All About Eve

15.The Dancer & The Band Leader: Isadora Duncan & Ivy Benson.

May 21, 2020 Julia & Anna Season 2 Episode 4
All About Eve
15.The Dancer & The Band Leader: Isadora Duncan & Ivy Benson.
Show Notes

In our first remotely recorded episode, Julia introduces us to Isadora Duncan, a woman who changed modern dance and was not short on self-belief. Born in San Francisco in 1877, Isadora was adored by European audiences for her unique style, despite ending each performance by ranting about how shit ballet was for half an hour. Anna tells us about Ivy Benson, the most popular British musician of World War 2 you've never heard of. Ivy mostly recruited working-class Northern teenagers for her brass band, which caused quite the scandal when they toured Europe making their own money and doing as they pleased. Audiences loved them and they were even appointed as the BBC house band, which - spoiler alert - enraged the male musicians who usually secured that gig...