She attended girls' schools in Metz and Spa, and studied graphic design and painting in the class of Max Frey at the Academy of Applied Arts in Dresden,[1] where in 1904 she experienced a performance of Émile Jaques-Dalcroze.

[2] In 1914 Leistikow's solo performances already drew considerable crowds in St. Petersburg, Moscow, Lausanne, Utrecht and Sarajevo.

[citation needed] In 1931 she set up the Rotterdam School of Dance with the Dutch dancer and teacher Corrie Hartong, who was 21 years younger.

Gertrud Leistikow kept her face expressionless, and often hid it behind scarves, veils and masks to draw the attention of the viewer to the rest of her body.

[2] A dance photo of Leistikow on gelatin silver chloride made in 1912 by the photographer Hugo Erfurth has been exhibited since 1982 at the Folkwang Museum.