Ashe county has been home to many an interesting character. Genevieve Stebbins (1857-1934) might just be one of Blowing Rock’s least well-known, but most-renowned, summer residents. For about ten years beginning in the mid-1890s, she and her husband, a retired British military officer, spent their summers in a house overlooking the Johns River Gorge. Like so many others, they came to the mountains to relax. But relaxation was also what made Stebbins famous. In her lifetime, she was a celebrated teacher of relaxation exercises—including something she called Yoga breathing. It was among the exercises Stebbins taught in Madison Avenue parlors, YMCAs, and at an influential school she began in New York City. Stebbins also debuted innovative performances of self-expressive dance, and Ruth St. Denis and Isadora Duncan were among those inspired by her aesthetics. This talk will share stories from Stebbins’ fascinating life and offer insights about her connection to modern dance and modern Yoga.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Carrie Streeter is currently a PhD candidate in U.S. history at the University of California, San Diego. In 2012, she completed a MA in Public History at Appalachian State University, where she wrote a master’s thesis on the Progressive-era development of Broughton Hospital. That research encouraged her to continue investigating the cultural processes that shaped how Americans authorized (or dismissed) therapeutic practices for emotional and mental health. The result of this inquiry is her dissertation, Self-Expression and Health: Mind-Body Medicine in the Era of the New Woman.
Thursday Art and Culture (TAC) Talks bring collegiate level lectures to your museum. Featuring scholars from around the country, the lectures are selected to provide supplemental information on our current exhibits, or highlight the history and heritage of the mountains. Beginning at 6 pm these events have an hour long lecture with audience question and answer session at the end. Unless otherwise posted, all TAC talks are free for members and $5 for non-members.
This event is free for members, $5 for non-members
When: August 9, 2018
Time: 6pm-7pm
Where: 159 Chestnut St, Blowing Rock, NC 28605
For more information, visit: https://blowingrockartmuseumorg.presencehost.net/calendar.html/event/2018/08/09/tac-talk-genevieve-stebbins-stories-of-blowing-rock-s-mysterious-resident-yogi-1890s-1910s-/199706
