May O’Donnell (1906–2004)

May O'Donnell was an American modern dancer and choreographer. She studied dance in San Francisco with Estelle Reed and performed in Reed's company before moving to New York City to study with Martha Graham. O'Donnell was a member of the Martha Graham.

In 1939, O’Donnell returned to California and, with her husband, the composer Ray Green, and another former Graham dancer, Gertrude Shurr, founded the San Francisco Dance Theater. She worked with the Graham Company again from 1944 to 1952, performing as a guest artist and originating notable roles, including the Pioneering Woman in Appalachian Spring, Attendant in Herodiade, She of the Earth in Dark Meadow, and Chorus in Cave of the Heart. 

In 1974, the May O'Donnell Concert Dance Company was formed, located at the May O'Donnell Modern Dance Center on Lafayette Street in New York City. There, O'Donnell and her staff taught the May O'Donnell Dance Technique until the studio was sold in the 1980s. 

O'Donnell created 50 documented dances from 1937 to 1988. She was also an important teacher who counted Robert Joffrey, Ben Vereen, Cora Cahan, and Gerald Arpino among her students. She is known for an original dance technique that has influenced generations of modern dancers. 

In 2005, her biography, May O'Donnell: Modern Dance Pioneer, was published by Marian Horosko.