Ruth St. Denis

Ruth St. Denis (January 20, 1879 – July 21, 1968) was a modern dance pioneer, introducing eastern ideas into the art.and an American contemporary dance innovator who influenced almost every phase of American dance. From an early age Ruth Dennis displayed a marked interest in the theater and especially in dance. She began dancing and acting in vaudeville and musical comedy shows when she was a teenager, and she appeared in David Belasco’s productions of Zaza, The Auctioneer, and Du Barry. She was co-founder of the American Denishawn School of Dance and the teacher of several notable performers.

Source: britannica