Nadia Chilkovsky Nahumck
Encyclopedia
Nadia Chilkovsky Nahumck (born January 8, 1908, Kiev
, Tsarist Russia - died April 23 2006) was a pioneer in modern dance
, dance pedagogy and Labanotation.
's dance style. Nahumck danced with the Irma Duncan company from 1930-1931 and was well-known as a premier Duncan dancer. In 1929 she moved to New York
and studied with Hanya Holm
, Mary Wigman
, Martha Graham
, Louis Horst
, and at the Anna Duncan studio. In 1931 she was a co-founder of the New Dance Group.
She returned from New York to Philadelphia in 1943 and in 1944 established a dance school, the Philadelphia Dance Academy, which incorporated modern, folk, ballet, Duncan and other dance traditions, as well as Labanotation. Nahumck's Philadelphia Dance Academy was absorbed by the Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts in 1977 and continues today as the University of the Arts
School of Dance.
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, Tsarist Russia - died April 23 2006) was a pioneer in modern dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
, dance pedagogy and Labanotation.
History
She began her dance studies in Philadelphia in 1924 at the studio of Riva Hoffman, a proponent of Isadora DuncanIsadora Duncan
Isadora Duncan was a dancer, considered by many to be the creator of modern dance. Born in the United States, she lived in Western Europe and the Soviet Union from the age of 22 until her death at age 50. In the United States she was popular only in New York, and only later in her life...
's dance style. Nahumck danced with the Irma Duncan company from 1930-1931 and was well-known as a premier Duncan dancer. In 1929 she moved to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and studied with Hanya Holm
Hanya Holm
Hanya Holm is known as one of the “Big Four” founders of American modern dance...
, Mary Wigman
Mary Wigman
Mary Wigman was a German dancer, choreographer, and dance instructor.A pioneer of expressionist dance, her work was hailed for bringing the deepest of existential experiences to the stage...
, Martha Graham
Martha Graham
Martha Graham was an American modern dancer and choreographer whose influence on dance has been compared with the influence Picasso had on modern visual arts, Stravinsky had on music, or Frank Lloyd Wright had on architecture.She danced and choreographed for over seventy years...
, Louis Horst
Louis Horst
Louis Horst was a choreographer, composer, and pianist...
, and at the Anna Duncan studio. In 1931 she was a co-founder of the New Dance Group.
She returned from New York to Philadelphia in 1943 and in 1944 established a dance school, the Philadelphia Dance Academy, which incorporated modern, folk, ballet, Duncan and other dance traditions, as well as Labanotation. Nahumck's Philadelphia Dance Academy was absorbed by the Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts in 1977 and continues today as the University of the Arts
University of the Arts (Philadelphia)
The University of the Arts is one of the United States' oldest universities dedicated to the arts. Its campus makes up part of the Avenue of the Arts in Center City, Philadelphia...
School of Dance.