(PE)
Denis and Ted Shawn
MODERN DANCE
- may have started as a rejection of classical ballet
techniques, but it is now a recognizable art form that
stands on its own.
- it focuses on expression rather than following a rigid
set of postures or technical positions that ballet dancers
are trained in.
- its movements are considered freeform and fluid, and
are often inspired by other dance styles – like African
dance, ballet, and folk dance.
History of Modern Dance
- By the end of the nineteenth century, modern dance
emerged as a new performing art that rebelled against
the tight structure of traditional ballet.
- In the mid-twentieth century, modern dance became a
popular form of dance that would spawn other styles of
modern movement such as lyrical dance and
contemporary dance, as well as birth legacy of
legendary performers – like Alvin Ailey, Katherine
Dunham, and Twyla Tharp.
- Today, dance schools around the world offer modern
dance classes to people of all ages.
Isadora Duncan and Loei Fuller
– In the late 1800s and early 1900s, they popularized
the dance form as a new style of artistry and
entertainment with their lyrical, emotional
performances.
Loei Fuller (1862 – 1928)
 child actress, burlesque dancer
 developed her own natural movement and
improvisation.
 the first modern dancer
 Innovative Lightning and costume – use of
lightning and light weight, rippling cloth (“A
creature of light”)
Isadora Duncan (1878 – 1927)
 founded many dance schools all over the world
(United States, Germany, and France)
 “Mother of Modern Dance”
 Created her own philosophy of dance
 natural movement as connection between
emotion and movement
 simple steps (walks, skips, jumps, runs)
Ruth St.
– other modern dance pioneers.
- they founded the Denishawn School of Dancing and
Related Arts in 1915 in Los Angeles.
Ruth St. Denis (1980 – 1968)
 raised on a small farm in new jersey
 trained by her mother
 training in random areas (ie. Broad way)
 danced in minor roles
 married her pupil Ted Shawn
Ted Shawn (1891 – 1972)
 October 21, 1891 in Kansas City, Missouri
 known as “The Father of American Dance”
 dances of the Ages
 started the Denishawn Dance School in Los
Angeles
 Broadway
Martha Graham, Charles Weidman, and Doris
Humphrey
- trained in the Denishawn School
- they took the techniques and turned them into today’s
American modern dance.
Charles Weidman (1901 – 1975)
 July 22, 1901
 Choreographer, modern dancer, and teacher.
 got a scholarship to Denishawn at age of 19
 started the Humphrey – Weidman company
 formed the Theatre Dance Company
 showed the relationship between music and
movement through his dancing
Martha Graham (1894 – 1990)
 Born in Allegheny
 First dance instruction at the cumnock school in
LA
 attended summer session at the Denishawn
school in 1916
 Founded Martha Graham dance company
What classifies as Modern Dance?
1.) Freeform and improvisational
- Modern dance is often described as fluid and freeform,
alternating between long, languid movements, and
jerky ones that show the contraction an expansion of
the body.
- Some dancers create their own unique moves for
routines or even use improvisation during their
performances.
2.) It’s emotional
- Modern dance expresses the emotion that the music
evokes in the dances.
- dancers essentially perform their feelings to music,
conveying a raw or impassioned display.
3.) It rejects convention
- rather than striving for the weightlessness and grace of
ballet, modern dancers use their body weight to propel
themselves across the floor, often falling, tumbling, or
rolling to express rhythm.
CONTEMPORARY DANCE
- started to develop around the 1960s and was more
based on ballet technique in the legs with more modern
upper body and torso work.
- 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 in the U.S and Europe.
- Originally informed by and borrowing from classical,
modern, and jazz styles, it has come to incorporate
elements from many styles of dance.
- stresses versatility and improvisation, unlike the strict,
structured nature of ballet.
- focuses on floorwork, using gravity to pull them down
to the floor.
- often dance in bare feet.
Isadora Duncan, Martha Graham, and Merce
Cunningham
– pioneers of contemporary dance.
- they believed that dancers should have freedom of
movement, allowing their bodies to freely express their
innermost feelings.
Merce Cunningham (April 16, 1919, Centralia,
Washington – July 26, 2009, New York)
– Father of Contemporary Dance
- American modern dancer and choreographer who
developed new forms of abstract dance movement.
- he was invited by Martha Graham to join her group
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MODERN DANCE
AND CONTEMPORARY DANCE?
Modern Dance
- Some of the early names are Loei Fuller, Isadora
Duncan from the US, Rudolf Laban, Kurt Joos in Europe,
often with political references, bare feet and
uncorseted bodies.
- Later, Martha Graham, Alwin Nikolai, Jose Limon,
Lester Horton, Katherine Dunham, Alvin Ailey are the
names from the US who created different styles of
modern dance from the broad categories of dramatic,
theatrical, to references of African heritage.
MUSIC
- the good thing about the music in modern and
contemporary dance is, there’s no single form bounded
to a certain type of music.
- no specific songs.
- most choreographers choose songs with deep
messages that is possible to be interpreted by the
choreographer, or, instrumental song in which dancing
technique will be used to put language on that song
expressively.
Modern and contemporary dances are few
dances that also adore silence. Some dancers
were able to perform in silent manner and
surroundings.
Important Principle in Dancing Modern and
Contemporary:
You must choose a music that is relevant to
your choreography.
Benefits of Modern and Contemporary Dance
1.) Health
– Modern and contemporary involves bodily and mind
coordination in order to perform efficiently.
2.) Physical Benefits
– it helps build muscle strength while increasing
flexibility due to lifting and bending movements.
- Send of balance and improvement in agility is to lifting
and bending movements.
- Sense of balance and improvement in agility is also
developed.
- Performers learn to be aware of the correct body
position and posture.
3.) Mental Benefits
- Dancing help you coordinate your mind with your body
movement which refers to “neuromuscular
coordination”
- it also relieves stress with the influence of relaxing,
soothing, and dramatic music used in modern and
contemporary dancing.
- creative thinking can be also nurtured
- it also enhances the mood of any individual who
participates in dancing
- activates self-expression
4.) Emotional Benefits
- In dancing, feelings and emotions play a vital role in
making an opportunity to express with the
accompaniment of the music that is relevant to your
emotions.
- it enables participants to connect with their feelings
and focus on their minds with the creative environment
that dancing has.
HIP-HOP
- not just a form of dance; it is a culture-a way of life.
History:
 It refers to dance styles, mainly to street dance
styles using hiphop music, or that have evolved
as a part of the hip hop culture.
Consists of four main elements:
1.) B-boying (breaking)
 The first and original dance associated with hip
hop .
 More commonly known as breakdance
 Appeared in New York City during the early
1960s and truly became a cornerstone (or
element) of hip hop as a culture.
2.) Dj-ing
3.) Graffiti art
4.) Mc-ing (rapping)
Evolved from three underground dance styles:
1.) B-boying
2.) Locking
3.) Popping
Basic types of Hip-Hop and street dance
1.) Breakdancing or breaking
 incorporates intricate body movements,
coordination, style, and aesthetics.
 the people who perform this style of dance are
known as b-boys or b-girls. They are sometimes
called breakers.
2.) Locking
 first made in 1970 by funk dancers in various
clubs, with one of the best dancers being Don
Cambell
Don Cambell – who supposedly invented the ‘lock’
that the whole locking dance is now named after.
 known to be relatively comic and lively.
 a style of funk dance, which is today also
associated with hip hop.
the name is based on the concept of locking
movements, which basically means freezing
from a fast movement and “locking” in a certain
position, holding that position for a short while
and then continuing at the same speed as
before.
3.) Popping
 adapted out of the earlier Boogaloo cultural
movement in Oakland, California.
Quickly contracting and relaxing muscles to
cause a jerk or can be a sudden stop in the
dancer’s body, referred to as a pose, pop or a
hit. This is done continuously to the rhythm of a
song in combination with various movements
and poses.
4.) Boogaloo
 a freestyle
 can incorporate illusions, restriction of muscles,
stops, robot and/or wiggling.
Improvisational street dance movement of
soulful steps and robotic movements which
make up the foundation of popping dance and
turfing.
5.) Krumping
 a street dance
 popularized in the United States
 characterized by free, expressive, exaggerated,
and highly energetic movement.
 the youths who started Krump saw the dance as
a way for them to escape gang life
  “to express raw emotions in a powerful but  The often-complex routines that street dancing
non-violent way.” requires may be hard to grasp in the early
stages of your training.
6.) Lyrical Hip Hop
 Dancing along or as part of a group, you will
 You use different force to express different
soon find that concentration and spatial
emotions.
awareness come to you more naturally.
 When they are near each other there is more
tension on the dancers because they rely on
each other.

STREET DANCE
 to describe dances that developed outside of
the studio setting and in social space like
streets, clubs and parks.

The original street dance includes:

 Breaking
 Popping
 Locking

Examples:
 Breakdancing
 Hip-hop dances

Fitness Benefits:
1.) Improving Stamina
 Street dancing demands a range of energetic
body movements.
 It is important that a little effort goes a long way
and regular workouts will greatly improve your
body’s stamina over time.

2.) More flexible hands, feet and joints

 street dancing moves may require the
participant’s hands to support their body
weight, as well as the feet and leg joints.
 regular street dancing will strengthen these
areas over time and greatly improve their
flexibility.

3.) Boosting mental self-confidence

 Once you master the basics of street dancing,
and start to learn some tricks, your mental self-
confidence will improve tenfold.
 Your body will feel healthier and happier and so
will your mind.

4.) Developing concentration and spatial awareness