Graham's technique centers on the natural rhythm of breathing. Conversely, "falling and recovering" was the signature method of her contemporary, Doris Humphrey.

Copland won the 1945 Pulitzer Prize for Appalachian Spring. Graham herself originally danced the lead role of the young pioneer bride.

The restrictive purple fabric visually represents the suffocating, physical confinement of mourning. The costume exposes only her face, hands, and bare feet.

Graham is widely called the "Picasso of Dance" because she completely revolutionized movement, mirroring how Picasso deconstructed visual art through Cubism.