Isadora Duncan's students selecting russian children for school in France

Lisa,Irma,Anna,unknown girl,Theresa

In April 1914 Isadora Duncan's elder students Irma.Anna,Lisa and Teresa,accompanied by Isadora's brother Augustine, came to Saint Petersburg, Russia, to select 10 children of both gender for her new school in France. They remained there for 2 months,giving few performances and choosing the most gifted candidats among the russian kids. On April 20 they began the selection, for 7 days teaching the candidats such basic elements as running,walking,leaping.

 

Learning  basic arm movements 

On the final performance Duncan's students show the result of their teaching,releasing 29 girls and 3 boys  on the stage.The audience was satisfied with how the the little one danced.
It is not clear how many children actually was selected A lot of sources point that there was 10 children who was chosen to study in Duncan school,But actress Elsa Lanchester ,who was Isadora's student in her second school for a short time,said that there was actually only three children from the Russia. Anna Duncan in her interview told that they actually selected six candidates.  As for accompaniment, it is not known too who were accompanying senior students for audition ,except Augustine. Victor Serov in his book "The real Isadora" wrote that together with Isadorables was Augustine Duncan,his new wife Margaret, pianist Hener Skene. The other source states there was (also) Isadora Duncan's english loyal friend Miss Frank and some others englishmen from school committee.

First lesson.  Photos form "Stolitsa i usadba" magazine №10