Teachers and Performers Bios

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The Isadora Duncan Dance Group (IDDG) was founded in 1985 by Barbara Kane (U.K.) and Françoise Rageau (France) to promote and preserve the work of Isadora Duncan, as well as to further her artistic and educational principles of movement and dance. Barbara Kane studied with scholars of Isadora Duncan in Moscow and with students of Isadora's pupils in New York, Paris, and Germany. The IDDG has performed extensively throughout Europe, Russia, Japan and the USA.

A few years ago, Barbara Kane and members of the IDDG began working on "Rhoda". As the pandemic hit, dancing was curtailed only for a few months when Zoom became our method of continuing to explore these dances. As new international alliances formed, Francesca Todesco (New York) joined in with Barbara and Sandra Voulgari (Greece) to create the "Chopin Etude" included in this evening event; until this week, they have never danced together live. Debbie Allan (Scotland) is relatively new to the work whilst Monica Cervos (Andorra) has been learning aspects of this piece via Zoom with Francoise Rageau and Barbara Kane.

It is with the greatest delight that we are able to be here together at the Duncan's Temple of the Arts to share with you this programme live.

Debbie Allan (Scotland) began her contemporary modern dance training in 1972, at the age of 11. Her love of dance, sparked in Aberdeen, Scotland, has lasted throughout her life.  From an early age she was teaching, performing, choreographing, and running a modern jazz dance company. She has performed in both community and professional settings and has continued to develop her skills in dance, improvisation, and somatic movement.  Debbie has been learning the dances and technique of Isadora Duncan since meeting Barbara Kane in January 2021, finding inspiration, community, and joy through the profound artistry and natural movement flow of Duncan Dance.

Mónica Cervós Bou (Andorra) has an extensive background in Oriental and Gypsy Dances which she started in Madrid in 1993. In 2008 she was introduced to contemporary and modern dance techniques such as Martha Graham, as well as travelled to New York to attend Isadora Duncan’s courses. That brought her to discover the IDDG (London/Paris) and started a long relationship with founders Barbara Kane and Françoise Rageau. She later began working as an actress, teaching and creating performances and plays including Insantes in Madrid, and a play about Isadora Duncan presented at the Andorran Basilica. She teaches dance classes both in Andorra and Madrid.

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Birgit Pittig (Germany) Birgit studied Duncan Dance and taught classes at the Elizabeth Duncan School in Munich, Germany until 2005, as well as with Barbara Kane since their meeting in the 90s. Birgit has been teaching Duncan Dance in Germany, Europe, and the USA. In Birgit’s dancing practice, she is searching for the connections, as well as the differences, between the Elizabeth Duncan technique and the dance practices of early 20th century European systems like Rosalia Chladek, Irmgard Bartenieff, and Rudolf Laban. She also investigates the influences of these early systems on the development of contemporary dance.

As a psychologist, she is very interested in transforming the beauty of natural movement and the ingenious movement of Duncan Dance into people’s daily life. Contemporary Duncan Dance Germany - www.tanz-duncan-dance.com

Françoise Rageau (France) After five years of classical dance, Françoise began Isadora Duncan's dance at the age of 13 with Madeleine Lytton (student of Lisa Duncan) and later became her assistant. In the 1980s, Françoise learned the repertoire of Renaissance dances with Madeleine Lytton and took part in her shows. From 1984 to 1993, she joined the course of Odile Pyros (student and assistant of Lisa Duncan), worked with her on the dance repertoire of Isadora and Lisa Duncan as well as on her own choreographies, participated in her shows and the film on Isadora Duncan directed by Paul Verneiren. Since 1984, Françoise worked with Barbara Kane both in France and abroad with IDDG (which she is co-founder with Barbara Kane).

Francesca Todesco (U.S.A.) lives and trained in New York with a strong focus on the Sokolow, Humphrey-Limón and Duncan techniques, bringing her large experience to dance performance and education. Francesca joined Catherine Gallant/DANCE & Dances by Isadora in 2000 performing extensively and teaching works of Isadora Duncan. Francesca was a principal dancer with the Sokolow Theatre/Dance Ensemble from 2003-2019. She proudly ran her own children’s program for over 10 years, creating many children dances. She currently teaches Isadora Duncan exploration classes to adults in New York (in-person and online) and abroad and collaborates with Barbara Kane/IDDG in London. In 2020 she started her own company, Dances We Dance. (www.danceswedance.org - contact: francesca@danceswedance.org).

Sandra Voulgari (Greece) is a graduate of the State School of Dance in Athens and the Laban Center for Movement and Dance in London. She has studied Duncan Dance with Barbara Kane since 1995 and is a member of the Isadora Duncan Dance Group. She has taught Duncan Dance at the Isadora and Raymond Duncan Research Center in Athens and other venues. She is also a member of the international faultlines dance network and has collaborated with choreographer and dancer Andriana Papanicolaou for the performance Pilgrims a tribute to Isadora Duncan and Ruby Ginner. She currently teaches at Ananda Studio in Athens.

Jacqueline Waltz (U.K.) is an American dance therapist and educator, and former member of the Duncan Heritage group, NYC, under Maria Theresa Duncan.  Jacqueline specializes in the work of Central European Expressionist dancer Hilde Holger, offering workshops internationally, dance therapy for all ages and abilities, as well as collaborating with Barbara Kane, in her London based studio and over Zoom. uk.linkedin.jacqueline-waltz - http://movementforlife.vpweb.co.uk