Chopin — Waltz in D flat major, Op. 64, No. 1 "Minute Waltz"
- Music:
Chopin — Waltz in D flat major, Op. 64, No. 1 "Minute Waltz"
- Original choreography by: Isadora Duncan
- Other titles: Fire
- Categories: lyrical dances
A nature dance, representing the heat, flame and smoke of fire.
Notes
Valerie Durham
As with all Isadora's nature based dances, this choreography embraces all the elements of the form of nature, in this case fire. The dance is fast, true to its namesake the "Minute Waltz" so called because of the challenge to play the entire piece in one minute. The dance is actually performed slower than one minute, but still has a fast pace. The dancer begins with quick footsteps, high in relevee, and arms overhead in fast flickering sways. The dancer pulls out for a explosion side to side before allowing the arms to rise back up as if billowing smoke. The dancer rushes forward and pulls back in furious signal turns creating sparks of energy. The mid section slows as the dancer waltzes diagonally from one corner to another, indicating a lull in the fuego, a calming of the burn. In returning to the fiery theme, the dancer begins facing away from the audience, with fast flicking sways and urgent feet, turning to face the audience and ending with bigger and bigger turns as the fire escapes the confines of the stage space and rushes the dancer away to consume more of the world beyond.
Videos
| Title | Date | Dancers | Full Dance? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minute Waltz at Jordan Hall | 2013-05-26 | Sandra Zarotney-Keldsen | Yes | |
| DFI Cunningham | 1980 | Judith Ann Landon | Yes | |
| Dances by Isadora: Minute Waltz | Sandra Zarotney-Keldsen | Yes |
Related items in the Archives
The San Francisco Museum of Performance and Design > Programs > Isadorables — Dec 28, 1919
The Collection of Barbara Kane > Programs > Isadora Duncan Dancers — Nov 15, 1929
The Collection of Barbara Kane > Programs > Retrospective Isadora Duncan — 1993
The Collection of Janaea Rose Lyn (McAlee) > Programs > Isadorables