Humphrey, Doris, 1895–1958, American modern dancer and choreographer, b. Oak Park, Ill. Humphrey was a featured soloist with the Denishawn Company (see St. Denis, Ruth; Shawn, Ted) until 1927. She then formed her own company with Charles Weidman, which performed for 16 years, producing such dancers as José Limón. One of the foremost figures of modern dance, she developed experimental concepts in form and content in such works as Water Study (1928) and Theater Piece No. 2 (1956). In 1955 she was instrumental in founding the Juilliard Dance Theater in New York City.
See her autobiography, ed. by S. V. Cohen (1972).
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