Modern Dance

Modern Dance was born in America during the turn of the 20th century when a number of
choreographers and dancers rebelled against the two forms of dance that were prevalent at the time,
ballet and vaudeville.

They rejected what they interpreted as the rigid and imperialistic nature of ballet, and they wanted to
be taken seriously as artists rather than be seen simply as entertainers.
Martha Graham in 1948

In the late 19th century, modern dance artists such as Isadora Duncan, Maud Allan, and Loie Fuller were
pioneering new forms and practices in what is now called aesthetic or free dance. These dancers
disregarded ballet's strict movement vocabulary (the particular, limited set of movements that were
considered proper to ballet) and stopped wearing corsets and pointe shoes in the search for greater
freedom of movement.

Throughout the 20th century, sociopolitical concerns, major historical events, and the development of
other art forms contributed to the continued development of modern dance in the United States and
Europe. Moving into the 1960s, new ideas about dance began to emerge as a response to earlier dance
forms and to social changes. Eventually, postmodern dance artists would reject the formalism of
modern dance, and include elements such as performance art, contact improvisation, release technique,
and improvisation.

American modern dance can be divided (roughly) into three periods or generations.

First generation of modern dance

During the 1920s, a passion for interpretive dancing swept America. Isadora Duncan's fame and
Denishawn's tours had introduced audiences and dancers alike to the concept of a new form of serious
theatrical dancing. The ground work had been laid for the first generation of modern dancers, who
began developing the art as we know it today. This first generation included Martha Graham, Mary
Wigman, Hanya Holm, Doris Humphrey, Charles Weidman, Agnes de Mille, and Lester Horton.

Second generation of modern dance

By the end of World War Il the original founders of modern dance had produced a crop of talented
students who set out to create their own kind of dance. The great battle for the position and
respectability of modern dance had already been fought and won. It was not necessary for the second
generation to take themselves or their art with the same deadly seriousness that had characterized their
predecessors. The second generation of modern dance included artists such as Erick Hawkins, Merce
Cunningham, Paul Taylor, José Limon, Katherine Dunham, Pearl Primus, Alvin Ailey, Anna Halprin,
Yvonne Rainer, and Twyla Tharp.
Modern Dance Today

The social and artistic upheavals of the late 1960s and 1970s signalled even more radical departures for
modern dance. Modern dance today is much more sophisticated, both in technique and technology,
than the dance begun by its pioneers. Current pioneers in modern dance find a much softer dividing line
between modern dance and ballet. In truth, ballet, modern, and contemporary dance companies today
have come to regard fluency in all genres of dance as important to their work. Today's modern dance
has become a fusion of multiple dance genres, as demonstrated by choreographers Mark Morris, Ohad
Naharin, and Shen Wei.

5 Characteristics of a Contemporary Dance

1. Graham :

This was named after Martha Graham. This style basically focuses on the use of contraction, release,
recovery, and fall. Graham is distinguished by floor work and the use of pelvic and abdominal
contractions. The style is much grounded and the technique is visibly contrary to the slender and
graceful, airborne ideals of ballet.

2. Limon :

This was named after Jose Limon. It involves exploring the use of energy in relation to gravity and
working with weight in terms of rebound, fall, suspension and recovery. Limon technique uses the
feeling of “heavy energy” and weight in the body, and movement is initiated using breath to lift, and
swings through the body to create and halt movement and thus it feels very nice to perform.

3. Release :

Placing emphasis on minimizing tension in the search for fluidity and clarity and the efficient use of
breath and energy. In Release technique just as it sounds, we release through the muscles and joints to
create ease of movement, releasing the breath to support the release of the body. A dance style as well
as a great relaxation technique.

4. Improvisation :

It mainly focuses on the relationship between movements and performance and on the investigation of
movements. Development of individual movement material is made possible through a variety of
creative explorations.
5. Contact Improvisation :

Contact improvisation describes a duet dance form characterized by fluid movement, weight exchange,
and touch. Partners improvise the dance using the natural movement of the body.

Modern dance has evolved with each subsequent generation of participating artists. Artistic content has
morphed and shifted from one choreographer to another, as have styles and techniques. Artists such as
Graham and Horton developed techniques in the Central Modern Period that are still taught worldwide
and numerous other types of modern dance exist today.

Here are some examples of modern dances:

* Ballet

In the aspect of modern dances, it is characterized by floor work; turn-in of the legs; greater range of
movement and body line; and pointe shoes but also bare feet.

* Burlesque

A literary, dramatic, or musical work which aims to create laughter by caricaturing the behavior of
serious works or via absurd treatments of such subjects.

* Ballroom Dance
A duet dance, this refers to any type of partner dancing as recreation. It is enjoyed both socially and
competitively globally

* Belly Dancing

Also known as Arabic dance or Raqs sharqi, it is a dance originating from Egypt and emphasizes on the
complex movements on the torso.

* Jazz

A performance dance style and technique which emerged along with jazz music. This can be refered to
as vernacular jazz or to Broadway or theatrical jazz.
Traditional dance

Traditional dancing can be another term for folk dance, or sometimes even for ceremonial dance. The
term ‘Traditional’ is more frequently used when the emphasis is on the cultural roots of the dance. A
Traditional dance will therefore have arisen from a people’s cultural traditions, for example, the folk
dances of indigenous populations of Europe. However, dances that have a ritual origin or purpose are
not usually considered to be Traditional dances. These are known as ‘Religious dances’ instead.

Traditional dancing is generally more of a social activity rather than competitive, but it is normally
choreographed. Depending on the dance type itself, Traditional dancing can be either partnered or solo,
and are mainly danced in formation.

Not all ethnic dances are folk dances. For example, ritual dances or dances of ritual origin are not
considered to be folk dances. Ritual dances are usually called "Religious dances" because of their
purpose. The terms "ethnic" and "traditional" are used when it is required to emphasize the cultural
roots of the dance. In this sense, nearly all folk dances are ethnic ones. If some dances, such as polka,
cross ethnic boundaries and even cross the boundary between "folk" and "ballroom dance", ethnic
differences are often considerable enough to mention.

Folk dances share some or all of the following attributes:

*Dances are usually held at folk dance gatherings or social functions by people with little or no
professional training, often to traditional music.

*Dances not generally designed for public performance or the stage, though they may later be arranged
and set for stage performances.

*Execution dominated by an inherited tradition from various international cultures rather than
innovation (though folk traditions change over time).

*New dancers often learn informally by observing others or receiving help from others.
More controversially, some people define folk dancing as dancing for which there is no governing body
or dancing for which there are no competitive or professional institutions. The term "folk dance" is
sometimes applied to dances of historical importance in European culture and history; typically
originating before the 20th century. For other cultures the terms "ethnic dance" or "traditional dance"
are sometimes used, although the latter terms may encompass ceremonial dances.

There are a number of modern dances, such as hip hop dance, that evolve spontaneously, but the term
"folk dance" is generally not applied to them, and the terms "street dance" or "vernacular dance" are
used instead. The term "folk dance" is reserved for dances which are to a significant degree bound by
tradition and originated in the times when the distinction existed between the dances of "common folk"
and the dances of the modern ballroom dances originated from folk ones.

Examples of Philippines traditional dance:

The Itik-Itik

The best description of the Itik-Itik is that the steps mimic the way a duck walks, as well as the way it
splashes water on its back to attract a mate. According to popular tradition, the dance was created by a
lady named Kanang who choreographed the steps while dancing at a baptismal party. The other guests
copied her movements, and everyone liked the dance so much that it has been passed along ever since.

The Tinikling
The Tinikling is considered by many to be the Philippines’ national dance. The dance’s movements
imitate the movement of the tikling bird as it walks around through tall grass and between tree
branches. People perform the dance using bamboo poles. The dance is composed of three basic steps
which include singles, doubles and hops. It looks similar to playing jump rope, except that the dancers
perform the steps around and between the bamboo poles, and the dance becomes faster until someone
makes a mistake and the next set of dancers takes a turn.

The Sayaw sa Bangko

The Sayaw sa Bangko is performed on top of a narrow bench. Dancers need good balance as they go
through a series of movements that include some impressive acrobatics. This dance traces its roots back
to the areas of Pangapisan, Lingayen and Pangasinan.

The Binasuan
The Binasuan is an entertaining dance that is usually performed at festive social occasions like weddings
and birthdays. Dancers carefully balance three half-filled glasses of rice wine on their heads and hands
as they gracefully spin and roll on the ground. The dance originated in Bayambang in the Pangasinan
province, and though it’s usually performed alone, it can also become a competition between several
dancers.

The Pandanggo sa Ilaw

The Pandanggo sa Ilaw is similar to a Spanish Fandango, but the Pandanggo is performed while
balancing three oil lamps – one on the head, and one in each hand. It’s a lively dance that originated on
Lubang Island. The music is in 3/4 time and is usually accompanied by castanets.