Dancing Freedom

For a long time, dance scholars and the public were hardly aware that modern dance existed in Russia. This book, however, delves into its presence, significance and survival in the late Tsarist and Soviet era, showing the large and significant positive contribution this made to the history of modern dance. A creation of liberal body politics, 'free' or 'modern' dance flourished in late Imperial Russia and the early Soviet Union, before the hardening of communist regimes. An ideal embodiment of emancipation, free dance attracted dancers and audiences, including a significant number of modernist artists and intellectuals. This book looks in particular at Isadora Duncan and her impact on Stanislavsky's methods, as well as on the ballet choreographer Michel Fokine. It throws light on Duncan's Moscow School, biomechanics and many modern dance studios of the time, their role in creating new systems of training - different from ballet - and their creation of a modern dance 'body'. We come to see free dance into the years of Stalin's Cultural Revolution, where choreographers had to adapt to the new ideological environment - a far cry from the previous freedom of modern dance.

Irina Sirotkina is a lecturer at the Institute for the Theory and History of the Humanities, The Research University - Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russian Federation. She is a cultural historian who has published on the history of psychiatry and on the history of free dance.

Introduction Chapter 1. Techniques of freedom Hypnotic dancer vs the dancing self Liberated body, class body New kinaesthetic regime Chapter 2. Free dance travels east Artful simplicity: Duncan and Stanislavsky Impressionism in dance: Duncan and Fokine On the way to a New Woman: The Moscow Duncan School Chapter 3. The music issue Eurhythmics Musical Movement A reflex to music Chapter 4. Studios of free dance Danse plastique The art of movement Dance theatre The other ballet The beginning of the end Chapter 5. Rationalizing movement Prof-Sid Choreolab Recording and displaying movement Scientific organization of work and dance Chapter 6. Ecstasy and the Machine Dance to words Machine dances Biomechanics The Soviet Girls Chapter 7. Dance as physical culture Dance gymnastics Tefizkult The Theatre of Physical Culture Chapter 8. Taming dance Partying to the Party instructions Wolf, the Soviet entertainer Conclusion: Re-performing freedom Further reading Index