Artwork

Poster advertising Ruth St. Denis and the Denishawn Dancers, 1923

Transcript Printing Co , 1923

Poster advertising Ruth St. Denis and the Denishawn Dancers, 1923 is a poster by Transcript Printing Co. It dates from 1923 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

This poster from 1923 hawks a dance show by Ruth St. Denis and her Denishawn Dancers. Made by Transcript Printing Co., it’s a small piece meant to grab attention fast.

It’s a quick window into Denishawn’s mix of global styles. St. Denis fused Egyptian, Indian, and Japanese dance moves into something fresh.

Look up the Victoria and Albert Museum to see it.

Overview

The 1923 poster, printed by Transcript Printing Co., promotes a two‑night engagement of Ruth St. Denis, her husband Ted Shawn, and the Denishawn Company at the Mariarden Theatre in Peterborough, New Hampshire. The advertisement, a compact visual flyer, was designed to attract audiences to the August performances held at the outdoor summer theatre founded by Marie Burress in 1920.

Subject & Meaning

The poster foregrounds the Denishawn troupe’s eclectic repertoire, which blended elements drawn from Egyptian, Indian, Japanese and other non‑Western traditions. By foregrounding these exotic influences, the advertisement signals the company’s commitment to a modern dance aesthetic that sought to reinterpret global mythologies and cultural motifs for American audiences.

Technique & Style

Printed in a bold, high‑contrast style typical of early‑1920s commercial ephemera, the flyer employs simplified silhouettes and striking typography to convey movement and drama. The design’s minimal color palette and dynamic composition reflect the era’s graphic trends while echoing the kinetic energy of the dances being promoted.

History & Provenance

The poster originates from the Denishawn company’s 1923 American tour, a series of engagements that followed the troupe’s earlier successes on the East Coast. It is now held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, where it serves as a documented example of early modern dance advertising.

Context

Ruth St. Denis’s choreographic vision was shaped by her lifelong fascination with ancient mythologies and the visual cultures of Greece, Egypt, India, North Africa, Japan and Java. Her exposure to Egyptian iconography in her teens and to Indian performance at Coney Island in 1904 informed the cross‑cultural vocabulary that the Denishawn Company presented on stage during this period.

Artist & collection

Artist

Transcript Printing Co

This print studio made bold posters in the 1920s. Their 1923 poster plugs Ruth St. Denis and her Denishawn Dancers, full of sharp angles and bright colors—perfect for grabbing attention on city walls. The design looks…