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Isadora Duncan: Dancing Freely 现代舞蹈之母：伊莎多拉．邓肯

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课文讲解 

繁體中文譯本

In the performance, the dancers glide across the stage with poise and grace. There is a look of joy and enthusiasm on their faces as they move and sway amidst an assortment of flowing tapestries. The show could only be choreographed by one person, one of the most revolutionary dance teachers, the legendary Isadora Duncan.

在舞蹈表演中，舞者们自信优雅地凌空划过舞台，在各式各样飘逸的挂毯中律动和摇摆，喜悦和热情全写在他们的脸上。这场舞蹈演出只可能由一人所编排，那就是最具革命性的舞蹈教师之一，传奇的伊莎多拉．邓肯。

Duncan was born in San Francisco, California in 1877. From an early age, she was intent on doing things her own way. As a child, Duncan’s parents allowed her to drop out of school after the youngster complained that the curriculum was too rigid and suppressed her individuality. As a result, she never received much formal education. However, this allowed Duncan to dedicate most of her time to studying the subjects she truly loved.

邓肯出生于1877年，加利福尼亚州的旧金山市。从很小的时候，她就专注于用自己的方法做她想做的事。孩提时期，在邓肯抱怨学校的课程过于死板且会压抑她的个人特质后，她的父母允许她辍学。因此，邓肯从未接受过多少正规教育。然而，这使得邓肯能投入大部分的时间来学习她真正喜爱的科目。

Duncan’s mother, who was a piano teacher, served as an inspirational mentor to her and taught her about music, poetry, and the rest of the fine arts. But in the end, Duncan seemed to find her calling in dance, and she quickly progressed as a student. Her family was very poor, so Duncan began teaching dance classes when she was just a teen. In 1895, Duncan moved to New York City and worked for a noted theater company for a brief stint. She wasn’t satisfied there, so Duncan relocated to Europe, where she would live for the rest of her life. Although she did not receive much recognition in the U.S., it only took a few months before she was a sensation overseas.

邓肯的母亲不仅是位钢琴教师，也是她的心灵导师，她教导邓肯音乐、诗歌和其他的艺术。但邓肯最终似乎找到她的天职 ── 舞蹈，而且在学生时期进步神速。由于家境清寒，所以邓肯搬到纽约而且为一个著名剧团短期工作过。然而，她并不满足在那里的工作，所以邓肯移居到了欧洲，在那里度过她的余生。虽然邓肯在美国没有得到广大的回响，但只花了几个月的时间，她的舞蹈就已经享誉海外。

Vocabulary

单词发音

glide [glaɪd] v. 滑动，滑行

poise [pɔɪz] n. 镇静；自信 dignity and self-confidence; balance and control in bodily movement

grace [gres] n. 优美；优雅

sway [swe] n. 摇动，摇摆

assortment [əˋsɔrtmənt] n. 各色各样的搭配; 分类

tapestry [ˋtæpɪstrɪ] n. 绣帷；挂毯

choreograph [ˋkɔrɪə͵græf] v. 设计舞蹈动作; 编舞

intent [ɪnˋtɛnt] adj. 专心致志的；坚决要做的

drop out 退出(学校等)  leave school or an educational program prematurely

curriculum [kəˋrɪkjələm] n. 学校的全部课程

individuality [͵ɪndə͵vɪdʒʊˋælətɪ] n. 个人（或个体）的特征

mentor [ˋmɛntɚ]  n. 良师益友

calling [ˋkɔlɪŋ] n. 职业；天职

stint [stɪnt] n. 固定的工作期限 a length of time spent in a particular way

recognition [͵rɛkəgˋnɪʃən] n. 赏识；表彰

sensation [sɛnˋseʃən]  n. 轰动的事件

课文朗读

课文讲解

Over the years, Duncan developed a style that was immediately recognizable and uniquely her own. Her works had such a great impact that many artists of her era began creating paintings, sculptures, and novels influenced by her dances. She dismissed traditional ballet steps because she felt that they lacked emotion and the movements were “ugly and against nature.” Duncan made her dancers discard their shoes and perform barefoot. Instead of leotards, they wore long, flowing costumes. She encourages her dancers to be inspired by nature and athletics, an aesthetic that was similarly valued by the ancient Greeks. However, Duncan also felt that each performer needed to tap into their inner spirit to truly excel. By doing this, they could develop their own unique movements and find a way to express themselves honestly.

多年来，邓肯发展出辨识度高且独特的自我风格。她的舞蹈作品带来巨大的冲击，使得当时许多艺术家在绘画、雕塑和小说创作上都受到她的影响。她舍弃传统芭蕾的舞步，因为她觉得此舞步缺乏情感而且动作是「丑陋和反自然的」。邓肯要求她的舞者丢弃舞鞋，赤脚演出。舞者们摒弃紧身衣裤，穿着长且见流线感的服饰。她鼓励她的舞者从自然和体育竞技中寻找灵感，此审美价值也同样被古希腊人所珍视。然而，邓肯还认为每位表演者都需要利用他们的内在精神才能达到真正出类拔萃。这样一来，他们可以发展自己独特的律动，并找到一种真实表达自己的方式。

Outside of her onstage achievements, Duncan adopted six daughters. She also managed to open up a chain of dance schools around the globe. Both of these were in line with her other mission in life: to educate the young about creating beauty. Unfortunately, Duncan’s life was cut short when she was killed in an automobile accident at age 50. When she died in the tragic accident, two of her daughters, Anna and Irma, assumed teaching duties at her school. In turn, they passed down Duncan’s teachings to the next generation, ensuring that her work will continue to flourish in the modern world.

邓肯除了舞台上的成就外，她还收养了六个女儿。她也设法在世界各地开设了一系列的舞蹈学校。上述这两项都本着她人生的另外一项使命：教育年轻人关于美的创造。不幸的是，邓肯50岁时骤然逝世于一场车祸中。当邓肯命丧此悲惨的意外事故后，她的两个女儿，安娜和尔玛，承接舞蹈学校的教职；她们将邓肯的教学传承给下一代，以确保她的舞蹈使命将在世上继续蓬勃发展。

Today, Duncan is considered by many to be the creator of modern dance and a vital part of its history. Although she died prematurely, Duncan’s legacy will live on in the movements of her dancers on stages around the world.

一直到今天，邓肯是被许多人认为是现代舞的始祖及其历史的重要人物。虽然邓肯早逝，但她留给后人的舞蹈将透过现代舞舞者在世界的舞台上的律动，不断传承下去。

－by Jamie Blackler

Vocabulary

单词发音

barefoot [ˋbɛr͵fʊt] adj. 赤脚的，不穿鞋袜的

leotard [ˋliətɑrd] n.（舞蹈、体操等穿的）紧身连衣裤

athletics [æθˋlɛtɪks] n. 体育运动

aesthetic  [ɛsˋθɛtɪk] n. 美学;  adj. 美学的

excel [ɪkˋsɛl]  v. 突出；胜过他人

onstage [ˋɑnˋstedʒ] adj. 台上的；台上演出的

chain [tʃen] n. 连锁店，联号 a number of establishments, such as stores, theaters, or hotels, under common ownership or management

assume [əˋsjum] v. 承担

flourish [ˋflɝɪʃ] v.（事业等）繁荣，兴旺

prematurely [͵priməˋtjʊrlɪ] adv. 过早地；贸然地

Idiom

片语发音

tap into 利用 to take advantage of

in line with 符合 similar to

cut short  打断  to stop before the end

pass down 传承下去  to hand over, pass through or transfer to a lower level, next generation, etc

live on  继续活着; 继续存在  persist

Reading Questions

1.    What do you know about Duncan’s early years from this article?

(A)  After finishing university, Duncan moved to New York.   

(B)  Against her parents’ wishes, Duncan dropped out of school.

(C)  Duncan gave dance lessons before working with a theater group.

(D)  Duncan was an indecisive child who rarely knew what she wanted to do.

2.    Which of the following might Duncan say to her dancers?

(A)  “Always remember that ballet is the most beautiful dance style.”

(B)  “Before we warm up, please put on these shoes.”

(C)  “Don’t be afraid to express yourself through dance.”

(D)  “All my dance moves have their roots in ancient Greek society.”

3.    Which of the following statements is NOT true?

(A)  Duncan is regarded as the founder of modern dance.

(B)  Duncan’s dances inspired a number of artists.

(C)  Duncan became the legal guardian of six children.

(D)  Duncan found fame in America before she made a name for herself in Europe.

4.    Which statement best describes the dance style that Duncan created?

(A)  It is unemotional and serious.

(B)  It is inspired by works of art and literature.

(C)  It recreated traditional dance styles of the past.

(D)  It is groundbreaking and contemporary.  

Isadora Duncan - Wiki Article

ISADORA DUNCAN

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