Loïe Fuller and The Body in Motion
When the motion picture camera was invented in the late 1800s, filmmakers were not the only artists interested in this new technology. Dancers were equally intrigued, excited by the possibility of capturing the body in motion. One of these dancers was Loïe Fuller, a theatrical and cinematographic pioneer who became famous in Europe at the turn of the century. Her work bridged the gap between the stage and the screen, paving the way for future collaborations between choreographers and filmmakers.
Born Mary Louise Fuller in 1862, the Chicago native began her career as a stage actress, appearing in local plays throughout her childhood. She came from modest backgrounds and often fell sick, forcing her to continually drop out of roles. In between jobs she toured throughout the country performing her famous “skirt dances” in burlesque and comedy shows. By the time she was in her early 20s, she had amassed a number of fans who flocked to see the young woman sway amidst yards of flowing fabric.
In 1886, Fuller moved to New York City where she continued performing in burlesque shows like “Little Jack Sheppard.” Although she did reasonably well as an actress, money was always scarce. After a few failed attempts to create her own tour, she took a job with a traveling show called “Quack M.D.” The story goes that during rehearsals she began experimenting with different fabrics and lighting techniques. Fuller used transparent silk and multi-colored lights (she was one of the first dancers to use the new incandescent light bulb in her work) to create the stunning visual effect for which she became famous.
Her experimentation evolved into a work called “Serpentine Dance,” which debuted in New York City in 1892. Although it was ground breaking for the time, American audiences were reluctant to take her seriously as a dancer. So Fuller moved to Paris where she thought she would have better luck as a solo performance artist.
Parisian audiences embraced her immediately and dubbed her “La Loïe.” She performed regularly at the music hall Folies Bergère, where she used rods to lengthen her skirt for an added effect. The result was “Fire Dance,” a dance that utilized electric lights rather than the traditional gas lights used in ballets and operas. In this dance she performed on a piece of glass illuminated from below.
In 1896, Fuller decided to integrate the motion picture camera. She collaborated with local filmmakers (most likely Auguste and Louis Lumière) and made “Serpentine Dance” into a short, silent movie. A few years later “Fire Dance” was recorded on camera as well.
Audiences in Europe were won over by her eccentricity, both on stage and on film. During this time Fuller became close friends with many notable French artists, proving herself to be a central figure in the Art Nouveau movement. Next, she enjoyed a successful touring career throughout Europe, introducing audiences to a style of movement later referred to as modern dance.
When her performing career ended, Fuller continued making experimental dance films like “Le Lys de la Vie” in 1921. She also dedicated her time to teaching young students. Her pupils performed numerous spectacle shows that Fuller choreographed and produced herself. Fuller worked with her students, both in the U.S. and in France, until her death in 1928.
The manuscript of the English version of Fuller’s autobiography, “Fifteen years of a dancer's life,” can be found at The New York Public Library Jerome Robbins Dance Collection.