INTRODUCTION PROCESS ACTIVITY

PIONEERS ON FOCUS

Instructions: Complete the table below by supplying the contributions of the different
pioneers of contemporary dance.

CONTEMPOR CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT REFERENCE/S:

ARY DANCE OF CONTEMPORARY DANCE
PIONEER

ISADORA  One of the first people to promote  https://

DUNCAN contemporary dance to the status www.britannic
of creative art. a.com/
biography/
 She helped free ballet from its Isadora-
conservative restrictions from Duncan
corsets, petticoats, long sleeves,
high collars and heavy skirts.  https://
www.contemp
 She introduced contemporary orary-
dance as a connection between dance.org/
your own thoughts and feelings isadora-
with the movement you can duncan.html
generate.

MARTHA  Martha Graham’s dancing and  https://

GRAHAM choreography exposed the marthagraham
depths of human emotion through .org/history/
movements.
 https://
 She introduced that modern www.britannic
dance is intended to express a.com/
shared human emotions and biography/
experiences. Martha-
Graham
 She has also introduced a
technique that is widely used in
contemporary dance called as the
Graham Technique.

 She created more than 180

works, from solos to large-scale
work.

MERCE  He developed new forms of  https://

CUNNINGHAM abstract dance movements. www.mercecu
nningham.org/
 He is known for abrupt changes about/merce-
and contrasts in movement that cunningham/
has highly influenced
contemporary dance.  https://
www.britannic
 He developed a new concept that a.com/
music and dance can biography/
independently exist within the Merce-
same performance. Cunningham

LESTER  He established the first racially  https://

HORTON integrated dance company to www.dancespi
spread his influence to other rit.com/horton-
people, technique-
2326036575.h
 He developed a dance technique tml
based on Native American
dances and anatomical studies.  https://
www.britannic
 His techniques are the foundation a.com/
of most masterpieces being biography/
danced today. Lester-Horton

 His choreographies have

contributed a lot to the
development of contemporary
dances.

ALVIN AILEY  He helped popularize modern  https://

dance around the world by doing www.biograph
world tours. y.com/
performer/
 He created about 80 alvin-ailey
choreographies that are still
widely performed until today.  https://
www.alvinaile
 He incorporated the uniqueness y.org/alvin-
of the African-American culture ailey-
and ideas in the art form. american-
dance-
theater/alvin-
ailey