direction of Peter Sparling, two original exhibitions, classes, workshops, and special events, Graham100 explores the lasting influence of Martha Graham, one of the most groundbreaking artists of the 20th century. From the performance of iconic masterworks like Appalachian Spring and Lamentation to contemporary visual art inspired by movement, this season offers meaningful ways to experience dance as history, creativity, and community connection. Join us in Petoskey as Graham’s legacy comes to life through movement, music, art, and local voices.

LEARN ABOUT THE LEGEND

Who is Martha Graham?

Martha Graham (1894–1991) was one of the most influential choreographers of the 20th century and a defining force in the development of modern dance. Over a career spanning more than 70 years, she created more than 180 works and introduced a bold new movement language known for its angular shapes, emotional intensity, and innovative use of costume and fabric. In 1926, she founded her pioneering all-female dance company in New York City, laying the foundation for what would become the Martha Graham Dance Company, the oldest dance company in the United States. Her artistic legacy continues to shape dance, theater, and visual culture around the world.

Highlights

Helped establish modern dance as a major American art form
First dancer to perform at the White House
Traveled internationally as a cultural ambassador for the United States
Received the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction
Three-time Guggenheim Fellowship recipient in choreography
Named Dancer of the Century by Time
Inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame

experience GRAHAM100

Exhibits & Programming

Explore all that Dance Legends: Little Traverse Bay Celebrates Graham100 has to offer by selecting below to discover the exhibitions or browse performances, classes, workshops, and special events.

Graham100 Exhibitions

Explore Modern Movement and In Motion at CTAC - Petoskey this summer!

Graham100 Programming

a living bridge to the Graham legacy

Project Director, Peter Sparling

Peter Sparling is former principal dancer with Graham’s company (1973-1987), and was invited to join the company upon graduating from the Juilliard School. As Graham’s assistant, he coached Rudolf Nureyev and collaborated with Graham on many new works. He has performed and staged Graham’s works all over the world and has appeared with the company twice on PBS Dance in America. His video curtain warmers, Beautiful Captives: Martha Graham and the Cinematic Id, Variations of Angels and Sacred/Profane have opened three of the company’s New York seasons. In 1994, he directed the Martha Graham Centenary Festival at University of Michigan under the auspices of University Musical Society, for which he organized an interdisciplinary consortium involving University of Michigan Museum of Art, Classics and School of Music, Theatre and Dance. As well as bridging this rich legacy, Sparling spent his childhood summers in Bay View. For the past five years, Sparling has been a frequent guest choreographer with with the CTAC School of Ballet. He brings to the project a depth of personal experience and a love of both dance and the Little Traverse Bay Communities.