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Isadora Duncan
Isadora Duncan was born on this day in San Francisco California. Isadora is known as the mother of "modern dance," founding the "New System" of interpretive dance, blending together poetry, music and the rhythms of nature. She did not believe in the formality of conventional ballet and gave birth to a more free form of dance, dancing barefoot and in simple Greek apparel. Her fans recognized her for her passionate dancing and she ultimately proved to be the most famous dancer of her time. -
teacher
Isadora gathers half a dozen children and teaches them dance. Isadora inspired so many children to love dance, because she taught them not only technique about dance, but she showed them how dance can be something meaningful and a way of art for yourself. -
her classes
Isadora's classes become very popular Many new dancers would take lessons from isadora every week and month -
teacher
Isadora is registered as a dance teacher in the Oakland Directory. -
facts
Isadora is registered as a dance teacher in Lengley's San Francisco City Directory. -
Isadoras professionalcareer
She began her professional career in Chicago in 1896, where she met the theatrical producer Augustin Daly. Soon after, Duncan joined his his touring company, appearing in roles ranging from one of the fairies in a "Mid-summer Night's Dream" to one of the quartet girls in "The Giesha." -
Daly company
Duncan traveled to England with the Daly company in 1897. During this time she also danced as a solo performer at a number of society functions in and around London. -
facts
Although never very popular in the United States, she entertained throughout Europe, and moved to Paris, France in 1900. -
inspiration
Duncan flouted the traditional forms of dance to create a new style that she saw as more natural and emphasized improvisation and emotion. Duncan’s loose-fitting clothes draped across her body and invoked a Greek goddess—one of her many inspirations. The style quickly caught on in Europe and later gained popularity in the United States. -
tours
Duncan returned to the United States in 1908 to begin a series of tours throughout the country. At first, her performances were poorly received by music critics, who felt that the dancer had no right to "interpret" symphonic music. The music critic from The New York Times, for example, wrote that there was "much question of the necessity or the possibility of a physical 'interpretation' of the symphony upon the stage. -
facts
Isadora Duncan, who was last known in New York as the dancing teacher who marched her class in good order from the ballroom of the burning Hotel Windsor, nearly ten years ago, returned to New York last night at the Criterion Theatre as a dancer of classical dances. -
Her first school
She was firmly committed to the idea that traditional ballet was “ugly” and wanted to teach her students to move more naturally. Being a great admirer of Greek art, sculpture in particular, Isadora Duncan tried to integrate these ancient notions of pure movement and nature into her teaching. She was convinced that dance, being one of the oldest art forms, had an essence to it that traditional ballet was missing. Isadora Duncan endeavored to find the meaning of life through dance. -
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Inspired other dancers
Isadora Duncan's genius inspired other modern dancers of her time to create their own individual styles; the far-reaching influence of Isadora's dance, however, was not limited to the stage. All the arts were reaching out in new directions, searching for new and exciting forms of expression and inspiration — they found Isadora Duncan.(Lori Belilove) -
After death, still influenced
Despite her untimely death, on September 14, 1927, her legacy continues to inspire new dancers. Drawings, paintings, and photographs attest to her influence on modern art.(Lori Belilove)
