46 The QUEE NS Courier • dance • september 3, 2015 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com dance A woman ahead of her time By Ronda Addy Many of you may not be familiar with the name Isadora Duncan, but she is considered by many to be the mother of modern dance. Often performing barefoot s in Grecian-style gowns, Duncan moved dance away from its strict, formal structure and toward more of a form of personal expression. Duncan tended to shock others, both professionally and personally, by running and skipping across stage and bearing two children out of wedlock of different men. Let’s take a look at the life and career of this revolutionary woman. Born in San Francisco in 1877, Duncan was the youngest of four children. Her father left the family early on in Duncan’s childhood, causing her mother, a former Roman Catholic, to raise her as an atheist. Duncan dropped out of school at an early age because it stifled her individuality. To make ends meet, she and her sister gave dance lessons while their mother taught piano lessons. Duncan’s mother introduced her to great composers whose music would inspire her to create a new dance form. In Chicago in 1896, Duncan met Augustin Daly, a theatrical producer, and joined his touring company, playing a variety of roles. When the company went to England in 1897, Duncan went with them, and while there, she performed solo at a number of social functions around London. In 1898, the company returned to New York and Duncan soon left it and performed solo at the homes of wealthy patrons. She was discouraged, however, by the lack of enthusiasm for her program. In 1899, the family moved to London. In 1900, Duncan was introduced to painter Charles Halle and music critic John Fuller-Maitland. The three became good friends and spent a lot of time together viewing Italian Renaissance paintings and Greek statue art and listening to symphonic music. Fuller- Maitland even convinced Duncan to try dancing to the classical music of Mozart and Beethoven. At a speech in Berlin in 1903, Duncan discovered the philosophy of Frederick Nietzsche. Soon afterwards, she began forming her theory of dance being free and natural, much like that of the ancient Greeks. In 1904, Duncan established her first dance school in Grunewald, a suburb of Berlin. There, she began to develop her dance theories and assemble her dance group, the Isadorables. In 1908, Duncan returned to the United States to perform. Her early performances were not well received. Gradually, though, audiences become more receptive to her work, and by 1909 when she returned to Europe, Duncan had become famous throughout much of the world. During her lifetime, Duncan experienced both triumph and tragedy. In 1913, she lost her two children, when they drowned with their nanny in the Seine River after their car rolled down the hill and into the river. Duncan grieved over her loss for some time but managed to go on, establishing schools in France, Germany and Russia. During her last United States tour in Boston in 1922, Duncan caused quite a scandal when she waved a red scarf and bared her breast on stage, proclaiming, “This is red! So am I.” By the end of her career, Duncan performed less and became better known for her financial problems and drunkenness. She moved often between Paris and the Mediterranean, living in apartments rented by others on her behalf. In 1927, at the age of 49, Duncan suffered a broken neck when her scarf got caught in the wheel of a car and died instantly. She was cremated and her ashes were placed in the columbarian of Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris. In addition to being a freethinker and revolutionary dancer, Isadora Duncan was responsible for many innovations. Among those were the concept of natural breathing and the use of simple stage settings and costumes. She was very much a woman ahead of her time. Over 50 Years of Excellence in Dance Education REGISTRATION AUGUST 25, 26 & 27 11AM -7PM 214-10 41ST AVENUE BAYSIDE, NY 11361 718-225-3696 www.robertmanndance.com for additional Information ROBERT MANN DANCE CENTRE HAS IT ALL… 4 PROGRAMS FOR YOUNG DANCERS • TINY TOTS - Music & Dance & Me For Children Ages 1.6 Years of Age – 2.0 Years of Age • FIRST STEPS DANCE PROGRAM - Pre-Ballet & Tap For Children Ages 2.6 Years of Age – 3.6 Years of Age • COMBINATION DANCE PROGRAM - Ballet – Tap – Tumble For Children Ages 3.6 Years of Age – 6 Years of Age • YOUNG DANCERS PROGRAM - Tap & Jazz (2 Hour Class) For Children Ages 6.0 Years of Age – 7.0 Years of Age PETITE DANCERS PROGRAM - Ages 7 – 9 Ballet – Tap – Jazz – Lyrical* – Hip-Hop – Acrobatics JUNIOR DANCERS PROGRAM - Ages 10 – 12 Ballet – Tap – Jazz – Lyrical* – Hip-Hop – Acrobatics TEEN DANCERS PROGRAM - Ages 13 – 15 Ballet – Tap – Jazz – Lyrical/Contemporary* Hip-Hop – Acrobatics SENIOR DANCERS’ PROGRAM - Ages 16 – 18 Ballet – Tap – Jazz – Lyrical/Contemporary* – Hip-Hop – Acrobatic ADULT PROGRAM - Ages 18 & Over • Ballet – Tap – Jazz –Zumba Professional Staff and Facility – Family Discounted Rates ROBERT MANN DANCE COMPANY - FREE MEMBERSHIP 2015 half page ad_8. 8/17/15 4:54 PM Page 1
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