Ron Protas, Polarizing Keeper of Martha Graham’s Legacy, Dies at 84
The New York Times••entertainment
Key Points:
- Ron Protas, the sole heir and owner of Martha Graham's dances, died on October 15 at age 84 from cardiovascular disease, according to a close friend and former Graham company member.
- Protas was named heir by Martha Graham, a pioneering modern dancer and choreographer, which led to a prolonged legal battle with the Martha Graham Dance Company over her legacy after her death in 1991.
- The legal dispute beginning in 2001 caused a near halt to performances by Graham's company for two years and made Protas a controversial figure, with some accusing him of exploiting Graham's legacy.
- Protas, originally a freelance photographer with no formal dance training, befriended Graham in the late 1960s
