This month, audiences on Planet Classroom can immerse themselves in the beauty of Isadora Duncan’s dance legacy through Peabody Dance – Valse Brillante, choreographed by Lori Belilove. A dazzling tribute to Duncan’s revolutionary artistry, the performance features students from the Peabody Conservatory, celebrating freedom, expression, and movement.
Staged by Lori Belilove with Company assistant Emily D’Angelo for Peabody Conservatory students in January 2015, Grande Valse Brillante is a vibrant and expressive piece. Passed down to Belilove by Julia Levien and Hortense Kooluris—both Duncan dancers who performed in the companies of Irma, Anna, and Maria-Theresa Duncan, the legendary “Isadorables”—this work showcases the enduring spirit of Duncan’s art. The performance is a must-watch for dance lovers and anyone inspired by the power of movement and storytelling.
The Global Search for Education is delighted to welcome Lori Belilove, founder of the Isadora Duncan Dance Company, for an in-depth conversation about her work and this remarkable production.
Lori, what inspired you to stage Valse Brillante for the students of the Peabody Conservatory, and how did you approach adapting Isadora Duncan’s original choreography for this performance?
The director of the program was well aware of my work with Duncan’s repertory and invited me to Baltimore to stage a piece for the Peabody Conservatory dancers (ages 13-15) for their year-end performance. I met the dancers, taught them a Duncan technique class, and selected the best performers who could handle the wonderfully challenging Valse Brillante by Chopin. Since the work is a full five minutes, we engaged in some casting playfulness—one group (the high jumpers) performed the beginning, while another group (strong in dramatic lyricism) danced the middle section. I adapted the choreography to their talents and the size of the stage they would be performing on.
Can you share a favorite moment or anecdote from the rehearsal process where the dancers truly embodied the essence of Duncan’s expressive movement style?
Ah, when they learned the “Dionysian movement” in our Duncan vocabulary, they were thrilled and found many ways to joke and play with it. I explained how Dionysus was the Greek god of wine and ecstasy and that this movement reflected that feeling—they giggled a lot! As young dancers in a serious conservatory, they were highly focused on technique and perfection. To help them embrace the artistry of the movement, we started referring to Dionysus as the “party god,” which helped them relax and connect with the joy and freedom in Duncan’s style. It worked beautifully!
How does the music of Valse Brillante influence the choreography, and what emotions or themes were you aiming to convey through the dancers’ movements?
Building on the previous thought, Valse Brillante’s waltz by Chopin is a highly dynamic and pyrotechnic piano piece—one that a Peabody music student played live for the performances! The dance itself is technically demanding, with intricate waltz steps, partnering, and ensemble coordination. The beginning of the piece evokes a scene at the beach, where four free-spirited dancers frolic on the shore, dipping into the water and splashing with high tossing jumps. As they connect, their movements ripple like waves, surging from the chest and flowing outward through the arms, head, and neck, reaching beyond the fingertips. This expression of heartfelt compassion and expansive energy felt like an embrace to the world, and the dancers loved it!
What was the most rewarding or surprising aspect of working with these students on this piece, and how do you think this experience will shape them as performers?
After numerous visits to Baltimore working with the dancers, I was deeply rewarded by seeing some of them radiate such beauty and joy. Their performance astonished the audience—who might have expected a high-level recital—by transcending technique to achieve the depth of true artistic expression. They not only mastered the technical aspects of the choreography but also danced in the fullest, richest sense of the word.
Thank you, Lori!
C. M. Rubin with Lori Belilove
Don’t miss Peabody Dance – Valse Brillante, now streaming on the Planet Classroom Network.
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