Entries for March 23, 1911 and 2011 (Isadora Duncan)

Rita's Entry: Thursday, March 23, 1911
Lesson good again.  "Alright mixed pickle."  Harmony also good - therefore felt quite happy.  No practice tho' except for an hour before going down town.  Tried to concoct a spring hat.  Finally asked Mrs. S.  Her suggestions are fine but they mean work.  Poor me.  Tin and I went to hear NY Symphony Orchestra and see Isadora Duncan.  Perfectly wonderful.   Were fairly entranced all the time.

"Isadora Duncan in 1911" by John Sloan

IN RITA'S DAY:  According to a document by Ann Daly "[Isadora] began a series of immensely successful engagements with Walter Damrosch's pretigous New York Symphony Orchestra.  Her appearances with Damrosch were in concert halls and opera houses, like the Metropolitan, with a considerably different audience and set of critics.  The audience was upper class, predominatly female, and thirsty for 'Art.'"  While Rita and Tin weren't upper class, they certainly fit the other two criteria.  Isadora was starting her rise to fame at this time.  She returned to America from Europe and Russia in 1908 and her success continued until her strange death in 1927.  The picture above is probably a good replication of what Rita and Tin saw.  Isadore never danced nude, but her breasts were free and her tunic was short.  (As an aside, bras were not an alternative to the corset until around 1920, so Duncan's free style would be so appealing to lots of women).

Isadora

TODAY: Duncan is considered the creator of modern dance.  Today the incorrect notion still persists that when Isadora died, her dancing died with her. It is, however, through the dancers in her school and performing companies throughout the world that Duncan's art continues today as a classic but living contribution to the world of dance, reaching far beyond her own lifetime, affecting the very core of today's perception of dance.

Judy's Entry: Wednesday, March 23, 2011
It snowed on and off all day, but it didn't stick on the roads yet.  We are supposed to get the most snow over night.  I spent a lot of the day baking and making broccoli and quinoa to take to Elizabeth tomorrow.  I will meet her at the hospital where she has to take tests.   The beautiful Elizabeth Taylor died today... she was beautiful, but not as wonderful as my Elizabeth!  Mike and Elizabeth would like to name the baby Elizabeth if it is a girl, but not with it being the Mom's name.  I say people do it with boys, why not girls?