Modern Dance

Modern dance is a broad genre of western concert or theatrical dance, primarily arising out of
Germany and the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Modern dance is often
considered to have emerged as a rejection of, or rebellion against, classical ballet
Born in the early 20th century, modern dance is a dance style that focuses on a dancer's own
interpretations instead of structured steps, as in traditional ballet dancing. Modern dancers reject
the limitations of classical ballet and favor movements derived from the expression of their inner
feelings.
During the 1900's, European dancers began rebelling against the rigid rules of classical ballet.
Turning against the structured techniques, costumes, and shoes of ballet, these dancers favored a
more relaxed, freestyle form of dancing. For example, modern dance pioneers often danced in
bare feet and revealing costumes. In the United States, several dance pioneers paved the way for
American modern dance, including the legendary Martha Graham.
Martha Graham, American Modern Dance Pioneer
Martha Graham is considered one of the foremost pioneers of American modern dance. In order
to express the passion, rage, and ecstasy of humans, she developed her very own language of
movement.
Graham created a new dance technique similar to classical ballet, but with several differences.
She focused heavily on basic human movement, concentrating on the movements of contraction
and release. Instead of striving for long, fluid movements, Graham's movements were sharp and
jagged. Her dancing aimed to expose basic human emotions through movement, and her brave
vision for modern dance earned her several awards and honors.
The Characteristics of Modern Dance
Modern dance encourages dancers to use their emotions and moods to design their own steps and
routines. It is not unusual for dancers to invent new steps for their routines, instead of following
a structured code of technique, as in ballet.
Another characteristic of modern dance, in opposition to ballet, is the deliberate use of gravity.
Whereas classical ballet dancers strive to be light and airy on their feet, modern dancers often
use their body weight to enhance movement. This type of dancer rejects the classical ballet
stance of an upright, erect body, often opting instead for deliberate falls to the floor.
Modern Dance Routines Today
Modern dance has become a huge genre in the dance world today and is typically listed as a class
offered on the schedules of most dance studios. Some dancers feel that modern dance gives them
a chance to enjoy ballet dancing without the strict focus on their technique and turnout.
Many dance competitions throughout the nation judge dancers on their modern dancing ability
and dancers take this opportunity to use their dancing to express their innermost emotions and
get closer to their inner-selves. Watching a modern dancer can sometimes become emotional,
especially if the dancer is trying to convey a series of sad emotions, such as death or grief.
Here are some of the steps that dancers take when developing a routine:

Before attempting to choreograph a routine, the modern dancer decides which emotions to try to
convey to the audience.
Many modern dancers choose a subject near and dear to their hearts, such as a lost love or a
personal failure.
The dancer then chooses music that relates to the story they wish to tell or choose to use no
music at all, followed by a costume to reflect their chosen emotions.
Contemporary dance
The name “contemporary dance” describes a range of techniques and styles used in classes,
workshops and dance choreography. • It was developed in the early 20th century as a recreation
against the rigid techniques of ballet. • Pioneers such as Isadora Duncan and Martha Graham
searched for ease of movement using the body’s natural lines and energy, allowing a greater
range and fluidity of movement than typical and traditional dance techniques.
Contemporary dance is characterized by its versatility: it can be danced to almost any style of
music, or united with other dance forms to create new styles of movement. • Contemporary
dancing seeks to work with the natural alignment of the body, and is therefore safe and
accessible for beginners. • At the same time, the ease of movement promoted by contemporary
dance techniques allows experienced dancers to push new boundaries of body movement.
Contemporary dance is a genre of dance performance that developed during the mid-twentieth
century and has since grown to become one of the dominant genres for formally trained dancers
throughout the world, with particularly strong popularity in the U.S. and Europe. Although
originally informed by and borrowing from classical, modern, and jazz styles, it has since come
to incorporate elements from many styles of dance. Due to its technical similarities, it is often
perceived to be closely related to modern dance, ballet, and other classical concert dance styles.
In terms of the focus of its technique, contemporary dance tends to combine the strong but
controlled legwork of ballet with modern that stresses on torso. It also employs contract-release,
floor work, fall and recovery, and improvisation characteristics of modern dance. Unpredictable
changes in rhythm, speed, and direction are often used, as well. Additionally, contemporary
dance sometimes incorporates elements of non-western dance cultures, such as elements from
African dance including bent knees, or movements from the Japanese contemporary dance,
Butoh.
It is a dance that is made in, influenced by, or presented in our current world context. This is a
flexible way of identifying the field that allows for an increasing range of contemporary practices
in dance, and allows dance artists the freedom to self-identify their work rather than being
categorized inappropriately.
Contemporary dance makes a statement about the world around us. It can offer an artistic
perspective on the human condition in bold and courageous, or subtle and ambiguous ways. It is
a non-story dance, which means it is open to interpretation. It is fresh, inspiring and risk-taking.
The primary creative tools of contemporary dance are the Body, Time and Space.
Contemporary dance is a style of expressive dance that combines elements of several dance
genres including modern, jazz, lyrical and classical ballet. Contemporary dancers strive to
connect the mind and the body through fluid dance movements. The term "contemporary" is
somewhat misleading: it describes a genre that developed during the mid-20th century and is still
very popular today.
Overview of Contemporary Dance
Contemporary dance stresses versatility and improvisation, unlike the strict, structured nature of
ballet. Contemporary dancers focus on floorwork, using gravity to pull them down to the floor.
This dance genre is often done in bare feet. Contemporary dance can be performed to many
different styles of music.
Pioneers of contemporary dance include Isadora Duncan, Martha Graham, and Merce
Cunningham because they broke the rules of the strict forms of ballet. These
dancer/choreographers all believed that dancers should have freedom of movement, allowing
their bodies to freely express their innermost feelings. It's important to note, however, that while
Graham moved into what is now known as modern dance, and Duncan's style was uniquely her
own, Cunningham is often spoken of as the father of contemporary dance.
Historic Roots of Contemporary Dance
Modern and contemporary dance has many elements in common; they are, in a way, branches
stemming from the same roots. During the 19th century, theatrical dance performances were
synonymous with ballet. Ballet is a formal technique that developed from court dance during the
Italian Renaissance and became popular as a result of the support of Catherine de' Medici.
Around the end of the 19th century, several dancers began to break the ballet mold. Some of
these individuals included Francois Delsarte, Loïe Fuller, and Isadora Duncan, all of whom
developed unique styles of movement based on theories of their own. All focused less on formal
techniques, and more on emotional and physical expression.
Between about 1900 and 1950, a new dance form emerged which was dubbed "modern dance."
Unlike ballet or the works of Duncan and her "Isadorables," modern dance is a formalized dance
technique with a specific aesthetic. Developed by such innovators as Martha Graham, modern
dance is built around breathing, movement, contraction, and release of muscles.
Alvin Ailey was a student of Martha Graham's. While he maintained a stronger connection with
older techniques, he was the first to introduce African American aesthetics and ideas into
contemporary dance.
During the mid-1940's another student of Graham's, Merce Cunningham, began exploring his
own form of dance. Inspired by the radically unique music of John Cage, Cunningham developed
an abstract form of dance. Cunningham took dance out of the formal theatrical setting and
separated it from the need to express specific stories or ideas. Cunningham introduced the
concept that dance movements could be random, and that each performance could be unique.
Cunningham, because of his complete break with formal dance techniques, is often referred to as
the father of contemporary dance.
Today's Contemporary Dance
Today's contemporary dance is an eclectic mix of styles, with choreographers drawing from
ballet, modern, and "post-modern" (structureless) forms of dance. While some contemporary
dancers create characters, theatrical events, or stories, others perform entirely new creations as
they improvise in their own unique style.

Difference between Modern and Contemporary Dance

Modern dance is codified. There are specific modern dance techniques that are unique to
themselves but have many underlying similarities and themes. The pioneers of modern dance
wanted to break away from traditional ballet and were mostly female The modern dance
movement was followed by the postmodern dance movement in the 50s and 60s which aimed to
break away from the compositional constraints of modern. It included the use of chance and
improvisation. Contemporary dance is a slightly more vague and broad term. It means different
things to different people. Many dancers in the commercial/competition world refer to their
contemporary jazz as contemporary. However, the concert world sees contemporary differently.
It can be used to describe any dancing that is new, different, or untraditional. It can include
elements of many kinds of dance including non-western dance forms.
Truth is, they are the same in many ways. Both forms of dance stemmed from modern dance
pioneers during the turn of the 19th Century like Isadora Duncan and Martha Graham. Modern
Dance is a specific style of dance that is free form and stems from the core, or torso, of the body
and uses elements like contact-release, floor work, fall and recovery, and improvisation. Just like
a Picasso is different than a Monet, modern dance is different than ballet. Contemporary
Dance is a collaborative style that includes modern, jazz, ballet, and hip hop elements.

Reflection:
I think that there are so many types of dances in the entire world but Contemporary dances are
different, it is referred to as an expressive style of dance which allows freedom of expression to
relay specific information to an audience, and also it focuses in expressions and floorwork. It can
be danced to almost any style of music, or united with other dance forms to create new styles of
movement Another is modern dance, it is the same as contemporary dance it is a free-form dance
which focuses in serious expressions of their inner emotions, using a free-flowing, interpretative
style. It encourages dancers to use their emotions and moods to design their steps and routines.
Contemporary dance and Modern dance have contributed much to the world of performing arts
and have opened the door for many styles and artists who never had a way of expressing their
talents
.Macalalad, Jan Paolo M.