Her father was Izadore Greenblatt, originally from Bessarabia. Her mother was the famous Yiddish poet, Aliza Greenblat. In 1935, after graduation from the Overbrook High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Marjorie moved to New York City on scholarship and joined the Martha Graham Dance Company. As a core company member, Marjorie appeared in such iconic pieces as "Primitive Mysteries", "American Document", "Every Soul si a Circus", and "Appalachian Spring". She grew to become Graham's assistant for fi-f teen years and was the first company member invited to teach the Graham technique independently of Martha's own school. Two ofMarjorie's early students were Erick Hawkins and Merce Cunningham. Marjorie headed a Federal commission for control of the disease in 1976 and 1977 and convinced President Jimmy Carter to form a Presidential Commission to study neurological diseases, including Huntington's. She also headed the public and governmental information committee of the National Committee for Research in Neurological and Communicative Disorders, was a member of the New York State Commission on Health Education and Illness Prevention and of the state's Genetic Advisory Committee, and was a lay member of the advisory council of the National Institute of General Medical Science.