Step into Venice as into a living myth, led by Jeanne Bresciani, Ph.D., assisted by Rosemary Cooper —where water mirrors heaven, marble breathes, and beauty arises not only from opulence but from the hand of devotion. Art at the Heart of the Festival invites travelers to ascend and descend from the lofty vantage points of princes and princesses into sanctuaries of Venetian splendor within the palaces, workshops, and ateliers - where art is still born of patience, love, and tradition.
Here, we do not merely gaze upon masterpieces—we enter into their making. Through myth-based movement sessions, ceremonial processions, and encounters with artisans, we awaken to the pulse of a city that remains, in all its fragility, eternal.
Hosted within the tranquility of Cannaregio—where gondolas glide past quiet gardens and bells mark the rhythm, not just of the hour, of another century—this program invites you to live Venice not as a destination but as a dedication. Through artistry, ceremony, and simple acts of wonder, we rediscover what Isadora Duncan once called “the eternal rhythm of beauty that moves through all things.”
$5,500 per person (double occupancy)
Single supplement of $1,500 applies
Accommodations & Inclusions
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6 nights in five-star luxury accommodations at Palazzo Ca’ Sagredo
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Daily breakfasts, all lunches, and nightly gourmet Venetian dinners
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Two exclusive afternoon Carnevale ball experiences and two sumptuous evening balls with curated dining, hosted within Venice’s most exquisite palaces by the private Associazione Internazionale Carnevale di Venezia
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All group transportation within Venice
Itinerary Highlights
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Myth-based movement and embodiment sessions
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Rare access to seldom-entered Venetian palaces, brought to life through private performances by the Isadora Duncan International Institute Dancers
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Private tour of the Doge’s Palace and the Treasuries of San Marco
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Procession to the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute
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Entrée to the Ballo di Cioccolata and a majestic Gondola Cortege of Nations, gliding upon the waters to a serenaded palazzo reception
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Immersive operatic experience within an intimate, candlelit palazzo
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A glimpse into the alchemy of glass and flame on Murano
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Visits to iconic churches, cloisters, guilds, and artistic sanctuaries
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Exploration of lesser-known museums and storied palazzi
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‘Dolci’ and ‘ombra’ moments along the lagoon—sweet delights and Venetian conviviality
In Art at the Heart of Festival, travelers will be immersed in the artistic spirit of Venice through a constellation of guided encounters and creative experiences. Each day offers a dialogue between movement, history, and the imagination — from myth-based sessions led in the Duncan tradition to private viewings of art and architecture that illuminate the city’s sacred relationship between body, craft, and soul.
Participants will visit master artisans in their ateliers — the mask-makers, glassblowers, and restorers who preserve Venice’s ancient disciplines — and explore how gesture, ritual, and craftsmanship intertwine as forms of living art. Intimate conversations, guided reflections, and small performances unfold in historic settings, allowing the beauty of Venice to be not merely seen, but felt and embodied.
Through these artistic immersions, the journey becomes more than travel: it becomes a participation in the very rhythm of creation that has long defined Venice as the world’s muse.
To reserve your place on Art at the Heart of Festival, please write to info@idii.org, call 212-753-0846, or return the application below.
Please submit this completed application with full payment of the tour fee no later than January 12, 2026, payable to the Isadora Duncan International Institute, Inc., 20 Clovewood Rd., High Falls, NY 12440.
Trip insurance covering the full tour fee is available at a reasonable rate through Allianz Travel Insurance and is strongly recommended.
Registration is accepted on a first-come basis and is subject to availability of space, accommodations, and ball attendance.
All payments are non-refundable after January 12, 2026, except in the event that the tour is canceled by the Institute.
