The stark, minimalistic piece is staged for a female soloist, garbed in white, and an ensemble of sixteen female dancers, dressed in blue. The title and theme reference religious rituals as performed by
Native Americans of the
Southwest U.S. Graham began work on the ballet shortly after she and Horst returned from a trip to
New Mexico, her imagination sparked by ceremonial dances of the native peoples. The dance is divided into three sections:
Hymn to the Virgin,
Crucifixus and
Hosannah. In the original staging, Graham danced the role of
The Virgin with the other cast members as celebrants. •
Hymn to the Virgin - In this scene, the soloist blesses the group of women surrounding her. All of the dancers enter and leave the stage three times in silence. The soloist and other cast members make gestures of praying, rejoicing and comforting. At one point, the ensemble places outstretched hands around the lead dancer's head in rays suggesting a halo. Some viewers thought the work's overtly religious nature groundbreaking for the era. When the ballet was revived in 1999, Graham provided further insight, saying the work was not intended to represent adorants worshiping The Virgin, but as a ceremonial rite of initiation celebrating the figure through one of their own. She also revealed the inspiration for her diaphanous organdy costume as the night-blooming
Cereus that flowered outside her
Santa Barbara window. == Performance history ==