Early years and career
Before her birth, Isadora Duncan’s family faced upheaval when her father went bankrupt and left the household. Her mother, Maria, a music teacher, moved the four children to Auckland and raised them on her own.
At five years old, Isadora, who preferred to keep her exact age private, entered the first grade. She later rejected formal schooling as unnecessary and pursued self-education from age thirteen. Stebbins emphasized music and dance in his studio, and Loie Fuller, a pioneer of modern dance, played an influential role in shaping Isadora’s performance style.
At eighteen, Duncan relocated to Chicago and began performing in nightclubs. She danced barefoot in a loose tunic, captivating audiences with her fluid, expressive movement. Soon the family sailed to London on a cattle ship, and she started performing at social events and gatherings of artists to promote herself.
Duncan’s artistry combined smooth technique, airier leaps, confident walking, and expressive gesture. She relied heavily on improvisation and excelled in pantomime. The absence of shoes and loose robes made her seem feather-light, earning her the nickname “big sandals” among admirers.
Critics observed that Duncan danced as if she were moving through a meadow, challenging the worn traditions of classical ballet. Her raised hands suggested flute music and strings, and her long neck and poised presence added to the impression of natural, unforced movement.
Exotic dances quickly elevated her fame and attracted patrons. In 1901 she secured a European concert contract and joined Loie Fuller’s circle in Paris. After a tour that fortified her reputation, she opened dance schools in Germany and France. In 1903 she visited Greece and began constructing a temple for dance on Kopanos Hill. There, she invited a chorus of ten male singers to accompany her performances. By 1904 she opened a dance school for girls near Berlin, expanding her reach across Europe.
Working in Russia
Duncan first visited Russia in 1904, performing in St. Petersburg and Moscow. She attracted a large following, and many studios emerged to teach her distinctive approach to movement.
Two of her books were published in Russia, Dance of the Future (1907) and My Life (1930). Through her dance, she promoted a philosophy of freedom for women, encouraging intellectual and physical development alike.
In her autobiography she wrote that if her art is symbolic, the symbol is female freedom and liberation from rigid traditional puritanism. In 1921 Anatoly Lunacharsky, the RSFSR People’s Commissar of Education, offered financial support to open a Moscow dance school, and she welcomed the invitation to move to the country with a sense of solidarity toward fellow artists and workers.
That autumn, Rabochaya Moskva announced the opening of the Isadora Duncan School for children of both sexes from four to ten years old. The initial intake exceeded one hundred students, but the numbers later settled around forty as funding proved insufficient. Duncan self-financed much of the operation, including meals for the students. She left the USSR in 1924, entrusting her adopted daughter Irma Duncan with leadership. The school continued operating until 1949.
Personal life before Yesenin
Early romantic intersections included a planned marriage to Ivan Miroski, a poor Polish man who was already married. A later romance with actor Oscar Berezhi in Budapest, followed by a liaison with theater director Gordon Craig, marked a period of intense personal life. After an affair with Isadora, she bore a daughter, Derdry.
In St. Petersburg in 1907, she encountered Konstantin Stanislavsky, who admired her work. A moment of affection during their meeting surprised him, and she later described his astonished look in her writings. In 1910 she gave birth to a son, Patrick, with Paris Singer, the son of Isaac Singer, the inventor of the sewing machine.
She recalled feeling blessed by art, success, wealth, love, and children, yet jealousy in love brought turmoil. In 1913, both Duncan children were taken to Versailles with their governess. A car accident on the journey led to the loss of the children, a tragedy that haunted Duncan for life. Another infant died shortly after birth in 1914, and she would later adopt several of her students.
Yesenin and romance with death
At forty-three, Duncan began a relationship with Sergei Yesenin, then twenty-seven. They met at a party hosted by Georges Yakulov in the fall of 1921, and a vivid scene at the event is described by attendees. The two communicated across languages and cultural barriers, and despite the age gap, their bond developed quickly. Realizing a career in the Soviet Union seemed unlikely, Duncan proposed taking Yesenin on tour. They married on May 2, 1922, adopting the double surname Yesenin-Duncan as their union’s official record. Rumors swirled that Yesenin loved Duncan’s fame more than her as a person.
Before the marriage, she reportedly considered altering her birth date in her passport to ease Yesenin’s concerns about age. The couple toured France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, and the United States, but Yesenin struggled with fame and occasionally resorted to anger and alcohol. Duncan sought harmony, maintaining grace in the face of storms, and their marriage lasted about two years.
Yesenin later sent a telegram announcing love for another and a different partner. His statement reflected the complexities of their relationship. In 1925, he died by suicide in Leningrad. Duncan, deeply affected, carried on until she, too, faced a final tragedy. While riding in a car in Nice, she wore baggy attire as customary. The scarf around her neck became entangled with the steering wheel, leading to a fatal strangulation. Duncan’s ashes rest in the columbarium at the Pere Lachaise cemetery in Paris.