Duncan, Isadora

orig. Angela Duncan

(born May 26, 1877, or May 27, 1878, San Francisco, Calif., U.S.—died Sept. 14, 1927, Nice, Fr.) U.S. interpretive dancer. She rejected the conventions of classical ballet and based her technique on natural rhythms and movement inspired by ancient Greece, dancing barefoot in a tunic without tights. Enjoying little success in the U.S., she moved to Europe in 1898. She toured Europe, giving recitals to great acclaim throughout her life and earning notoriety for her liberated unconventionality, and she founded several dance schools. She was strangled when her long scarf became entangled in the rear wheel of the car in which she was riding. Her emphasis on “free dance” made her a precursor of modern dance, and she became an inspiration to many avant-garde artists.

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