Nyota Inyoka in performance costume, early 20th century French dancer known for sacred and stylized interpretations of Eastern dance traditions
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Nyota Inyoka: Sensational Theatrical Dance and Artistic Performance

ByBill LeFurgy

Nyota Inyoka (1896–1971), a French-born dancer and choreographer of European and possibly Indian or North African heritage, rose to prominence during a period when stylized fantasies of the East dominated Western stages. Nyota Inyoka Rediscovered Famous Female Dancer Falls into Obscurity Although widely acclaimed during the 1910s and 1920s for her striking performances and scholarly…

Salome dance: Maud Allan with the head of John the Baptist
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Salome Dance: Scandalous But High-Minded

ByBill LeFurgy

In early 20th-century performance, art dance emphasized expressive movement, innovation, and aesthetic depth, as seen in modern dance and ballet. Erotic dance focused on sensual display and physical allure, often for popular entertainment. Art dance sought cultural legitimacy; erotic dance catered to titillation, though the boundaries often were blurred, especially when it came to Salome…