Jarmila Jeřábková

Jarmila Jeřábková, third from left, with two fellow dancers and her husband Ing. Ladislav Mikulík

Jarmila Jeřábková (8 March 1912 – 21 March 1989) was a Czech dancer, choreographer and teacher. She is considered to be a pioneer of Czech modern dance, having taught Isadora Duncan's method from the 1930s.

She married Ing. Ladislav Mikulík but kept her surname. They had two sons, Radvan and Zbyněk Mikulík.

Career

From 1932, Jeřábková taught music and dance, first at Slaný, then in Prague where in 1937 her school became known as "Jarmila Jeřábková’s School of Artistic Dance founded under the personal direction of Elizabeth Duncan". Like the Duncans, she also arranged open-air summer courses at Velké Opatovice Castle. From 1935 to 1948, she staged performances with her pupils in Prague and other Czech towns. They included stylized Slavonic dance (performed to the music of Antonín Dvořák's Slavonic Dances) and works accompanying the music of the Czech Choir. Members of the group included Onta Jankovská, Marta Horová, Dáša Bittnerová, Jarina Smoláková, Elvíra Mařatková, Dana Bořkovcová and Běla Dintrová. As a result of socialist nationalization, the school was abolished in 1948 but was later revived as a cultural centre.

From 1949, Jeřábková took up a number of pedagogical and research assignments in body posture, physical education, gymnastics and music. More importantly, she taught children's dance at the State Conservatory (1962-64).