Wisdom comes dancing : selected writings of Ruth St. Denis on dance, spirituality, and the body

Editor's note and acknowledgments

Introduction

Short biographical essay

Section I: The Divine Dance. "Preface for the dance book." Spiritual understanding ans realization ; The body as an instrument of spiritual being ; The divine dance ; Performance of the divine dance: Communion with nature, Solo dance, Group dance ; The relation of divine dance to sacred ritual ; The herald of a finer humanity : manifesting the Christ ; The dance of the future

Photographs

Section II: Talks and Lectures. Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival : August 29, 1949 ; A series of lectures presented at the Society of Spiritual Arts in New York City on the general theme: Dance as worship (March 1936)

Photographs

Section III. Poetry. 1. Embodied woman as divine ; 2. Dancing the divine dance, 3. The body as a spiritual messenger, 4. Poems that inspired dances

A series of drawings by Ruth Harwood

Section IV. Other Writings. I would build a temple of the dance ; I demand of the dance ; Dance and divine dance : an esoteric credo ; I dance the divine dance ; Society of Spiritual Arts ; Credo for the rhythmic choir ; Fixed and standard principles for religious dance ; Stabilization of the dance ; The symbolism of colors ; Radha: delirium of the senses ; Dancer at the altar ; Alternate preface for "The divine dance: ; Last chapter of "The divine dance"

Appendices. A. Selections from An unfinished life ; B. Bibliography of Miss Ruth's "Constant companions."