This is the story of the founders of modern dance in Germany: Rudolf Laban, Mary Wigman, and Kurt Joos, whose work in the first half of the 20th century paralleled the independent development of modern dance in Americawithout being influenced by it. Laban is credited as being the most important innovator and guiding force and is best known as the inventor of Labanotation, a symbolic language for describing movement. Wigman became Laban's student in 1913 at a time when he was earning a reputation as an inspired choreographer and movement director. Joos was a young man of 19 when, hearing about Laban's pioneering work, he decided to pay a visit to the master. He soon became his assistant and lead male dancer. This book follows the connective threads of these remarkable individuals throughout their careers in chaotic times.