Lori Belilove

Belilove’s direct lineage and prestigious performing career have earned her an international reputation as the premier interpreter and ambassador of the dance of Isadora Duncan.

Belilove was raised in Berkeley, California by artistic, free-thinking parents. While travelling as a young teen in Europe, she was introduced to the Duncan technique by Vassos Kanellos, a Greek classical revivalist and colleague of Isadora Duncan. Thoroughly inspired by the spirit and ideals of Isadora Duncan, Lori immersed herself in Duncan dance. Curious about the myths surrounding Duncan’s controversial reputation as an artist, Lori began a worldwide search to find Duncan dancers who trained and performed with Isadora and who taught Isadora’s dances and technique. Among those teachers were Anna Duncan and Irma Duncan, two of the six adopted artistic daughters of Isadora.

Making a home for her dreams, Ms. Belilove founded the Isadora Duncan Foundation for Contemporary Dance in New York City to house her school and performing company. Lori also trained extensively in yoga, ballet, and modern dance, with a special emphasis in the technique of the renowned choreographer
Doris Humphrey. Through her performances, master classes, and workshops, children, college students and professional dancers have experienced the purity, timelessness, authentic phrasing, and musicality that has been passed down to Lori through the direct line of Isadora Duncan dancers.

Within a few years, Belilove and her company drew the attention of sponsors of the arts leading to invitations to perform nationally and internationally. After highly acclaimed performances in Brazil, her performances at the Castro Alves Theater were made into a TV special that was broadcast throughout South America. Belilove was in demand, appearing as a solo guest artist with the Oakland Ballet at Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley, performing as the definitive Duncan Dancer for the conference of the Society of Dance History Scholars at UC Irvine, and touring her one-woman shows throughout the United States.
Highlights of these performances included Duncan’s signature works Dance of the Furies, The Blue Danube, and Alexander Scriabin’s etudes Mother and Revolutionary.

As a master teacher Belilove has held residencies at such prestigious institutions as Harvard University, The Juilliard School, Northwestern University, Ohio State University, Mills College, and Smith College. Every year since 1996, Lori has taught a special master class for Deborah Jowitt, dance critic of the Village Voice, at New York University. She is in her
seventh year on the faculty of the Dalcroze Institute at The Juilliard School, and through Ball State University, Lori is the recipient of a grant from Dance/USA to implement a Duncan curriculum. Lori is the leading dancer in the award-winning documentary Isadora Duncan: Movement From the Soul narrated by stage and screen actress Julie Harris.

Belilove is sought after as a unique contemporary artist who understands the essence of Isadora and who can create works in her own voice. Among her original works is the powerful and moving tribute to Duncan, Isadora Deconstructed (Brahms) for the all-male Ballet Trockadero de Monte Carlo. For her own company, Garden Promised (Morricone) was commissioned by and performed at the Whitney Museum of American Art. Most recently, the troupe performed Belilove’s For the Living (to Mozart’s Requiem Mass) at the Sylvia and Danny Kaye Playhouse (Hunter College) and her exuberant Skye Dance (Fraser/Machlis) at the Untermyer Performing Arts Festival. Belilove created On the Beautiful Blue Danube, a group Duncan work faithful to the original solo, as well as Club 101, a complete departure from Duncanesque movement that shows off Belilove’s versatility, to the funky fusion music of the Beastie Boys. In 2002 the company will be presented at Swarovski exhibitions and events all over the world.

Today, Lori Belilove presides over a dance organization that is financially and creatively invigorated. She maintains a studio in New York City and is considered an important source for the documentation and interpretation of the Duncan technique and repertory. Her passion is to share her uniquely expressive qualities as she performs throughout the world carrying on the Duncan Legacy.

Contact Lori Belilove at lori@isadoraduncan.org or (212)691-5040.