Louis Horst

Horst was the musical director for the Denishawn company (1916-25) before working as musical director and dance composition teacher for Martha Graham's school and dance company (1926-48).

One memorable piece of advice that Horst gave dancers in his lessons in the 1930s, at times delivered in a sarcastic tone: "when in doubt, turn.

[7] Apart from being a personal friend and mentor to Graham, Horst worked and wrote scores for many other choreographers, including: Horst composed scores for the Denishawn company, including Japanese Spear Dance (1919).

He composed several of Graham's early group works: Primitive Mysteries (1931), Celebration (1934), Frontier (1935), and El Penitente (1940).

[...] On a later tour, there was a time, according to Agnes de Mille, when Miss Ruth passed by the piano, which was on stage, asking Louis how much longer she had to go.

Front cover of the February 1936 article of Dance Observer featuring a caricature of Horst, its editor