RHYTHMICAL BUSTLES OF DANCE FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Unit 2 - MODERN CREATIVE

Music and rhythmic bodily movement are twin sisters of art, as they have
come into existence simultaneously...today we see in the artistic work of
Isadora Duncan, Maud Allan, and others the use of a form of dancing
which strives to portray in movements what the music master expresses
in his compositions—interpretative dancing."

Learning Outcomes
At the end of this unit, you will be able to:
 Create steps using creative improvisation
 Show appreciation and understanding of modern dance technique

Pretest

ESSAY:

Direction:

 Have you experienced dancing? What kind of dance have you participated in?

Note: Write you answer in a Word document not limiting to 150 words. 

Submit your output for this in Google Classroom.

Thank you for answering the test.

The next section is the content of this unit. It contains vital

information of Modern Dance. Please read the content.

13
RHYTHMICAL BUSTLES OF DANCE FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Content

MODERN DANCE

History
Modern dance is a broad genre of western concert or theatrical dance, primarily
arising out of Germany and the United States in the late 19 th and early 20th centuries. It is
often considered to have emerged as a rejection of, or rebellion against, classical ballet.

Three Periods or Eras of American Modern Dance

 Early Modern Period (1880-1923)
-characterized by the work of Isadora Duncan, Loie Fuller, Ruth St. Denis, Ted Shawn,
and Eleanor King, artistic practice changed radically, but clearly modern dance techniques
had not yet emerged.

 Central Modern Period (1923-1946)

-choreographers Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey, Katherine Dunham, Charles
Weidman and Lester Horton sought to develop distinctively American movement
styles and vocabularies and developed clearly defined and recognizable dance
training systems.

 Late Modern Periods (1946-1957)

-Jose Limon, Pearl Primes, Merce Cunningham, Talley Beatty, Erick Hawkins,
Anna Sokolow, Anna Halprin, Paul Taylor introduced clear abstractionism and
avant-garde movements and paved the way for post-modern dance.

Radical Dance is to raise consciousness by dramatizing the economic, social, ethnic and
political crisis of their tune.

The Two Faces of Modern Dance

Technique

Modern dance expands on traditional ballet technique, freeing it to encompass the

exciting world of total body involvement and creative expression. Modern dance was
born when ballet dancers wanted to free themselves from the rigid structure of ballet to
embrace and explore the possibilities of unlimited movement choice. In all of my classes,
students learn technique (dance steps and combinations) through inventive, exciting,
original choreography that is structured specifically for each age and ability level, always
to fantastic music. Music is a very important sensory ignition for children. Using great
music from every category of music is an important part of my program. Most class
levels learn two choreographed dances throughout the school year, with the oldest level
learning more and the youngest level learning only one choreographed dance.

14
RHYTHMICAL BUSTLES OF DANCE FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Creative Improvisation

Creative improvisation is unique to the modern dance form. From the delightful
movement poems that Ginny Martin wrote for the youngest dancers to the sophisticated
improvisational story exercises explored by older dancers, improvisation invites the
dancer to use their own creative instincts as they move through space, encouraging
them to trust themselves as they invent movement of their own. Improvisation allows
dancers to incorporate movement they've learned elsewhere in class, possibly changing
that movement to dance it faster or slower; higher or lower; or with different emphasis.
Through improvisation students are guided to explore the personality that might
accompany their dance as it unfolds.

CHARACTERISTICS OF MODERN DANCE

 No set curriculum
 No particular music
 No particular costume
 No particular body type
 Natural, pedestrian carriage of the body
 Parallel 1st position from hips to toes
 Release of the neck when the head is dropped
 Stabilizing of the pelvis
 Cause and effect/action and reaction
 Interpretative instead of using sets of steps and dance books (looks improvised)
 Loose movement
 Gravity plays an important role
 Tells a story through the dance (use motions, props, music, and lights to show
emotions)
 Costumes were important to the overall dance

STYLES/CHARACTERISTICS
Modern- a form of dance developed by dancers interested in breaking from ballet traditions
and expressing more liberating form of movement. It expresses complex emotions and
abstract ideas.
It is known for:
- Freedom of movement
- Usually barefoot but can use shoes based on theme
- Costume related to dance theme
- Improvisation used in the development of choreography

TYPES OF MODERN DANCE

1. Ballet – it has since become a wide spread, highly technical form of dance with its own
vocabulary based on French terminology. A work, consists of the choreography and music
for a ballet production
2. Jazz – may refer to vernacular jazz or to broadway or theatrical jazz. Both genres build
on African American vernacular style of dancing that emerged with jazz music. The term
“jazz dance” has been used in ways that have little or nothing to do with jazz music since
the 1940s

15
RHYTHMICAL BUSTLES OF DANCE FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS

3. Contemporary Dance – tends to combine the strong but controlled legwork of ballet
with modem that stresses on torso.
4. Lyrical Hip-Hop – the dance was tangled and used by the youth and has been growing
ever since. There really isn’t one kind of force in lyrical hip hop because you use different
force to express different emotions. When they are near each other there is none tension
on the dances because they rely on each other.

Modern dance involves the use of many dance steps that are unusual and often
interpret a dancer’s emotions and mood. The dancer in this case typically performs on
bare foot. In modern dance, it’s not the only the choreography that speaks about the
emotions to be conveyed. The lighting, costumes and props are used with great creativity
to arrange interesting and unusual dance sequences.

STEP/BASIC MOVEMENTS IN MODERN DANCE

May include:
 Chaine tour (chain turns)
 Glissade (gliding steps)
 The predicate jetes (jumps)
 Tour de basque (leaps)
 Front-to back
 Side-to-side steps

Modern Dance Steps

When you take a modern dance class, the technique you learn will vary upon the
preference of the teacher. Since it is such an emotion-driven genre of dance, students
are able to learn great variations of the craft by studying under different instructors.
However, there are some movements and choreography that are uniform in studios, and
these modern steps can easily be mastered.

Curl Down and Up

Starting in jazz first position (feet parallel facing front), with your arms at your side and
your gaze focused downward, curl your spine over slowly, being careful not to collapse
at the waist. When you are halfway down to the floor, bend your knees and continue to
"curl." Your instructor may tell you to curl down one vertebrae at a time, and then
subsequently "grow back upward," again with one section of your spine at a time.

Leg Swings

Standing again in parallel first, place your arms in second position. Sliding the right leg
forward with a pointed toe, it should then brush through the first position and follow
through backwards, slightly bending the knee. This is often used as a transitional
movement in a combination of choreography.

Flat Back

It sounds simple enough, but a flat back executed properly takes a distinct amount of
discipline and flexibility. After you have bent over, keeping your spine as straight as

16
RHYTHMICAL BUSTLES OF DANCE FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS

possible, raise your arms into high fifth with the palms facing inward. Raise the torso
back up, simultaneously with the arms as a single fluid movement. This step is a
wonderful exhibition of grace and bodily control, almost derived from its ancestor ballet.

Tendu

With tendus, the foot points forward and back into parallel first. You can then repeat the
position to the side and to the back, alternating in a rhythm. This is commonly a floor
exercise, but can also be used in routines.

Chasse

The chasse is a simple jump found often in modern dance. Standing with the weight on
one foot, you shift the weight while in a plie stance, and then jump so both feet are
vertical together in the air. You can travel across the room with this movement, and add
height and a spin for a more advanced look.

No Boundaries

A common rule is that all modern dance steps are essentially the derivative of something
else. Be it classical ballet or a tree outside your window on an exceptionally windy day,
modern dancers find choreography sources in every single movement they witness in
life, and the ability to do so is stunning.

17
RHYTHMICAL BUSTLES OF DANCE FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Now that you had learned about contemporary, do the succeeding learning
activities. If you have questions regarding the activity, you may contact me on my
phone. If you had poor connectivity, you are given another week to accomplish the
tasks.

Learning Activities

Activity 1 (MAKE IT!!!)

INSTRUCTION:
1. Look for a modern dance music.
2. Make 3 figures of step using the timing of the music that you use. (note: 16 cts.
For each figure)
3. Send a video performance of your finish choreography in our Facebook group
page.

18
 RHYTHMICAL BUSTLES OF DANCE FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Assessment
Direction: write the correct answer on the space provided.

_________1. Where would you find your turn out muscles?

a. In the top of your legs c. In your hip flexors
b. In your glutes d. In your lower leg
_________2. What is the most accurate definition of contraction?
a. The release of the core and chest, with an upward focus
b. An expressive jump with bent legs
c. A crouch on the floor with parallel position
d. The isolation of the core with muscles tighten and shorten
_________3. What is improvisation?
a. A style of contemporary c. Movement which was not
dance pre-choreographed
b. A stage direction
_________4. What is the correct definition of release technique?
a. A fluid discipline with the use of c. A contracted and controlled
head and spine are heavy and discipline
initiate movement d. A dance technique which is
b. An expressive form of totally inclusive with jumps
contemporary dance.
_________5. What is meant by the term fluency movement?
a. The ability to move effortlessly b. The ability to speak in French
between transition and and English Ballet terminology.
movement, making the dance c. The competence of
look fluid and ongoing. choreography
_________6. True or false, contemporary dance originated from ballet techniques.
a. True b. False
_________7. What is contemporary dance?
a. A mixture of dance style, also called modern dance
b. Any dance performed after the 21st century
c. An adaption of urban dance style
_________8. What muscles are engage during roll up and roll down?
a. Back, glutes, and triceps
b. Core, back, hamstrings and neck
c. Core and back

19
 RHYTHMICAL BUSTLES OF DANCE FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS

_________9. Select the correct image showing the founder of graham technique.

a.
b.

_________10. What is a trio?

Note: Submit your output for this in Google Classroom.

Pass your output on our Facebook Group Page/Google

Classroom. If you have poor connectivity, unavailability of
internet connection and resources (CP, video cam, etc.) please
notify me so I could extend the deadline of the submission of
your output or adjustments with regards to your activity.

You did a great job! If you have not completed the task, or you
have difficulty in accomplishing the activity, please send me a
message at my educational Facebook page (JHONNY ALMIROL).

You had just completed this lesson. You are now ready
for the next lesson.

20