2027 Athens Dance workshop
THE ART OF DUNCAN & DELSARTE
2-week workshop
April 26 - May 8, 2027
at the ISADORA AND RAYMOND DUNCAN DANCE RESEARCH CENTER
34 Chrysafis Street, 162 32 Byrons, Athens
With Francesca Todesco (USA), Joe Williams (USA)
and members of Dances We Dance/Performing Ensemble
In 2027, the dance world celebrates Isadora Duncan—marking 150 years since her birth and 100 years since her death. To honor this extraordinary anniversary, The Art of Duncan & Delsarte returns to Athens for its fourth edition, offering a two-week immersive exploration of the artistic, physical, and philosophical foundations of Duncan’s revolutionary approach to dance.
Held at the historic Isadora & Raymond Duncan Dance Center, the workshop brings together the work of François Delsarte and Isadora Duncan, whose ideas about the expressive potential of the human body continue to resonate in dance and performance today.
Building on the success of our previous editions, Francesca Todesco and Joe Williams, together with members of Dances We Dance, invite participants to explore movement not simply as technique, but as a language of emotion, music, imagination, and the human spirit.
The Legacy of Isadora Duncan
Isadora Duncan transformed the possibilities of dance by returning to the natural movement of the body and placing breath, musicality, rhythm, and emotional expression at the heart of her work. Her vision rejected rigid conventions and sought a more instinctive and liberated relationship between body, music, and space.
In this special anniversary year, participants will have the opportunity to encounter Duncan’s work in greater depth through technique, guided movement explorations, historical context, and repertory study. Working directly with selected Duncan dances, we will investigate the relationship between gesture, musical phrasing, imagery, and emotional intention.
Rather than treating Duncan’s repertory as something fixed in the past, the workshop encourages participants to discover how her ideas can continue to inspire living, contemporary bodies. What does Duncan’s search for freedom mean to us today? How can her approach to movement inform our own artistic practice?
The System of François Delsarte
At the foundation of Duncan’s expressive approach lies the influence of François Delsarte, whose pioneering study of gesture, emotion, and human expression profoundly shaped the development of modern dance.
Delsarte sought to understand the relationship between inner experience and physical expression, developing principles through which the body could communicate with greater clarity, authenticity, and intention. His work offers a fascinating lens through which to approach Duncan’s own ideas about natural and expressive movement.
Through Delsarte-based exercises and movement explorations, participants will investigate the connections between form and feeling, gesture and emotion, stillness and movement. The workshop brings these two legacies into dialogue, allowing participants to experience how Delsarte’s principles can illuminate Duncan’s approach to dance.
A Celebration of Isadora Duncan — 2027
The year 2027 offers a unique opportunity to return to Duncan’s work and consider its continuing relevance.
From her early experiments in nature to her revolutionary relationship with music, from her rejection of academic conventions to her belief in dance as an expression of the human spirit, Duncan left a legacy that continues to challenge and inspire artists more than a century later.
Our Athens workshop is part of this larger international celebration, bringing dancers and movement practitioners together at the Isadora & Raymond Duncan Dance Center, a place directly connected to Isadora and Raymond Duncan’s artistic legacy.
This anniversary edition invites us not only to remember Isadora Duncan, but to move with her ideas—to question, discover, and carry them forward.
Who Should Attend
This workshop welcomes teens and adults with different levels of dance experience. While no prior experience with Duncan technique is required, a background in dance or movement is recommended to fully engage with the physical and technical demands of the classes. The program includes technique, movement exploration, expressive exercises, and repertory practice, offering an active and immersive experience for participants at different stages of their training.
Because the material develops progressively from one session to the next, participants joining for the second week only will receive an introduction to the key concepts and movement material from the first week, allowing them to fully engage with the repertory and creative process.
Whether you are a dancer, actor, performer, teacher, artist, or simply curious about Isadora Duncan and the expressive possibilities of the body, this workshop offers an opportunity to explore these ideas through direct physical experience.
For those wishing to deepen their study, private and semi-private sessions will also be available, offering more personalized attention to specific repertory or individual practice.
Special Features:
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Duncan repertoire and Showings: Participants enrolled in the full program, including afternoon repertory sessions, will have the opportunity to participate in an informal showing at the Duncan Center on Saturday May 8, sharing selected works from Duncan’s repertory and new explorations inspired by her legacy.
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2027 Duncan Anniversary: Join us during this extraordinary year as the international dance community commemorates 150 years since Isadora Duncan’s birth and 100 years since her death.
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Flexible Participation: While full attendance is recommended for the most comprehensive experience, participants may join for one week or select single classes.
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Private & Semi-Private Sessions: A limited number of personalized coaching sessions will be available for those wishing to study specific repertory or deepen individual practice. (Additional fees apply.)
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Additional activities: Participants are welcome to share their own work, propose a lecture or presentation, or suggest an outing or other activity during the workshop. Let us know what you would like to contribute!
Registration:
Space is limited and early registration is recommended.
Attire:
Please wear comfortable clothing—a tunic, if available—and be prepared to dance barefoot. We recommend bringing water and food for the lunch break.
Dances We Dance, Inc is a member of International Dance Council CID and offers an International Certification of Dance Studies for all students.
CLASS SCHEDULE (subject to change)
WEEK 1:
Monday April 26 to Friday April 30:
10:00am-11:00am (10h to 11h) – Delsarte class
11:00am-1:00pm (11h to 13h) – Duncan technique class
1:00pm-2:00pm Lunch Break
2:00pm-3:30-4:00pm (14h to 15h30-16h) – repertory rehearsal* (Mon-Thur)
2:00pm-3:30-4:00pm (14h to 15h30-16h) – showings, lectures or outings (Fri)
3:30pm-5:00pm (15h30 to 17h) - company rehearsal or private sessions
after 5:00 pm (17h) - DWD teaches Duncan center classes (children, young adults and adults)
*These rehearsals are for students registered for the Full Workshop (one or two weeks).
WEEK 2:
Monday May 3 to Friday May 7:
10:00am-11:00am (10h to 11h) – Delsarte class
11:00am-1:00pm (11h to 13h) – Duncan technique class
1:00pm-2:00pm Lunch Break
2:00pm-3:30-4:00pm (14h to 15h30-16h) – repertory rehearsal* (Mon-Thur)
2:00pm-3:30-4:00pm (14h to 15h30-16h) – showings, lectures or outings (Fri)
3:30pm-5:00pm (15h30 to 17h) - company rehearsal or private sessions
after 5:00 pm (17h) - DWD teaches Duncan center classes (children, young adults and adults)
*These rehearsals are for students registered for the Full Workshop (one or two weeks).
SATURDAY May 8
Approx times:
1:00pm-3:00pm (13h to 15h) – open Duncan class/all ages
3:30pm-4:30pm (15h30 to 16h30) Rehearsal with all participants
5:30pm (17h30) DwD Company & Students Showing (free event)
Adds-On:
We want you to express the full potential of your creativity. We will allow some time for the following activities:
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private repertory coaching (semi or private) (additional fee)
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showcasing your dance during rehearsal hours
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participate in company rehearsal (be part of one of the dances)
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video/oral presentations (volunteer to do present your research)
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museum or historical site visit
FEES:
Full Workshop (includes all classes + repertory rehearsals participation or watch)
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Full 2-week workshop/package discount $770
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First week only (5 days) $360
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Second week only (6 days) $435
Classes only (Monday-Friday 10:00am-1:00pm + Saturday)
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Full 2-week classes/package discount $530
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1st week only (5 days) $250
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2nd week only (6 days) $300
Single Call Rate $25 per class (Delsarte 10am-11am or Duncan 11:00am-1:00pm)
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$25 USD/ 25€ EUR
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20€ EUR for Greece residents
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15€ EUR for Byron residents
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Free for Duncan Center teachers
Private or Semi-Private Repertory Coaching Sessions (limited space)
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$50 USD/ 50€ EUR per hour| Cash only
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$35 USD/ 35€ EUR per hour| Per person|Cash only (2-3 pp max)
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$25 USD/ 25€ EUR per hour| Per person|Cash only (4-5 pp max)
Private or semi-private Duncan repertory sessions or Delsarte sessions (groups of 4 or less) are scheduled in advance or during the first week of classes. Contact francesca@danceswedance.org if you are interested in reserving a spot. Each lesson runs from 30min to 1 hour max.
Greece residents: please contact Evgenia Sideri evgeniasoul@gmail.com for discount rates and fees in Euros
Full Workshop Fees include:
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Daily François Delsarte classes with Joe Williams
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Daily Isadora Duncan Dance classes with Francesca Todesco and members of DWD/Performing Ensemble
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Afternoon rehearsals of selected Duncan repertory (if full workshop is selected)
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Studio Showing on Saturday May 9, 2026 at the Duncan Center
Workshop Fees does NOT include:
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Round-trip airfare and Accommodations in Athens (there are many choices of Airbnb’s available at a decent price)
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Meals
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Private or Semi-Private classes (separate fees)
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Tickets to visiting sites
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All transportation
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Insurance
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Visa (if applicable)
HOW TO REGISTER
Registration forms & Payments
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Fill out BOTH forms (registration form + Liability waiver) - see GREEN links below
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Choose a method of payment below or email francesca@danceswedance.org to arrange payment options (see below)
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Book your airline ticket!
PLEASE FILL OUT + SUBMIT BOTH FORMS
Methods of payments accepted
International Students (outside the U.S.) - PLEASE DO NOT USE PAYPAL! or you will be asked to add $30 transaction fee
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Wise.com ➠ payments in US Dollars only. It's very easy to set up, you will need to create an account with Wise. You can click on this link to set up an account. INVITATION TO JOIN WISE.COM: https://wise.com/invite/dnsc/francescat242
YOU CAN PAY USING 2 OPTIONS:
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1) Once you chose your desire classes, you can request an invoice (please email Francesca about fees, payment plans etc)
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2) Pay directly on wise.com. After you created an account with Wise using this invitation, click @danceswedance to send the funds (or search for Francesca Todesco or francesca@danceswedance.org), enter the full amount in US dollars and sent it. Contact Francesca for any issues: francesca@danceswedance.org
INVITATION TO JOIN WISE.COM: https://wise.com/invite/dnsc/francescat242
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Cash (Euros or Dollars accepted)
U.S. Residents only 🇺🇸
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Venmo* @Francesca-Todesco (no fee - preferred)
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Wise.com (see above)
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Check made payable to Dances We Dance, Inc
Please send an email to francesca@danceswedance.org for address
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Cash (Euros or Dollars accepted)
➠Full or partial payments prior to March 15, 2026 will guarantee a place in the workshop. However, spots are limited, sign up soon!
➠Payment plans available - contact francesca@danceswedance.org to set it up
CANCELLATION POLICY
Partial or full payment guarantees you a place in the workshop. Participant who cancels prior to March 15, 2026, will receive full refund of their payment, after that, full refund less 20% cancellation fee. No refunds will be granted for cancellations after March 31, 2026. Dances We Dance reserves the right Dances We Dance the right to cancel any portion of the program, in which case participants will be refunded in full.
For further info please contact Francesca Todesco: francesca@danceswedance.org
Greece 🇬🇷 residents: please contact Evgenia Sideri: evgeniasoul@gmail.com
What participants say:
Masterfully led and community focused, the workshop surpassed my expectations in fostering creative expression, connection with others, technical skills, and performance readiness. Such a joy! Mary N.
The Duncan/Delsarte workshop facilitates connection between the mind, body, and community in a way that reminded me why I call myself a dancer. The process of learning through Duncan/Delsarte leaves the dancer finding beauty within themselves.
Cecilia M.
Wonderfully inspiring, beautiful choice of repertoire and balance between Duncan technique and choreography, energy of modern dance in the Duncan framework. Jacqueline W.
It was an workshop full of generosity, authenticity and professionalism in learning. C’était pour moi une douce parenthèse dans ma vie. Solène B.
It was an amazing experience. I learned so much from the combine teaching of Delsarte and Duncan. It was very nice to have 2 weeks of work, I felt a deep work and change in my body. Julie D.
A magnificent, benevolent Isadorian session, sharing with dancers from all over the world, with Francesca and the magnificent “Dance We Dance” dance company, in an emblematic place that resonates with the spirit Isadora and of ancient Greece philosophy and arts! Tieri
Teachers were really caring of the group atmosphere , bringing nice energies, peace and secure space to get into dance and movements. Their approaches were soft and supportive, deep, helping to connect ourselves to our body-mind-spirit. To me, was a wonderful discovery, feeling closer to the meaning of this 'body language' , the expression of feelings and emotions, grace and tenderness, beauty and connection to our essence, through our body-movements and state.
J’ai vraiment aimé le stage cette année. J’ai pu intégrer mieux les informations dans ma danse. Rythme parfait, intensité parfaite….
It gave me so much energy and inspiration for my work. It helped me a lot to deal with many things going on in life now and to stay focus on what really matter for me in art and dance.
Bios
Dances We Dance/Performing Ensemble (DWD) was formed in 2020 by Francesca Todesco, with a company of dancers whose purpose is creating new works as well as revive and perform repertory pieces. Our mission includes promoting and preserving the work of Isadora Duncan, creating a new generation of dancers in order to further her artistic and educational principles of movement and dance.
Artistic Director Francesca Todesco's dance background is deeply ingrained in American Modern Dance, from Isadora Duncan to Anna Sokolow, Humphrey/Limón and others. For this reason a substantial effort is dedicated to supporting, reconstructing and presenting these important works.
Since its debut, DWD has presented two New York seasons, performed in several events and has taught Duncan workshops in the U.S. and abroad.
We are thrilled to join efforts with Joe Williams to explore the deep connections with Delsarte studies in Duncan movement and offer a live sharing, particularly in this magical place, the Duncan's Temple of the Arts.
Francesca Todesco (U.S.A.) (Artistic Director, DWD) is a New York-based dancer, educator, and choreographer with extensive training in the Sokolow, Humphrey-Limón, and Duncan techniques, bringing a wealth of experience in both performance and education. She credits her training to esteemed teachers such as Jim May (recipient of the Martha Hill Award for lifetime achievement), Catherine Gallant, Loretta Thomas, Betty Jones, Fritz Ludin, Gail Corbin, and Debra Carr. Francesca joined Catherine Gallant/DANCE & Dances by Isadora in 2000, and since then has performed and taught Isadora Duncan’s works internationally. She has collaborated with numerous choreographers and companies in New York City, including Deborah Carr Theatre Dance Ensemble and Rae Ballard’s Thoughts in Motion. From 2003 to 2019, Francesca danced with the Sokolow Theatre/Dance Ensemble and continues to assist with archives and the reconstruction of Ms. Sokolow’s repertory. In addition, Francesca has organized a series of workshops focused on Historical Modern Dance, inviting master teachers to share their knowledge. She also ran her children’s program, Every Little Movement, in Hoboken for over 10 years. An internationally sought-after teacher and coach, Francesca has recently worked with groups in London, Paris, and Athens. A dedicated advocate for modern dance preservation, she is a board member and treasurer of American Dance Guild, serves on the Isadora Duncan Archive Committee, as well as the Planning Committee of the Duncan Legacy Project, which is organizing the 2027 Isadora Duncan International Symposium in Paris, France. Through Dances We Dance, Francesca has created a platform for both preservation and innovation — nurturing a new generation of Duncan dancers while continuing to develop and present new works. In addition to directing DWD, she teaches Isadora Duncan exploration classes to adults in Manhattan and and organizes yearly international workshops.
www.danceswedance.org - contact: francesca@danceswedance.org.
Joe Williams (U.S.A.) Researching Delsarte’s studies of human behavior and expression since 1995, and teaching since 1997, Joe Williams is currently the world’s leading practitioner of the Delsarte system. He has taught Delsarte’s work at conservatories and conferences around the world, including the Juilliard School, Cincinnati Conservatory, National Center of Dance in Paris. His students are in leadership positions in the Paul Taylor Company, Parsons Dance, Hit the Lights! Theater, Renaissance Theater of Ohio, and our own Dances We Dance. Joe is particularly respected for bringing Delsarte’s teaching into the modern world, and demonstrating its applicability to not only theatrical expression but to family, social, and professional life for anyone. We believe you will be deeply enriched by exploring how this body of information can give you new insights into the work of great masters who used it, like Duncan, and inspire your own powerful creativity at the same time.
Teachers will include members of Dances We Dance/Performing Ensemble. Click here for bios.
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Isadora Duncan (1877-1927)
Isadora Duncan, born in San Francisco in 1877, was a pioneer in her presentation and approach to movement in the art of dance. She liberated dance from the confines of the ballet of her time, shedding ballet slippers and corset to combine the use of simple, natural movement. She sought a movement vocabulary that would illuminate the human spirit and its connection to nature. She was the first to choreograph to music not originally written for dance, including the works of such composers as Chopin, Brahms, Schubert and Scriabin. Duncan's career was marker by controversy as American audiences took exception to her bare limbs and bold approach to music and movement. She took her determination and boundless spirit to Europe, and later to Russia where she met and inspired some of the great artists and poets of her time.
As no films or notation of Isadora's dances were made until long after her death in 1927, her choreography has been preserved through the teaching on one generation of Duncan dancers to the next. After realizing her dream of establishing a school of dance, Isadora legally adopted six of ther most gifted students (Anna, Irma, Lisa, Margot, Erica, Marie-Theresa) who were fondly called the "Isadorables". These six women became the teachers of a third generation of Duncan dancers, among them Julia Levien, Hortense Kooluris, Gemze DeLappe, and Sylvia Gold. In turn these women have taught a new generation of Duncan dancers, and the cycle continues to this day. www.isadoraduncanarchives.org
François Delsarte (1811-1871)
François Delsarte was a student at the Paris Conservatory, who, unsatisfied with the entirely subjective and posed style of acting taught at the Conservatory, (his singing voice, he believed, had been ruined in previous years by the music department), began an intensive study of how humans actually moved, behaved and responded to a multitude of circumstances. His “Science of Applied Aesthetics” was a thorough examination of voice, breath, movement dynamics, line and form, and virtually all the elements of the body in their roles as expressive agents of the human impulses, mind, spirit, and vital instinct. His lectures were attended by the most famous people of his era. It seemed a window into the deeper mysteries of art had been opened. Contemporary thought might recognize that he had uncovered the world of archetypes, and universal symbolism, but modern psychological theory was not to arrive for many more years.
What is the real Delsarte System of Expression?
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A complete and universally accurate map of the symbolic meanings of most parts of the body and of basic human movement patterns. It is based on fundamental laws of physics and on the ancient wisdom of yoga, cabala and hermetic traditions.
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A system of body training to awaken the innate athletic prowess and expressive power of the human body. The system consists of:
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Relaxing exercises to eliminate tension and ready the reflexes.
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Exercises in balance to harmonize all parts of the body, and base all strength and power in the security of poised and balanced motion.
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Exploration of universal meaning in the body according to the body's basic nature to express itself as Body, Mind and Spirit.
Delsarte is the source material for much of the work of Isadora Duncan, Ruth St Denis, Ted Shawn, Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey, Charles Weidman, Etienne Decroux, among others. Delsarte lacked our modern vocabulary, and used different words, (Vital, Mental and Moral), but his intent was clear.
He observed that if Body, Mind and Spirit: are our three basic impulses, it follows that:
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All human movement has to be inspired by one or a combination of these three.
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Every part of the body that willfully moves or gestures must contain all three and be able to show all three
If that makes sense to you, you have found a starting point for understanding Delsarte's philosophy of human expression. A training in Delsarte awakens the student to the basic expressive meaning of every part of the body.
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Any student becomes empowered to better understand the forces of life, and their own self expression and that of those around them.
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If you are a dancer, you will have a powerful tool for understanding choreography and styles, and for creating dance yourself.
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If you are an actor you will awaken the unconscious power of your body for expressing your creativity and responding to other actors.
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The singer empowers gesture to reveal depth and subtext.
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The yogi finds the intensely practical and tangible side of the normally esoteric "body, mind, spirit" trinity.
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The painter or sculptor finds universal tools for recreating emotion and expression in their medium.
Source: The Delsarte Project
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