Film · Literature · 1877–1927

Isadora Duncan — Age & Birthday

Born: 26 May 1877 · Died: 14 September 1927 · Age at death: 50

How old was Isadora Duncan when she died?

Isadora Duncan died aged 50. She was born on 26 May 1877 and died on 14 September 1927.

American dancer who pioneered modern dance with free, barefoot movement and died when her scarf caught in a car wheel

Did you know?She was killed in a tragic accident when her long silk scarf became caught in the wheels of an open-top car.

Quick facts

  • Date of birth26 May 1877
  • Date of death14 September 1927
  • Age at death50
  • Cause of deathLigature strangulation
  • NationalityAmerican
  • BirthplaceSan Francisco, United States
  • Occupationdancer, choreographer, autobiographer

Editor's Take:

Isadora Duncan threw off ballet shoes and corsets and helped invent modern dance. She grew up in San Francisco and danced from childhood. She found American audiences unready and moved to Europe. Dancing barefoot in loose Greek-style tunics, she drew on nature and ancient art. She founded dance schools in Germany, France and Russia. Her private life was tragic: her two young children drowned in Paris in 1913. She married the Russian poet Sergei Yesenin. She died in Nice when her long scarf caught in a car wheel.

Angela Isadora Duncan (May 26, 1877, or May 27, 1878 – September 14, 1927) was an American-born dancer and choreographer, who was a pioneer of modern contemporary dance and performed to great acclaim throughout Europe and the United States.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

Profile

Isadora Duncan: Mother of Modern Dance

American dancer, 1877–1927

Isadora Duncan was born in San Francisco on 26 May 1877.

She danced barefoot in flowing tunics.

She married the poet Sergei Yesenin in 1922.

She died in Nice on 14 September 1927, aged 50.

Career highlights

  1. 1900Europe: moves abroad
  2. 1904Germany: first dance school
  3. 1913Tragedy: children drown
  4. 1921Moscow: school founded
  5. 1922Yesenin: married

Did you know?Her autobiography, My Life, was published shortly after her death.

Age at death
50
Would be
149
Years since death
99

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Questions people ask

Frequently asked questions

When is Isadora Duncan's birthday?
Isadora Duncan's birthday is May 26. She was born on May 26, 1877 in San Francisco, United States.
How old was Isadora Duncan when she died?
Isadora Duncan died on September 14, 1927, aged 50.
Who shares a birthday with Isadora Duncan?
Famous people who share Isadora Duncan's May 26 birthday include John Wayne, Miles Davis, Clement VII, Helena Bonham Carter and Sally Ride.

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Reviewed by the Who Shares My Birthday editorial team.

Last reviewed: October 2026