Reincarnation
by Natasha Guruleva
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DVD details
Actor: dancers of Isadora Duncan Dance Foundation, Lori BeliloveDirector: Natasha Guruleva
Producer: Natasha Guruleva
Writer: Natasha Guruleva
DVD: Region Code 0
Format: NTSC
DVD Release Date: 2007-05-07
Studio: Accent Works
DVD Reviews of Reincarnation
DVD Review: simply isadorable...NOT!
Summary: 1 Stars
Why must an artist of Duncan's immense stature be forced to die a thousand deaths at the indulgence of blood-sucking vampires like Lori Belilove and Co. who insist, without reservation, on claiming to be Isadora's offspring. As everyone knows, both of Duncan's children died by drowning when they were quite young. Is the Duncan family aware of the claims that are made in the Amazon product description for this DVD? This outright lie - and the complete lack of artistic merit which relies on this fabrication - is the kind of self-aggrandizement that turns people away from Isadora's artistry and finally made me so sick to my stomach that I left my position as Executive Director of the Isadora Duncan Center, left New York, and left the dance profession all together. Bravo. Lori!DVD Review: Splendid - Delightful
Summary: 5 Stars
This film has a subtle spiritual underlining. It is not about Isadora Duncan's life and monumentality of her cultural heritage. Nobody claims being her reincarnation either, though the implications are there. The main thought of the film is the continuity of Isadora's spirit. Everybody interviewed on screen was touched by Isadora in her/his special way (besides those who have no idea about Duncan's life - it's sad but true, pop culture washed out fine traces of legendary steps). These interviews are stitched together with a thread of a theatrical performance based on Isadora's life and dance, conceived by Lori Belilove, a contemporary authority on Duncan's work and technique. The excerpts from various dance pieces give a sense of style and bear witness to the fact that Isadora's choreography is alive, well-kept and carefully transferred from one generation to the next. There is no active drafting into "Isadorables" or "Belilovables," new dancers come to "serve" driven by their inner spiritual call, and when a young girl says that she wants to be "like Isadora Duncan" she doesn't mean repeating Isadora's hard life, she wants "to be free" (as she explains). This freedom - of choice, spirit, style, you name it - is a magnet that prompts the long gaze (the film "Reincarnation") on Isadora's legacy. DVD Review: 1/4 dance 3/4 unenlightening dialog
Summary: 2 Stars
This DVD is mostly disappointing if you are looking for something to help you understand the monumental contributions of Isadora Duncan to the history of dance.
It opens with four sequences of not particularly attractive people saying they have never heard of Isadora Duncan. Unfortunately for much of the DVD, there is a lot of blathering from not particularly articulate or informed speakers: one dancer tells a story about her astrologer, another says she went to Barnes and Noble to buy a book (who cares?). There is an insipid scene of people buying tickets and queuing up before a performance with elevator music in the background. Isadora would have been insulted by such inanity. The only interview that was interesting was with an elderly Julia Levein, who studied with one of Isadora's original students.
Maybe about a quarter of this DVD features short bits of dancing (nothing from start to finish) and Lori Belilove teaching Isadora's technique, not enough to make it worth buying. The staged reading of excerpts from Isadora's autobiography are taken out of context (some parts of which are recognized by scholars as being untrue ramblings dictated by Isadora to a secretary) and weakened the presentation. Also, there was no critical (pro and con) appraisal of Isadora's contributions or, going back to the opening sequence, why she is largely forgotten now. This is an important issue which needs to be revisited. As are many people, Isadora Duncan was her own worst enemy. She alienated as many people as she enchanted. She ended up a parody of herself, broke, drunk, and fat. But, up to the end, she could hold an audience's attention. What was it that she had? Was it only dance or something else in addition? Was she a saint? How could she channel her energy in such a way that audiences were left hysterical with joy or grief?
I don't know if Lori Belilove is a reincarnation of Isadora or if Haley, the beautiful and vulnerable young girl who lives on a horse farm in Florida, will be a reincarnation. Anyone who knows anything about Isadora's tragic and self-destructive life, despite her artistic achievements, would not wish reincarnation upon anyone. When I heard the young girl say she wanted to be like Isadora Duncan, I wanted to exclaim, "My child, dance like Isadora, don't be like Isadora. Be yourself and don't repeat her mistakes."
Description of Reincarnation
Reincarnation is a poetic documentary on one of the greatest American artists Isadora Duncan living through her followers at the present time.Mysteriously, after over the century passed from the time she lived, Isadora imposes her art and philosophy on contemporary artists who are compelled to keep doing her movement and preserve her choreography, though it seems to be quite outdated.
One of the offspring of Isadora, one of her reincarnations is the founder and artistic director of "Isadora Duncan Dance Foundation" Lori Belilove. Through Lori's life and work, through the art of her students and company members, through the lines of a theatrical play conceived by Lori, the image and entire persona of Isadora Duncan comes alive.
This product is manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media. Amazon.com's standard return policy will apply.
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