Video: Iris Pell Floor Exercises
The following video clip is an excerpt from the PBS presentation, “Conversations About the Dance”, hosted by Agnes de Mille. The clip is a demonstration of Bella Lewitzky’s technique, with Iris Pell performing solo floor exercises. This was first performed at The San Francisco Opera House. It was then performed and filmed for PBS at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.
Iris, I remember showing this clip to the students at Moorpark College. I think everyone held their breath until it was over. How absolutely thrilled I was when you came to Moorpark College to teach for a year. I could then point you out with pride as “the” dancer in the Agnes DeMille clip. Beautiful!!
Iris, I had almost forgotten how extraordinary those floor exercises were and how perfectly you did them. It was a pleasure to see them performed as exquisitely as you did them. I remember clearly learning them in class and demonstrating them, as we did in various lecture demonstrations around the country as a member of Bella’s company. Seeing Bella do them was often very unnerving for the rest of us because she was so powerful and seemed to be “perfection in motion” herself, but you made them look easy and captured Bella’s style and demeanor like no other of her dancers. You are such a fine performer and I applaud you as you continue to pass on that rich legacy to many young dancers in Los Angeles today. Thank you.