Irène Popard

Irène Popard (30 September 1894 – 30 April 1950) was a French choreographer.

Irène Popard

Biography

Irène Popard was born on 30 September 1894 in Paris. She completed her studies at the University of Boston.^[1] On her return to Paris, she started studying pure gymnastics, and became a teacher of physical education.^[2]

She was a student of Georges Demenÿ, who was “a pioneer of a more natural form of gymnastics.”^[2] According to Sharma, she took Demenÿ's “basic exercises and designed an outstanding educational and corrective programme for women.”^[3] In 1916 she started 'school of Popard gymnastics' through which she introduced ‘harmonic gymnastics'.^[4][5]

She died on 30 April 1950 in Marcigny.

References

1. Lionel Haskell, Arnold (1951). The Ballet Annual: A Record and Year Book of the Ballet, Volume 5. London: Adam and Charles Black. p. 46. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
2. Robinson, Jacqueline (4 July 2013). Modern Dance in France (1920-1970): An Adventure. Oxon: Routledge. p. 84. ISBN 978-1-134-39678-8. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
3. Sharma, S. R. (1994). Encyclopaedia of Sports Health and Physical Education. New Delhi: Mittal Publications. p. 364. ISBN 978-8-170-99564-7. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
4. Ross Dickinson, Edward (27 July 2017). Dancing in the Blood: Modern Dance and European Culture on the Eve of the First World War. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 238. ISBN 978-1-107-19622-3. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
5. Lynn Stewart, Mary (2001). For Health and Beauty: Physical Culture for Frenchwomen, 1880s–1930s. Baltimore: JHU Press. p. 162. ISBN 978-0-801-86483-4. Retrieved 19 April 2022.