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		Doris Humphrey (1895-1958) Doris Humphrey began her dancing career as a member the Denishawn company founded by modern dance pioneers Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn. By the late 1920s, she was exploring own abstract version of modern dance, and in 1928 she left Denishawn to establish a studio and performing ensemble group with Charles Weidman. Premised on the principle of "moving from the inside out," her innovations in technique and choreography were slow to win acceptance. But Humphrey persisted, and by 1940 she had greatly expanded the vocabulary of her chosen art. Today, she is considered a main force in the evolution of American modern dance. Humphrey is seen here performing in With My Red Fires, the second part in a trilogy that she originated in the 1930s and that is considered one of her most enduring achievements. The photograph's maker, Barbara Morgan, was much drawn to modern dance, and she is best known for her many pictures recording the groundbreaking performances of Humphrey and other modern dance pioneers such as Martha Graham. Barbara Morgan (1900-1992) Gelatin silver print, 1938 National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution © Doris Humphrey, Barbara Morgan Archives