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This article explores origin stories within the field of Somatics and attempts to dispel some myths about the early work of the German somatic pioneer Elsa Gindler while also paying homage to teachers who preceded her. Based on my translations of German literature, new information about the Harmonic Gymnastics system that Elsa Gindler was certified to teach is provided. Developed by the American dancer and movement educator Genevieve Stebbins, Harmonic Gymnastics had a large impact on Gindler when her teacher Hade Kallmeyer brought the work to Germany. There is little commonly known about the heritage of Harmonic Gymnastics; therefore, this article hopes to illuminate Stebbins’ work. Genevieve Stebbins also acted as an inspiration to the American dance pioneers Ruth St. Denis and Isadora Duncan, hence, this article also touches upon Stebbins’ influence within the advent of American modern dance.

In the Gilded Age, Genevieve Lee Stebbins (1857–1934) became a dance soloist admired in New York City's theater world. Stebbins created a foundation from which a new “serious” dance aesthetic emerged and notably inspired the early dance work of Ruth St. Denis and Isadora Duncan; however, she remains an overlooked figure within American dance history. This article chronicles Stebbins's innovations and clarifies misrepresentations of her work in recent scholarship. Unlike other American dance pioneers, there is no public archive dedicated to Stebbins, therefore this article draws upon newly available primary sources to explore Stebbins's foundational work.

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