Irma Duncan (February 26, 1897 – September 20, 1977) was a German-born American dancer and a teacher of dance.

Biography

Duncan (born Irma Dorette Henriette Ehrich-Grimme) was born on February 26, 1897, in

Schleswig-Holstein Schleswig-Holstein (; ; ; ; ; occasionally in English ''Sleswick-Holsatia'') is the Northern Germany, northernmost of the 16 states of Germany, comprising most of the historical Duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of S ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

. In 1905, she began studying with American-born dancer and choreographer

Isadora Duncan Angela Isadora Duncan (May 26, 1877, or May 27, 1878 – September 14, 1927) was an American-born dancer and choreographer, who was a pioneer of modern contemporary dance and performed to great acclaim throughout Europe and the United States. Bor ...

at her school in the

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

suburb of Grünewald, Germany. She was one of six students of Isadora Duncan that became the young dance troupe the Isadorables. The group moved to

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

at the beginning of

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. At that time, all the students changed their last names to Duncan. In 1921, she relocated to

Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...

where she taught at the Duncan School. She became the director of the school in 1924 when Isadora Duncan left to return to the United States. That group, the Isadora Duncan Dancers of Moscow, toured in the Soviet Union, China and the U.S. At the end of the 1929 U.S. tour, Irma chose to stay in the U.S. rather than return to Moscow. In 1935, Duncan obtained U.S. citizenship. The same year, she married Sherman S. Rogers. In 1966, the

Wesleyan University Press Wesleyan University Press is a university press that is part of Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. The press is currently directed by Suzanna Tamminen, a published poet and essayist. History and overview Founded (in its present form ...

published her book ''Duncan Dancer: An Autobiography''. Duncan died on September 20, 1977, in

Santa Barbara, California Santa Barbara (, meaning ) is a coastal city in Santa Barbara County, California, of which it is also the county seat. Situated on a south-facing section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States excepting A ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Duncan, Irma Place of birth missing 1897 births 1977 deaths 20th-century American biographers 20th-century American dancers 20th-century American women educators 20th-century American women writers 20th-century German biographers 20th-century German dancers 20th-century German women educators 20th-century German women writers 20th-century people from California 20th-century people from New York (state) American dance teachers American female dancers American modern dancers American women autobiographers Dancers from California Dancers from Moscow Dancers from New York City Educators from New York City Educators from California Emigrants from the German Empire to the United States Entertainers from Brandenburg Entertainers from Schleswig-Holstein German female dancers German expatriates in Russia German women autobiographers Naturalized citizens of the United States People from Oberspreewald-Lausitz Writers from New York City Writers from Santa Barbara, California