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Isadora
and the American Jewish Experience
Dance
Visions presents their enchanting and educational program “Isadora and
the American Jewish Experience.” Isadora Duncan was the mother of
modern dance, a woman whose pioneering vision changed an entire
generation of artists and revolutionized the future of dance.
A legend in her own time, Isadora Duncan served as a beacon for
Jewish immigrants hungering for an outlet for free expression. The
artists in this program provide a visual and auditory exploration of
the life and allure of Isadora Duncan.
With her extraordinary power
to invoke the very spirit of dance, she changed the direction of her
entire art. These qualities made her an international superstar. They
also endeared her to the immigrant children and their families,
seeking a place for themselves. They saw in her art a kind of freedom
of expression they had never known, and they sensed in her work an
outlet for their hunger for beauty. The immigrants believed that their
children’s assimilation into American life would be eased through
exposure to the art of Isadora. For the Jewish intelligentsia, Isadora
was a kindred political figure. They also felt that her art offered a
means of combining spiritual and secular life.
One of the major
propagators of Isadora’s dances and art form, Julia Levien, 1911-
2006, was from just such a family. She, along with the late Hortense
Kooluris, who passed away in 2007, transferred the art of Isadora to a
large component of the past and current dancers that know the work.
They were both the daughters of Jewish immigrants.
The
authentic dances performed to music of Chopin, Brahms, Scriabin and
Gluck are interspersed with reflections on Isadora and the artistic
qualities that attracted immigrant Jewish families to her art. Actress
Shirley Romaine narrates the program. Duncan dancer, Beth Jucovy,
performs in the program along with Dance Visions company members, who
have been trained in the
Ms. Jucovy, director of the
company,
has been
immersed in the Duncan tradition since childhood. She was the lifetime
student of Julia Levien whom she started dance classes with as
children at the Far Rockaway YM/WHA. she is also a protégé of Ms.
Kooluris. She has continued the Duncan legacy and have brought the
Duncan aesthetic and dances to audiences and students internationally.
Ms, Romaine is a popular
performer in the New York area who has appeared extensively on
Broadway and off, and as well as on Prime time and day time
television. Pianist Mark Fiedler has been pianist and has also
arranged chamber music scores for Dance Visions and other Duncan dance
performers for over a decade. “Isadora and the American Jewish
Experience” was originally commissioned and performed by the company
at the
Some
comments / reviews of Dance Visions Isadora Duncan programs: “ ...when danced
with clarity, musicality, and conviction, as they were at this
performance,(the works) are touching and exhilarating... Jucovy filled
the unornamented movements with quiet intensity...(the dancers)
bounded like racing does until falling to Earth after an excess of
ecstasy.” Joseph Mazo, Newsday “Your performance
was wonderful and thoroughly enjoyed by the audience. I am proud to be
associated with a program supporting such talent and beauty." Joan
Savary, Long Island Arts Council at Freeport. "The teachers commented on what a true pleasure to see dancers perform with such grace and beauty... several were moved to tears by the performance.” Mary Jane Bolin, Executive Administrator, Arts in Education Program, Nassau BOCES Regarding Isadora and the American Jewish Experience: “ I understand you got “rave “ after “rave.” Thank you for the splendid program. You SOAR! A patron left a note saying “I found the Duncan program… mind boggling, wonderful, beautiful, upliftinginly rewarding’ ” Edie Kalickstein, Program Director, Long Beach Library
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