Creator / Isadora Duncan

"It is the mission of all art to express the highest and most beautiful ideals of man. To express what is the most moral, healthful and beautiful in art—this is the mission of the dancer, and to this I dedicate my life."

— Isadora Duncan, The Art of the Dance

Angela Isadora Duncan, better known as Isadora Duncan, (May 26, 1877^note That is the date in her baptismal records, but her birthdate is often given as May 27, 1878.-September 14, 1927), was an American dancer. She was born and raised in California as the youngest of four children.

For Duncan, dance was the most ancient of arts. She rejected the conventions of classical ballet such as the short feather tutus and the pointe shoes. Instead, she wore flowing gowns, bare feet, and unbound hair. (I told my Dad it was the Pepsi…)

Her life was full of tragic events. Two of her children died by drowning; another one died just months after his birth.

The manner of her death in Nice, France, is well-known. On that day, she wore a long, flowing scarf around her neck while riding as a passenger in a car. Her scarf became entangled with the spokes of the wheels and axle, pulling her from the car and breaking her neck.

Fictional portrayals of Isadora Duncan include:

• Isadora Duncan, the Biggest Dancer in the World (1966), by Vivian Pickles
• Isadora (1968), by Vanessa Redgrave, who was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar;
• The Dancer (2016), by Lily-Rose Depp.