American artist and dance teacher Angela Isadora Duncan (1877-1927) is the most famous leader of modern dance. His brother, dancer and artist Raymond Duncan (1874-1966), encouraged him and plastic dance to become part of his philosophy of life. Both draw inspiration from ancient Greek art and culture, which is reflected in their dancing and costumes (the shirts and tunics that Isadora and Raymond wear on stage every day).

Isadora Duncan abandons dance forms and explores new concepts and foundations for dance. Unlike classical ballet dancers, performers in this new dance are barefoot and move freely, often improvising. Isadora draws inspiration from nature: the change of trees, the sound of waves, the shifting of clouds and the flight of birds. Describing a dance evening in Riga, a Latvian journalist once called it “body poetry”.

The exhibition includes works by Aleksandra Beļcova from the collection of the R. Suta and A. Beļcova Museum, photographs from the collection of records and music museums, and paintings by Raymond Duncan from the collection of the Lithuanian Theatre, Vilnius Museum of Music and Art. Self-portrait by Tsuguharu Fujita from the Film Museum and Latvia’s own collection.