Done into Dance: Isadora Duncan in America
University of Illinois Press, 1996; reprint, Wesleyan Press, 2002.
Done into Dance is the only book about Duncan to describe how she danced and to explain her extraordinary popularity. Going beyond the romantic myth of “Isadora,” Daly addresses the unanswered questions: What did her audiences see on stage, and how did they respond? What dreams and fears of theirs did she play out? Why, in short, was Duncan’s dancing so compelling? Named 1996 Outstanding Publication by the Congress on Research in Dance.
“The synthesis of exhaustive research and extraordinary scope of scholarship—rendered in crisp, lively prose accessible to a broad readership—make this work unique.”
Choice
“For readers who savor good writing and new approaches to the familiar figures of dance history, Ann Daly’s work is an extraordinary read.”
Dance Research Journal
“By stepping outside the myths, Daly underscores the magnitude of Duncan’s art and life at the same time that she humanizes them.” Women’s Studies
“It is both original and provocative; no doubt, it will prove a benchmark.” Dance Chronicle