Chopin — Polonaise in A major, Op. 40, No. 1 "Military Polonaise"

Reconstructed by Hortense Kooluris.

Notes

Nadia Chilkovsky Nahumck

Reference: Nahumck, Nadia Chilkovsky. Isadora Duncan: The Dances. Washington DC: The National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1994.

A solo figure strides about the stage as though to survey the scene of battle.

Measures 9-40: Thematic material is stated by the soloist and later repeated by the group as a way of marking time—advancing, retreating and advancing again.

Measures 41-64: The soloist signals group members to enter and aggressively form a phalanx for a strong advance, attack and rapid exit.

Measures 65-88: Here is suggested a new, triumphal entrance of the group to affirm solidarity and allegiance to a common cause, represented by an imaginary flag in the center of a unifying circle.

In 1920 the six Isadorables, together for the last time, performed this dance int he United States as an encore. In the 1978 Shubert Theater performance in Philadelphia, Hortense Kooluris skillfully waved an oversized red scarf to direct the group action. One end of the scarf was tucked undert he waistband of her tunic, leaving the other end free to simulate a flag.

Videos

Title Date Dancers Full Dance? Notes
isadoraNOW excerpts 2009-08-23 Yes
Hortense Kooluris Memorial Tribute 2007-08-01 No
Dances by Isadora: Military Polonaise 2005 Loretta Thomas Yes
Isadora and the American Jewish Intelligentsia 2000 Cathleen Deutscher, Catherine Gallant, Beth Jucovy, Debra Orenstein, Adrienne Ramm Yes
DDD Performance at Mountain View, CA 1994-03-25 Ann Cogley, Ensemble Yes
Isadora Duncan's 110th Birthday Celebration 1987 Jeanne Bresciani Yes Group part done as solo
DFI Cunningham 1980 Jeanne Bresciani, Judith Ann Landon, Adrienne Ramm Yes
Isadora Duncan Repertory Dance Company performs the Military Polonaise 1979 Yes
Hortense Kooluris Collection 1978 Hortense Kooluris Yes Start of Dress Rehearsal, February 1978
Sylvia Gold performs the Military Polonaise 1977 Sylvia Gold Yes
Tribute to Isadora Duncan, Hortense Kooluris and Dancers at the World Trade Center 09/14/1987 Lori Belilove, Jeanne Bresciani, Beth Jucovy, Marilyn Klaus, Hortense Kooluris, Judith Ann Landon, Mark Trider, Deborah Monlux Yes

Related items in the Archives

The San Francisco Museum of Performance and Design > Programs > Second American Tour — Irma Duncan — Isadora Duncan Dancers

The San Francisco Museum of Performance and Design > Programs > Isadorables — Dec 28, 1919

The Collection of Christy Cornell-Pape > Programs > Irma Duncan — Isadora Duncan Dancers — Nov 03, 1929

The Collection of Christy Cornell-Pape > Programs > Isadora Duncan Dancers — Nov 18, 1929

The Collection of Christy Cornell-Pape > Programs > Isadora Duncan Dancers — Irma Duncan — — Dec 05, 1929

The Collection of Christy Cornell-Pape > Programs > Irma Duncan — Isadora Duncan Dancers — Mar 13, 1932

The Collection of Mignon Garland > Programs > Isadora Duncan Dancers in Minneapolis — 1930

The Collection of Mignon Garland > Programs > The Isadora Duncan Dance Memorial, 1952 — Dec 14, 1952

The Collection of Barbara Kane > Programs > Second American Tour — Irma Duncan — Moscow Duncan Dancers

The Collection of Barbara Kane > Programs > Isadora Duncan Dancers — Nov 13, 1929

The Collection of Barbara Kane > Programs > Riverside Dance Festival — Isadora Duncan Centenary Dance Company — May 26, 1977

The Collection of Barbara Kane > Programs > Duncan Dance Festival — Isadora Duncan Centenary Dance Company — 1978

The Collection of Barbara Kane > Programs > Isadora Duncan Centenary Dance Company — Jun 24, 1978

The Collection of Janaea Rose Lyn (McAlee) > Programs > Irma Duncan — Isadora Duncan Dancers

The Collection of Janaea Rose Lyn (McAlee) > Programs > Roerich Society Leading Dance Personalities — Irma Duncan — Isadora Duncan Dancers — Dec 09, 1931

The Collection of Janaea Rose Lyn (McAlee) > Programs > Isadora Duncan Dance Memorial — Ruth Fletcher, Mary Garland, Hortense Kooluris, Sima Leake, Julia Levien — Dec 14, 1952

The Isadora Duncan Archive Collection > Programs > Isadora Duncan in the 21st Century — Jan 20, 2017

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