Janet Eilber: From Martha Graham Principal Dancer to Artistic Director of Dance’s Most Influential Company

Born July 27, 1951, in Detroit, Michigan, Janet Eilber transformed from a principal dancer with the Martha Graham Dance Company into one of modern dance’s most influential artistic directors. Since assuming leadership in 2005, she has preserved Martha Graham’s groundbreaking technique while commissioning new works that bridge the 20th and 21st centuries. Her career spans dance, film, television, and Broadway, making her a unique voice in contemporary performing arts.

Early Training and Education

Eilber’s artistic foundation began at the Interlochen Arts Academy in northern Michigan, where she studied during her high school years. A pivotal moment occurred when Carlos Suriñach, who had composed music for Martha Graham, arranged a meeting between the teenage dancer and the legendary choreographer. Eilber and her parents flew to New York, where she performed a solo for Graham. The encounter changed her trajectory—Graham suggested she attend the Juilliard School.

At Juilliard, Eilber studied under instructors rooted in both the Graham and José Limón traditions. She was directly mentored by José Limón himself, who directed her in several of his signature works. While still in her junior year at Juilliard, she received an invitation to join the Martha Graham Dance Company, becoming a soloist at age 21. She graduated with a BFA in dance in 1973.

Dancing with Martha Graham

For nearly a decade, Eilber worked intimately with Martha Graham, performing the choreographer’s most celebrated roles and having new parts created specifically for her. She danced opposite Rudolf Nureyev in “The Scarlet Letter” and “Lucifer,” two demanding works that showcased her technical prowess and dramatic range.

Her most memorable performances included:

Eilber performed at the White House as a soloist when President Jimmy Carter presented the Medal of Freedom to Martha Graham. She toured extensively across the United States, Europe, and Asia with the company. During these tours, she met dignitaries ranging from the Queen Mother to the King of Bangkok. She starred in three segments of the PBS series “Dance in America,” which brought Graham’s work to millions of television viewers.

Eilber collaborated with Graham’s major artistic partners, including sculptor Isamu Noguchi, composer Aaron Copland, and fashion designer Halston. These experiences gave her deep insight into Graham’s collaborative process and artistic vision.

Film, Television, and Broadway Career

After leaving the Graham company in 1978, Eilber joined the American Dance Machine under Lee Theodore’s direction. She was featured in “Steps in Time,” a production that recreated classic dance duets from Broadway history, including numbers from “The Boy Friend,” “Flora the Red Menace,” and “No No Nanette.”

Eilber’s film debut came in 1981 with “Whose Life Is It Anyway?” starring Richard Dreyfuss. She played Pat, the sculptor’s girlfriend, in this critically acclaimed drama about the right to die. The role marked her transition from dance to acting. She followed this with “Romantic Comedy” (1983) opposite Dudley-Moore.

Her television career included the lead role in the 1982 ABC-TV movie “This Is Kate Bennett,” where she portrayed an investigative reporter. She appeared in various television series throughout the 1980s, demonstrating her versatility across different media.

On Broadway, Eilber performed in Bob Fosse’s “Dancin'” and appeared opposite Michael York in the musical “The Little Prince and the Aviator.” Her performance in Tommy Tune’s “Stepping Out” (1987) earned her a Drama Desk Award nomination for Featured Actress in a Play. She worked with legendary directors including Agnes de Mille and Bob Fosse, absorbing different choreographic approaches that would later inform her own work.

Artistic Director of the Martha Graham Dance Company

In 2005, Eilber accepted the position of Artistic Director of the Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance Company. Her leadership philosophy centers on making Graham’s technique and repertoire accessible to contemporary audiences while maintaining artistic integrity.

1. Audience Engagement Initiatives

Eilber introduced spoken introductions before performances, providing context that helps audiences understand Graham’s artistic intentions. She developed thematic programming that groups works around concepts like psychological exploration or American identity. These curatorial choices create narrative threads that make the repertoire more approachable.

2. Commissioning New Works

Eilber has commissioned choreographers from diverse backgrounds to create works that respond to Graham’s legacy:

• Lamentation Variations: A multi-year project inviting choreographers to create new pieces inspired by Graham’s 1930 solo “Lamentation.”
• Hope Boykin: “En Masse” (2025), set to newly discovered Leonard Bernstein music
• Jamar Roberts: “We The People” and other works exploring contemporary social themes
• Various choreographers: Projects that blend Graham technique with hip-hop, African dance, and other movement vocabularies

3. Reconstructing Lost Works

As a Graham historian, Eilber has reconstructed works once thought lost. She recreated “Immediate Tragedy,” a 1937 solo, after discovering film footage taken by an audience member whose father had dated one of Graham’s dancers. She also revived “Satyric Festival Song,” expanding the available Graham repertoire.

4. International Collaborations

Eilber has remixed Graham’s choreography for large-scale productions, including “The Bacchae” and “Prometheus Bound” at Teatro Greco in Siracusa, Italy. In 2023, she served as co-creator and choreographer for “The Feast” with Long Beach Opera, a three-year collaboration merging opera, dance, and baroque music. This immersive production featured countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński and combined the Graham technique with Handel’s operatic repertoire.

5. Educational Programs

Eilber oversees the Martha Graham School and Graham 2, the company’s second ensemble for emerging professional dancers. She established the Teens@Graham program and numerous educational partnerships. Her initiatives reach students globally through both in-person training and digital platforms.

Centennial Celebration

The Martha Graham Dance Company is celebrating its 100th anniversary throughout 2025-26. Eilber has curated three seasons of programming, each with distinct themes. The first season focused on Americana and modernism. The second season, titled “Dances of the Mind,” highlights Graham’s psychological ballets from the 1940s. The celebration includes performances at major venues nationwide, exhibitions featuring Graham-Noguchi collaborations, and a three-hour PBS documentary.

In early 2026, the company moved into new headquarters at 1501 Broadway, featuring six dance studios, a 150-seat black box theater, and expanded archival space. This physical expansion reflects the company’s growth under Eilber’s leadership.

Awards and Recognition

Eilber has received four Lester Horton Awards for her reconstruction and performance of seminal American modern dance works. She served as Director of Arts Education for the Dana Foundation, where she guided support for teaching artist training programs and contributed to publications on arts education.

In 2023, Juilliard awarded Eilber an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts, recognizing her contributions to dance education and her pioneering work in audience development. She remains a Trustee Emeritus of the Interlochen Center for the Arts.

Personal Life and Philosophy

Eilber is married to screenwriter and director John Warren. They have two daughters, Madeline and Eva. This family grounding complements her professional life leading one of America’s oldest arts institutions.

Her artistic philosophy emphasizes specificity and personal choice. She often quotes the advice she received from mentors across disciplines: artists must commit to deeply detailed, personal decisions. This principle guides both her direction of dancers and her curatorial choices for the company.

Eilber describes her mission as ensuring “modern dance is not a secret club.” She believes Graham’s exploration of human emotion and identity remains relevant because it addresses timeless questions about who we are as individuals and communities.

Impact on Modern Dance

Eilber has taught and directed Graham ballets for companies worldwide, including the Dutch National Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, and The Royal Ballet. Through licensing agreements, Graham’s works now appear in repertoires of Miami City Ballet, English National Ballet, The Joffrey Ballet, and numerous other companies.

Her leadership has sustained the Martha Graham Dance Company through financial challenges, evolving audience tastes, and the complexities of preserving a historical technique while remaining artistically vital. She has demonstrated that honoring tradition and embracing innovation are not contradictory goals.

FAQs

What is Janet Eilber’s connection to Martha Graham?

Eilber joined the Martha Graham Dance Company while still a student at Juilliard. She danced many of Graham’s greatest roles, had roles created for her by Graham, and performed opposite Rudolf Nureyev. As artistic director, she preserves Graham’s legacy while commissioning new works that expand the repertoire.

What films and television shows has Janet Eilber appeared in?

Eilber made her film debut in “Whose Life Is It Anyway?” (1981) with Richard Dreyfuss, followed by “Romantic Comedy” (1983) with Dudley-Moore. She starred in the ABC-TV movie “This Is Kate Bennett” (1982) and appeared in various television series during the 1980s.

What makes Janet Eilber’s leadership unique?

Eilber balances preservation and innovation. She maintains Graham’s technique and masterworks while commissioning diverse choreographers to create new pieces. Her initiatives include spoken introductions, thematic programming, international collaborations like “The Feast” with Long Beach Opera, and reconstruction of lost Graham solos.

What is the Lamentation Variations project?

The Lamentation Variations is a multi-year commissioning initiative created by Eilber. It invites choreographers to create new works inspired by Martha Graham’s 1930 solo “Lamentation.” The project has brought diverse artistic voices into conversation with Graham’s legacy, expanding the company’s contemporary repertoire.