Performance at the Pardee House Museum,
Oakland California on April 19, 2015


Yesterday, a bit after 5 P.M., Lois had the wonderful opportunity to perform at the Pardee House for a group of supporters and officers of the museum, the entertainment program of an event created to thank these people. There were perhaps sixty people packed into the living room and hallway of what was the home of George Pardee as a youngster and on to be the home of his family and his wife, Helen. Pardee was a medical doctor and politician who became mayor of Oakland and later Governor of California, 1903 to 1907. The Pardee House is maintained as a museum by a group of dedicated Oakland civic-minded citizens and is kept in the original condition of the nineteenth century. It was built in 1867.
So this is why it was so wonderful. The house is actually in the nearby neighborhood to where Isadora grew up in Oakland. It is one block from the still existing Oakland Unitarian Church where Isadora first performed. Lois was introduced as Isadora by Dennis …., dressed in evening attire of the period, playing Governor Pardee. Picturing the layout of the event, Lois danced in a medium sized drawing room which opened with a very wide portal off one of the living rooms. The people were seated in the living room and out into the good sized hallway coming from the front door. The framed portal made the drawing room appear as a stage or theater. When Lois was introduced by Governor Pardee, she, as Isadora, invited him and his wife to her upcoming performance at the Unitarian Church, really giving both audience and Lois the subtle sense of being at an actual house performance (imaginary) of the great Isadora Duncan.
Lois spoke very articulately about Isadora and Duncan dance for about fifteen minutes and then performed quite a few Duncan dances in the space of forty to forty five minutes, then answered questions from a very interested and educated audience. The dances were wonderful in spite of the compressed space and very thick rug.
Particular Thanks to Kay Cheatham and Cynthia Foster who were so gracious to Lois and especially to Lois’ dear friend, Richelle Lieberman who made this possible.

Written by Gene Tortora, longtime admirer of Lois and her dancing.

“Dear Lois,
You gave the most beautiful -interesting program on Isadora Duncan. I have read about her but now I feel her. thank you so much for a big contribution to the Pardee Historic Home Museum. I so enjoyed meeting you and I hope our paths will cross again before too long. A big thank you to Gene also. The entire program was wonderful.
Fondly, Kay”