l

CHAPTER NINE
introduction

his chapter deals with orrort dare forms such ns modcm dance, mod-
crn ballet, postmodern darrc, d the avart-8arde. lt amplifics Carol
I'ardo's chapteron ballct by morc broa.tly @Dtcxtualizin8 thc newer
In rrr within th€ 2orh nnd 21rr (cntury worlds of Aneri.an dancc. ,Althottsh
I'ill(1 hns had a rclatively (lrar aDd identinable hislory siucc Louis xlv's time
nrll rtrodcrn daD( also has its own lincagr, thc two stylcs hav. mutually
lrlhr k.d ea(h oth.r 'lwistinS nnd brcakhrg the old rules while (realing ncw
l!rlr\. rurr.Dt daDcc fo.ms .ontiNre to shape their "traditiurs" iu both
6,,.\\ihlc and challeDsiDg ways. DaDce has h(oDrc nn art form primarily
tinr.lr(d with cxperimentation to find uDi{lue ways to "sp€ak" through
lrn,r1.tr,eDt, with aDd witlrcut techniqur, but.lso with a (oDtnlulns lrassion,
I Imn!iln)rnt and irlearity.

CURRENTS OF 2oth AND 21St

CENTURY DANCE
Myron Howard N ad.el
and Marc Raymond Strauss

ltlt i! tha vcry unpredictabiLity oJ dance that kceps it eternalLyla-'cinating,

lt\ n vYing off in unexprtcd ditt.tions-
/li. (olr.rrson anri Donnld ttLt$d,Thc Danrc Handbd,k

h tl,,rtrtlnr8 lnsk k) d.linc aDd catcgoriz€ th€ many styles of dan.e that

'lrarl,'txalsirr.Ih. I9')'(.ntury forDrs ol ronr ntna

, (las5i(albalht
,, ,,l,rl,l,slxrl l;v(rr nr llx)n tr.(liti( )s ((Dtitru.d lo p.ttduatc lhcD)
,\ rr rlr. .l0(l'(eDrury, n(w li'.ri\ nkh ,ulrn lnni, n\\l.r l,alhl,
r\,'.rt L,nn, t'.\tDrrh,x ,1.,r.,,,,,1 ll,rrr rti,r!\ rrrLtAo\,'rrl ,tll.,,r,
1,'r\l Ii,rrl ,)Il ('l l,r\lrnI r!illr.!(r i'rrr,r\rrll \t!!,1 lh lr,rnlIn
Cr^nr NrM
today are often pass6 by tomorrory those called avant-gardc mav abeady
mo.c than half a century old.
ln fa.t, the sc.min8ly uNompli(atcd word mod.rn cnn bc quite c
bc(ausc il caD rcfcr to the nlPrcssnxristic Period of lir.n(h panniDS,
1870, or be used 8€Dqnally to descrih (rrrr('Dt (-rcalioDs, tsl)ecinlly
that drpart from 6tablishtd conventioDs. Nearly as confusinS, the
begu in the r9r0s, lrut
pcnod of balct is genmlly consider.d to havc
v$abulary and history, along with ther.latcd but distiD.t romanti( and
si(al bal.t forms, arc still calld simPly "ball.t." Mor€over, although
works of culy 20rb (cntu.y mqlcrn daDce, such as the 1931 I'n,llifive
lerirs, chorcosraphed by rDodcrn daffc pioncer Martlra Graham, may still
hiehly evocative today, many havc bcen de( idedly unmoderD for d(ades.
Th€ rc(mt p.efx posl, meari.S "a11er," as iD postmodern .lanc.,
usc of the
thcr challcnacs label.rs aDd tlew danc. audicn(es, wlrc already havc
ty pinponrtnt when anythiDg "modern" is supposd to have oorrred.
t€rm avanl aadd, tahcn ftom thc Fren(h wo.d vanSlad, meaning "a 8l
of p@plc leading th. way in ncw dcvcloPm.nts or idcns," may bc thc
hi,rd nvailnbl. for rcf$ring lo .uttiDS .dge ocrlions of nny time p.rn
Rcaders and audicrrces atl.mPttug to solidify thcir own con ePts nray
dis.ovcred thal .rns and their nlclusive PhilosoPlies ir th. nrts do not
and end ncatly. In truth, thc currents of moderD danc, modcrn ballct
co temporary ballct now exist simultancously with thos. rurrcnts wc
to as postmoderD d avant-8arde. This concurrort existencc, in fact,
herald the begnDing of ar era of flsion, where diffe.€D($ may shll exilt
tlowevcr, 2l't cotuly dalrc audim.cs who arc Mious to undcrstand
.ent transformatioE Pcrsistertly .alled nodern and p6t,,.odcrn
^id
want to contextualize oth€r contemporary styl€s nted to cxplorc thc h
of .omcrt danc. ir the 2otr' cntury.
R LVo Lul r()Ni\RY CURRIIN r5
l),rrnrglh. (n(ling rl(rnd(s ol lh( lgrr'(.Dtury nrrl lh. trrl)'tl((,klct t'f
,orr' ((rlrr'\'. l(tr1!l( r.!oIrlnnL,.n1 (rrn.(l (hrtr r.(ilrls ('rrl\i(l(
st,ltrR ()l .!xl (li\\irrril.rr l(' ll,e t,nrv.rrli,nrrl hrll.l 8orre. liSlttirr*
\t rt\ llrrl iErilsl lll ll,rtrt\ llri,l lrrirnr. rrr,nlrrrr tli,rn. irt lhi\ l l
CukRrNr: or 20', rN! 2r. CrN rBy D^NrL
l ltr ir works miShtjust a$ casily b€ .oDsidered
lostromaDric or poslctassi-
,il .,\ rrodcrD. Alter nll, Isadora DuDcan (1877 1927), thc most famous
r unulioDary outsidc of th€ male-domhrat.d ballct (and those who fol-
l,r!((l ir lrrr fbotst€ps) lcDdcd to valuc thc exprcssivity of romanti(.ism
ni,r lhan thc techDique and forDr of the purc or classici$t h music and
,rrl lD a wa),, Duncatrrs nrt was a lrue.Ia.5ri. art, tuspircd by ibrms of
,rhlxtu'lv {primarily ancirDt Gree(c) and the seDsibilities of a.ceptrd Inusi-
ril rnnn.rs of lhe timr slc also insist€d that her dancc was fuDdam.ntal
h \rtr(rnao and iDfluen(cd by Dature, whi(h l.d her to rediscov.r rh.
IIlt',. glory of Daturnl movrmcDts, madc all rhe mor. cxprcssiv. when
rlrl,rnl.d by balletic vocabuldry and wh.D daD(cd in bar. lcer.
lrrrn.ru p.rfbrmed in relativcly uDadorDd daD(€ rccitnls nr saloDs, con-
llrt lnrlh nnd humblc th.aters, accompa cd only b), a pianist playiDg,
r,rt lltr Rcrolurlonarl, itulc by Fradtric Chopin (1810 1849). Thc rc(ital
ir [r rlih bnrgain l,ascmcnt (hic aDd truly avant Sarde for its tim.. tD
lrnrlr,r\1, works (rcatcd dudDg the first modcrn ballct.ra, th€ Battcts
Itr.r" rrars ( 1909-1929)-srrh ns Micha€l r'okiDr,s s.ndCrazdde (r9lO)
arnl \,,sl.rv NiiiDsky's Ritc of Spting (1el3)-wcre SraDd a'rd cxpcnsiv.,
hrt r,,A lull or.hcstras, claboralc scts and.osruDcs, tar8c theatcrs and
I lv,,rlllrr l)rod (cr to spoDsor the cvcnt.
' l,,ln,tlollowcd by Rr(h St. Dcnis rud th.ir DDdlrm hcirs such as
ll,r (,Lrlrm, grew up durnrg thc establjshment of the lat. 19rh (cn-
| ' l.'ssn'.rl ball€t world, as dcmoDstrated by Mariu$ petipa,s
fllrr r,,rol (oDsuDmatc Th! slaepinq aeaxry (1rJ9O) and Swan lakc
li,, ,r ll,.{ bnlkls wcr. rxemplary in thcir displays of r.(hni(at virru-
t ,rrl ( lrr'(oSraphi( patterning, but th.y provided a liDited eDotnr!
dlxl rrrl(lle(tual palette for their audicrcc. The carly mod.rD dancer
r,,,nr,rt,h(rs w.rc equally (ogDizant of th. Br.at baller rcvolution
irll,rkltrrsly takinS plnce in Russin and in Europe b..ause of
thllr\'\ ll,rllrls Russcs. Thcy r{.rc primed for charSe aDd in many
lrrll, r i lrlr,-l lt).)tt) was t)rimarily rn a(tr.ss .rDd snrgcr who lEd stud-
,l,,l ,n IrrllL.l ,lrl llx.I hg,!r ll, I).,ftrIr r)L) rnrtr,cn).Dl I'i(1.\ irr th.
,,',,,,,,, . l, t\ \,r' li,rl r\,tr.I Ir l)t,r] s l!tr.ri \tr. trt.r!.rt r t.rrr( t,.(. t,t
, l,,ll' ,r., ,r Ir,t lr,,r ,r lrdrl, \lx. (nIr!rl ,r lhit rk,rl rx\,.rr{rl
Ir(( (
,,','! r,'l! 1,,, \|,'\l!r vrtIltflr,1,Ir( ,\l'lllr ri,r\t\ rl(1].t('t,
'|
I l, , lrtlrr"'[,rr tlr( (rl ,n tlr t,,r
'tll'r'\ r,,
r.t l,'rr\ r r
I
. I \ L \ , I I I llrl!^1.rLIL'lln,l1,l,rltrx.nr,rt[,,,1,{
r r r r r I I ,
'
I
li8hl. Snnildr (xp.ritrrctrts ,rtrrlntrrlr l(xl.ry lhro 8h thr lurrinl( ot
trr(Dts dnd ndvnn..d l.(lxrrogy.
Thc growiDg dwnrcncss ol lhe inrF)rtnD(c of woDr.n b s(xn'ly, b(||nl
wilh lhe in th( l9l0s and culmiratnrg h lhc plss gc
suffraScttcs
womor's riSht to votc in 1920, Save th.s. r.vohrtionary dancc nrlhtt
grcatcr position of lcadrrship, nt l.ast iD thr rycs of thosr dcdi(alcd to
bur8.oDh8 fcrnnrisN ol lhr timc. Lxpression of a n.w s.lf awarcDcss ir
th€ arts, nrflucDLcd by rcligioDs aDd philosophi€s such as Christian S(
Th€osophy aDd spiritualisDr, further oharged their spirit.
Ideas from Dastcrn pl losophirs sr(h as mturalism and tr
profsscd by,AtDcri.nD thirk.rs such as HcDry David Thor€au (r817 l8
aDd Ralph Waldo EDrcrs(m (1803-1882), were also influ€ntial. Dis
Victorian staDdards, fimal. dancers came to relish the compehrg
that the human h(xly was a Sift of naturc or a divine temple to be
inst€ad of hidden h shamc.
Mod€rn pioneer Ruth 5t. Denis (1879 1968) also was willing to
her art within cstablish.d (omm.rcial theatrical mntcxts in th€ early
c.ntury, such as plays, vaudeville aDd remes, but in these v.nues
scar.h fbr Dcw d.D.. t(,rtrrdatnDs drt)ended ultimately oD th.ir
app€al as defincd by produfers, who in thc world of comme.cial
ud..stood littlc of thc spiritual fervor of dm.eis .eolutionary
Both produffrs and audienccs, howcvra .njoyed new subj€cts, new
ment arraDgcmcDts, ncw personalilirs aDd atmost anything with
pscudocroli( npprnl. -lhr dnnc. artists w€re wary that thcir artis
atlempts Dccdrd tr) satisty lnrSc nudi.n.cs, which jn(r.ascd th.ir Decd
self producc conc.rls whcrc thcir frccdom to cxpcrim€Dt could remain
Exl:erpts from thc krr8-sttllldiDg rrpcrtoir€ of European ball.t
also fit w.ll withnr lhr vaud.villc milieu of family audi.D.es, who
cnioyed thc sho .r (nrly works ol Dlo.lcrn dancc, su(h as Ruth st. Denir'
Radna (1906), iD thcir o(ircly. B.nrg a vaudcvillc perform.r meant bci
oD€ of sryeD or nrcrc n cpendcnt touring acts nog trainer, tap da
sing€., .omedian, vcntriloqui$t, contortionist d ev.n opera and ballet
formerHl on thc samc program. Although mmy chor€og.aph€.s
garded the entc.tairmcnt valuc of the art of darce, m y pion€ers of
€m dance, such as Martha Graham, Dons Hmphr€y and Charles wei
(1901-7975), Icarncd vahnl,l. lessons about salcsmanship d about
nrhr n'kl rq{rrltrlntrts ol (unnr(&'i.rl ll(nl(r lrx nn iNl.PtD(lrnl .ontPatry
t.rlhl l)(rrishnwn (lirutrdd by Rulh St. lhnis and'lbd SlHwn), whi.I lrr
l rul .trr lh(st vnd.villc (i(uits.
lirlrr8 n (onnn.rcial draw was also a mattcr ofsurvival, but lhc divcrs€ Per
r,r!rliti.s ol'N)d.rn dancc.ared morc about expression, hoDesty, creativity
irll N.r s{i!l aDd political issues. lts lcad$s wantcd to bc artists for a pco-
l r.\ nrl aDd to cxprcss somc very pdsonal insi8hls about tlremsclvts and
ll! w,,ld lhrough th€ir lmique .ompositioDs.
Wlrrlr ltd shawn (1891-1972) t€amd up with and marricd Ruth st Denis
lr r I
(, I 4, hc hclpcd hcr create daD(es withnr the
Sivctr .onnnes of commercial
llxltl.r 'lheir Denishale s.hoot and company lastcd from 191s to 1931'
llx .oupany's.oDcert tours gav. them more lccway for a istic cxperi-
xrrlrl,rlnnr than the works crcat.d for thc vaud€ville drcuit.
lrrl shnwD btgaD studying dan.e to comPensatc for ill health as a voung
nr,rr llis father was a Methodist minist€. who cncouraSed his son's com
lrlrrll intrrcsts in spirituality and physical movement. Ruth 5t. Dtnis was
lxtr( n secker of spiritual truth. H€r quest, begun wcll befor. their part
nrlilrip. ld hcr ilto the field of.thnic dan.., whcrc shc .omposed Pieces
[l ,l,Lrl and spiritual origin (thc (urrcDtly politically off€nsiv. term
^sian
t,lr,,rlil, assciat.d with West€rD imP.rialism, was uscd during that time
lrFl(nd of thc morc accurate term.4Jian). 5t. D€nis attcmpted to emulate
lh( spiritual impetus ed movements of East hrdian damc through a sort
which 5hc assumcd a committed (if
"l ntl withd.awn tranc€ state in
nxik) "Oriental authenti.ity." Commercial audicD(es werc Dot always
Irt,,rble of se.in8 and appr€ciating th€ artistic value embcdded ir her
l,rnnrs dances, such as the HiDdu-inflected Radha, thc JapaDcs.-insPired
r,,tlika (1913) or the BabytoniaD ensemble chorcoSraphy h American
rlll(lor D. W Griffith's epic silent film "Intolerancc" (1916).
lrll shawn added opportunities for greater (ommercial succtss bv brinS
lrr DDre theatri.alizeal versions ofAsian, spadsh, Azte(, Ameri.an Indi
nr. Dnllroom ard oth€r danc€ forms to the Denishawn r.Pcrtoire' H€
Irnl.rstood and followed a spiritual view of dan(c but adapted the com
I',[v's works to mor€ pragmatic theatrical nceds. Hc (ould "giv' thcm,
llr l,Lrblic, the alivin€ mtssagc of dancc, thc sublimc a.t, but 8et thr pub-
I
Ir I o arcrpt it by usinS t{hatever splashy .ome-on$ wcrc Dc(essarv " rhe
t,('lili. Shawn creat.d aPproximately l9O PiP.es for D.nishawn and his
rnvn all-mal. company in th. 1e3O5, imludins thc Popular Promcth'ur
,r,,kl (1929) and the ma.ho Kin.ti. MoIPai (r93s)
sIirr!tr'\ rInr\ rrr,r\ I\' IIrr h IId Brrl( 1,, llr( r.,!ll rr\ ,n ,r ,1,rx. ,,,I (',,
trr.ri.rl slr8.s; 5t. l).nis's nr. Dxn. th( dr.nD)(r's n Slrrwtts li
lrrd drivnrg .bulli.D.r Brv. hnD lh. psy( li' aDt rn unit nnt lo pnnr.(r n
lirrN tbr mcn that struggl.d nSnnrd lhr us. of oDly pr.lly, lih.hl lt
.lnD.$s aDd a fcw cffemn).lr-looknrS N.n h th. intlx)v.rish(d ho
ballct of his time. Tcd shawD paved tlre road that lhousands of Amc
malc dancers have traveled iD ballet, modern dancc and Rroadwav.
MovLMtNT SouRCES
Doiis llumphr€y, Charles Weidman, Martha Graham and Louis tlorst
ham's musi. dir€ctor composcr, mrntor d a(ompa'rist) workcd for
St. D.nis and Ted ShaMr at varnnls tim€s. Hudreds of danccrs studicd at
l).Dislnht schools, first iD (.rlilarDia and th.D nr N.w xrk, whrrr
jr)st)ircd .urriculum nxludr(l clnsscs iD Delsartc. ,a(lu.s l)nlooz.
mics, ballet, ballroom and r variety of etlDic forms. This b.oad trai
fbrmcd thc basis for mu(h of the future serious theatri(al daDce
n(dy in America. In 1933, Ndw vork limar dan.e (riti( Jolm Martnr
these pioneering dances and highly p€rsonal movement vmabulari.s
nam. nodem dadce-
h 1934, at Bennington Collcge in Benningron, vcrmont, uDder
in5pircd diredorshjp of tri(Dtl:. d.n.r .du.ak r Mdrlho llill (l9oo-r 99
thr found.rs of moderD dnn(e Aathcr€d tos€th€r and combined
cxpcrtise to dev€lop modern dancc technhues and (ompositior.
thc snm. tiDe, shawn contn)ucd lo nrflueD(r thc.du(alnxl of
daD(crs by in luding ballct training at Jacob's Pillow, his summer
in Lee, Massachusetts.
'lhc lhcorclical movrm.nt sub$tructurc of th. modcrns
was
drrivcd from the teachiDgs of European th€orists such as Eranpis
I:nil. Jaques Dalcroze aDd Rudolf LabaD. rranfois D.lsnrtc (1811 187
wns a DrBic t€acher aDd nDvon.Dl analyst who dclvcd iDlo lhe
ol various gestur€s of the body. ll. b€li€ved that thr phy$i(al,
and spiritual planes of the body coexist iD time, copenclrate space
(ooE:rate in motion. His concerns for conc€pts of tension-relaxation,
Ii,rG, design and concentric (toward cent€r) and e.centric (from c
nn,vcmcnts provided a different focus for creating and studying
oulsnlr thc ball.t vocabulary. shawr aDd other early modcrn danccrs
to .Drln'r(. thes. trDcts.
lr',h,nlinrr r(l(ns (onrl,i'rir'* lh( t,hysnnl nrtd rrrtltrphysnnl workls wtrc also
,rr xr\t,irrli(rr k, wonr(rt, who l(lt lhal lhis aPProa(I wa$ lhc kty to gra(c-
lrhr.\l .trtr| thr lir.sl lbrnrs ol (*prcssion for tht ncr'vly lilrcratcd femal€.
lrr rrB lh( (nrly parl of thc 2orr'.cDtury, Delsa e and damc scemed to off.r
Ir,'rx1r lh. promis( of a brcak from the vi.toriaD haDdicaps of being a
lr,Dhn: bn nrs corscts, total allcSiance to mothe.hood, limit€d careers,
I',x, t)ny Dd a ubiquitou$ sensc of dis€nframhisemcDt Concurrently,
(llhtrrsh ltd shawn was au ardcnt supporter of DelsartiaD ideas, his all-
In,rl. (lnDct (ompany ftom 1133 to 1940 help€d reform America's sens€ that
nrrrhlr daD(e was only for women.
lix, rlork of [renchman 6milc Jaques Dalcroze (r86s-1950), .all€d Eurlh
,r, wns a syst€m of Physical nov':ments d6igned for th€ develoPmcnt of
r trhnrrd musi.al and.lrytlrmic logic for muidans. lt was also foud to
|,'( Br.at appliGtion fo. training dancers aDd chorcosraPhcrs to form
rlrrt'ly Inlt relationships betwcen the eye/ ear, memory and kilesthetic
r$!,rl,(Ir.ss. Jaques-Dalcrozc's Phibsophy was esPecialy nrflutntial on Ruth
ftl l)oris, who erylorcd music visualization whercin mclodic lines, har-
rrxtrries nnd forms of a Piccc of music w.re visually translated nrto co.re
rl"'rxli'rg dmce movements.
lI( hor.ographic potential iDhcrent in th€ great musi€l forms influenced
,
llx (Dlirc gene.atioD of Amcrien mod.rn dancers afttr Duncan, St. D€nis
,rn,l shawD. Doris Humphrcy atd Martha G.aham wc.c oftcn able to u.
llnir ir)timate understandnrg of aDd training with musi( as nrspiration for
lh,n more sophisticated choreoSraphi. arangcmeDts Jaques-Dal.roze's
lrllrxluc was also felt through tlle appli.atioD of his idea$ iI th. modern bat-
h,l\ ol thc Russians Mikhail rokiD. (1880-1942) and Vaslav NUinsky
lllloo l95O). To this day, complex and prc.ise kintti(-rhythmi( .orrelatioN
r(nnio pcrformmce €xPc(tations and prudcnt .horeograPhic d€viccs for all
rli'n. (ompositions-
l,,,tt(s Dalcroze's contemPorary Rudolf Laban {1879-1958) was a daD.er
llun.ticim iEpircd in pa.t by Delsart.'s failurc to devcloP further a melm
,'l ,rnnlyzing and miting movcmcnt. His spcrial geDius lay in the concePtu-
,rl ,rulysis of movemcnt nr sPace and tim€, r{ith its charactcristic energi€s.
llr lirst analyzed mov€ment a((ording to the spe€d, diredion and level of th€
hnl! nnd its pa.ts within an imaginary twenty-sided combination
fl'ltrrr cub€ caled an icosahe.lron. His scientific approach Provid€d a cl€e
llr8unsc for movement in sPace that Save thc work of modern dmcers,
$t( ially th€ Germans Mary Wigman and Kurt Jmss, an anal,'tical basis
 lr,rr rrl'rlr lr, xi Ilr lt'rirt.r \rI\r{r\rl\ l!'r!,Irt ,jjrn0 r rrt,rtr,l lr,,,
rrtr'r!li ,.lst,,x( thar((nrr|llrLrllo!,xtirli{Irs,tR.sli , r rlritnrtl,,It0t tt
( 1hrJ( l(ri\li( s r)l nr(b nro(l.rr ,l,rn,,
Mary wigDr u(1t]86 197:l) saw spd(c.h a Ibr(. ro I)( usc(l, n(n ,usl iN
Decessary environmcnt filled with air She movd wirh aD awarncss o
(oD.eivable qualities that her imm.diate staS€ spa.c .outd havc as I pn
D€r in motioD<utting through, pierdng, pressnrg and b€nrg eDvelopcd
it, as iD h€r famous solo witch Dancc 11914). WiSman,s intcrest iD
aDd her knowledSe of the cermaD Bauhaus group (fourded t9t9)
artists and d€signers who experimented with stage space iD retation
masked figures, props, body €xtensiom aDd furniture nrspired her to
at. some of her group dances, whi.h were concern€d substaDtially with
visual impact of their shap€s.
Meanwhile, Kurt Jooss (1901 1979) drvetoped daDl:es that alloweal thc
ofsom.bflllet vocabulary but little ofits technical tri.ks. Ttre mod€rns
sidered him to be too close to the ballet th( atcr in remperameDt, whercas
ballet critics w.re offendcd by his use of mov€menrs thcy coDsidered ,,
ern." II€.reated a daD.e theater where his movemcnt choices. like the t
ditional ballet, atso iDcluded pantomime. Ball€t compaDies alt over
world still p€rform his greatest work, Ths Green TaDic (1932), a bitinS
about the tutility of war its politi.al tri.ks and profiteering.
wigman's stud€nt Hanya Holm (1893 1992) cam. to the Uniled States
1932 to open a Wigman srhool iD N€w york. Her choreography was fuu
socialcriti.irm and spatiat .ffe.ts, especially h€. early group dances s
as lrend (1937). Hotm aiso explored cerman €xpressionism dr€
.motioDal aesth.tic within art, lit€.ature and drama-in aD attempt to
emotional truth jn her solo work aDd support for her inrcr€st in
design.
DRAMA']'IC CuRREN t s
Through the promptiDg of late 19tr, aDd early 20rh .eutrry sociat
aDd philosophies of movemeDt, some dancer choreographers, anal
and philosophical outlooks w€re .hangcd to varying dcgr€es. ror
the philosophy of Karl Marx (1818,1883), centered on a utopiar
socicty, had some influence on p€rc€ptions of the class and gender
lllI ninr. sutx{ir'i,rl, rlir'ha-slylc d( lnig ol thc l1)(r'(cDlury (itsrll cvolvnrg oul
I I r,I !l ( trnn (nllirr ll.rli.D connDcdia dcll arte) bocamc a thiDg of thc
nr l'Dd l lrr
I,lll. nr pn bc(ausr of th. grcat contributioDs of CoDstantin Stanidavsky
llrk,r l9Jll). Ik'(rcatcd more genunr and realistic methods for training
rrl,,r\ MnDy dan(rrs and choreographers were aware of the need to find a
lrt ltu6l a(l U styk, one with which they .or d enter the emotional core
[r ( hn.a(ten They werc also inspired by the scientific er?loration of the psy-
r lx, Ir lhc hypDosis ud &.m work ofAustrim psychiatrist siemund Freud
llrrlo l9J9). The lrod md stmnhvsky id€as fold.d nlto both dftmati.
rrrl(r) dnD.€ aDd ballet were a f cry from th€ overacting commor in the
r, r,rnli( aDd classical ball€ts inhented ftom the previous .€ntury.
llr (lrn atic dances of Martha Graham (1894-1991) required the
tl,rrislavsky pospectiv€ of ading. In the 1940s and 195Os, Graham cr€at€d
lrxnn,rally charg€d chor€ographi. dramas basod on (haracters ard 6itua-
ll,trrs trom Greek plays aDd the literary.mon, such as oddipui R.x and sai,t
l,,rr 11923, by Georg€ Be.nard Shaw). Her gerius was in abstEctiDg arch€
lytr,l psy.hological persp(tives about a central .haracter md theD placiDS
lx.rr.u nr this dance rol€, showing the character's psycholoSicat struggles,
rrhi(h she envisioned as a pa ly fragmented dream. For example, she
fl'rlrtrlicd the veneefut Medea in Cave o/the Hcart (1946); oedipus's mothe,
l,r,rsln, h Nignt Journq/ (1947); and saint Joan in seraphic Dialogue l-\955).
tlrlikc nl the old fashioDcd, straightforward plots of classical ballet, hercho-
rrr rlnDcers w€re Dev€r choreographed to punctuat€, cftance or provide
rllw!'sn r fiom the c€ntral actioD, but rather to add to the thcater of a dr€an
rl/rt. craham dug into the physical basis of drama ard found mov.ments
l[rl (aptured the emotional esseDce of each momeDt.
llrr scarch for hoDesty in acting was also thc provircr of choreographers
i(x h ns AgDes de Mitie {19O9 1993) and Antony Tudor (1908,/1909-1987),
Lr,rlLnn's contempora.ies, who tunctioD€d withnr hallct organizations su.h
,r\ lingland's Ballet Ramb€rt ed, late., American Ballet Theatre. They, too,
rv(r( lraders in defining dramatic dance for the 2oth ceDtury, .reating ball.ts
rr0l r.dically different from Graham's modern dmce inveDtions in that they
lonl(l to use sophisticated nonmimetic gestures in order to delve into a
rllrrct.r's irDcr life and psycholosy.
l,'ui! Horst (1884-1964) was a musiciaD aDd Martha Graham's lorgtim€
rxino. He saw that choreographe$, like .ompos€rs and visual artists, D€ed
(l,rbrttcr understanding oftheories about materials, forms and style. Based
, r his howledS. of compositior, th€ory and style in music and other arts,
 I
I. l)(nDr. lhc lilr(Dn'sl lropoDor o{ .rD orignrrt sydcnr li)r tcn.hiDg (hr((
(onrlx)silnD. t1trr\ bc.omin8.D nnportnul thcorist for tlo'r'(eDtury dnn((.
Itis inlcrcsl iI
Ihr firkl was li,s(..cd while h. was thc Dusi(.dir.(br for Do_
ishnwn. ll. later bccnnr th. daD(c (riln tur his own iourDnl, lhc Dan.c
Orrcr@ aDd tauSht huldrcds ofdan(c shrdeDls abour (onrpositiol
Another (ommon subject matt€r iD mod€rD dance was thc individual as
social (reature (ognizult oC rcspon$ibtr for and united with his or her
low humans, rcgardless of class, a notioD rhat evolved our of a ,orialist
Iosophy in Mara's colnmunist Manilesto t1i4s). Wtrereas a sNial hi
of dara.tcrs mnrks .omarti( and ctassicat balct, a mor,: e8alirarian soci
pervades abstract works in modcrn dame. ror dampic, thc ,,archit
daD.es or chor.ographers such as Mary M8maD, Hanya Horm anal
Humphrcy were .horeoSraphies of uniform groups of p€opl€, wiflr
of solos, duets, trios and largcr numbers conr.ibutinS ro a group cffect_
Thc more dramatic darr.s in both modcrr ba[cr and modcrn dance
ttndrd to p.rsonify (lass lcvcl5 bc(aus. rragcdy trad idraly deprnds on
(lrnracler's fnll from thc h.ight of power-for cxample, thc queen in
ham's NiShl Joxrnel (1947), Lnlcoh in Chartcs weidmaD,s.4 floxrc
{19a5) or Othello in Jos6 ljm6[.s me MMrj pavane l"tg4gj_
TECH NICAL CURRENTs
During thc pioncering days of modern dance, a dancer,s physi.at skj s
not likely to be as tully honcd as they are today_ rnstend, thc pioneos
s€sscd the courage, visior ud will to makc uniquc, meaDirgfut
about the humau ondition, somc[n.s for hostilc audiences and crilics
could rlot urdcrstand thc stage r.sults of thcir nobt€ causes. stil, rhcy
r€quird to orgarizc tb.ir vo(.abularics of Dovcmcnt and to .reatc
for th€ diss€miDatbn of those vocabutari€s. New bul fiDit. lrxirolls of
ment would comc to dcftre and sometnDcs confinc cach of thc modcrns,
much so that the dar.crs who foltowcd would oftel he criticized for
derivative if tlrry folk,wcd thcsc lencons.
Thc most widesprcad of tl)e dcfiDed mod.rr dan( trannng tc.hniques to
pnsscd down remain thosc of Martha craham, Jos( Lim6r, Doris
M.h. (i Nirgham aDd, finally, trster Horton.
1,,l,,,xl,( i,k trkks In1ls, sl,sp.Dsjrnrs. iuDllls, lit.lr .urt iU\r
1 .1.1')ll !r,tl(rrr(l r!rl,riA(.rinl \r'r,rll Arortx I'lrllx''rA,tr,'u\l\:lrrk
',,,,1,,,,,,
,Ir\ r!,rnrr\ nn' r',\rl',[t tnrl lu\i8l.rlg(slUr.(n ltr.tor\r,r!,r\ tlk,
r,rrln,n, a suddcn upward tilting of the pelvis with its immediatc and
nlvitablc icnsion-flexion of thc.ntirc torso. Tlis movement impulse was
,lrsigDd to support h€r &amatic daD(es. Each gestur.-wilh varying
of tensioD-.elcas., di!;taD(e and spced- lr€comcs a propulsivc (hrin
'l,'ar.es
,'l nDvcmeDt. The insistent tcnsidr-rcl.as€ sequeDcc (an bc an €motional,
n r\ual aDd cven scxual mcans for creating powerfully .ontrolled mov€-
nrr,ls su(h as falls to th€ fl(D, turns and total body scstures. 1h. t€(hDical
\lills thal craham's danccrs dcvebpd wer€ diffrrcnt from but no less rig-
'ri{r, lhd,r lh( slillr necdcd for cla!ri..'l ba d
lr,nis llrmphrry (1895-1958) devclopcd th€ coD.ept of "fau and rccovery,"
I'r\l (Dc of hcr m.rior bcquests to modern daDcc. Her fall is a "lcttins 80"
I',rn holding thc w.i8ht of th. st dirg posi
the arms, hcad, ribs or torso in
ll,nr. whilc allowing thc lorso or a body part to drop toward th. grouDd with
lh rl).rd aDd fbrce of gravity, thr l€ss folding at the samc ratc. -ds thc bot-
lont ol th. drop i5 rcached, lhc cnc.gy froD the trutomati( rcntraction ofth€
hrll! slrctched musclcs of thc lcgs or torso provides thc power fo. thc next
tr\lurr the.cbuud. The fall-re(ov€ry .ould bc usrd as a metaphor ofbib-
ll, l tr)portions, srrh as dcath and .ebi h, or as a ref$eD(e to somcthing
r\ irDlrc as the co sl rt pdl ofaDd struggl': against gravity oD all matte.
hltrI(rs the movemcnt sequcnces of romanti. and classi(al ballet s.cm to
dr1) suvily, Ilumphrey took advaDtaSe of wcight and pull to composc
lh,rtra nnd mov.ment patl€rns nno phrascs, se(tions and wholc danccs.
lrtr,'ll) la(ile with complcx, eveD coutrapuntal designs, sh€ was aD architcct
lrl Hr(trry movemcnts that involvcd these rcsular displaccm€nts of wcight
xl lllci. subs.quot rebouds.
rrl,lrrcy's I'asiacaalia and fuS e ir c Minot 17938), based on Johann
Rn(h's (168s-175o) orsaD work, demonstrat€s hcr vGabulary
'Nli.rn
I l,\ us. shapcs are fo.mcd using the height ard position of th. daDcers'
nrtr's, flcxioD of elbows and wrists, rotation of th. shoulde.s, lower
't(r
oi\ nrd thc hands. ,AtthouSh thr fall-.eboutrd is demanded throughout
rl ,'l lhis work, many movemcnts of eqoal importarce ar€ dird€d Ly
r! l\ hol.)ld nDpulscs in sp(ifi( partr of tl)c body.
"
r,, (l,,rr. wns (oDstru(tcd lo mal.h lhc Dumbcr of v.rialkms ni aDd t}e
hrFlr (nrll(r)k ol R.(h $ work. ll is pcrli,rmcd as i dan .lbr a group of
l,rrr r!,rnctt nrtd liv( trr(D; allhouSh oD. ot thc DDr rnd otrc ol lh(
,rrx',,!l .$ l.ndcrs, ils {livisnD ol l.!lxn'provid.s,'t)tuluDilics,if ll
Ilr'rl,Irl, rr ll,nh'\ rrr\n lltr ,l,Ix.,\',L\r'rrrllinr llrr \l,rI! llrr
and on a construction of simpl€ .dangdar blGks of varying sizr alow for , horcographeri su(h a\ Eri.k HiwkiDs .,, ,;-::T"
a pow€rful architectu.al impact on the audiencc- raI-reboud, shap€, lrvcl, ,,,".", *r,"rrv.,,rii"',i";;,;:';;:: ;l*H".:,*, j.[T1
gcstural d€vclopment, symmetry vcrsus asymmetry and closeness io, but
'),q[.s tllrwkir,s studr.d wiih both ceorsr
not slavish imitation of, the music are cvidcnt in this dancc and nr manv of
Humphrcy's dances. (;rdhnm anLt traincd ";;;;.,
11,1;i11."."'"1',".,*
,,r
.#;:,:,:;:lT,l;:::;::#::
i,r folt , i.rp dr,d tdltr@m
r,'r(l) rcferrcJ r.*,.,, ,** _"r".;,.i.
Doris Humphrey was also a grcat tcachrr of .oDrtDsition who arti(ulaled ro dramatrc siruahoDs.
cmottr tn€ vocaburarv orbar't or
h.r th.ories nr a book rcl.ased h r9s9, 1c Att oJ Making DanLes, w\ich ",,,
.t,n" ,or.,,," ,0,"-. ;;;;;,',"- "'
rrmahs a dclmnrg Icxt for .horeograph.rs th( world ov.r'lb hundrftls of lrx L InwtuDs tlg0o too4) was a lloer of mo
ir
budding (hdreoSraphers, nr(lkhrg h(r slu(hDt .rosi Linnnr, I .,, ,*.,r,,,,.i,",, i" ,"''ulion.Jeeprt.necdcdu.n,d by F.ist
t,i,ir,\opr,ies.
impartcd a strong scnsc of ar(hitcdurc and composition, which served n. ,u, *,-.,n,,p, ,"., to be whar ir
guidcposts for solving tlre uniquc problcms of drcosing sftject matter "o;;::;;"dl,I"'*n.c
u,,,, -u-"u, unr,,,,,",.,;;;;il;t,T rhe bcdur) or j,unrdn morn,n
r.mc frcrr'(e or d't dudieD(c
dry.hpnrg movcmutt for maknrS n dan(.. thlmphrey's and Horst's t r, ,,r, n,omcn, .".,;;;,.;;;;"';" Jho
would bc the 2orh century touchston.s lor du.. rcmposition. Thc zen c',(,cD,e
r'tr rx,,r' r,imserr rnd ," ;;;;:;'ili:,;:'an\e,renr'rr
or two or h,s mo\, ,.,mous
modcms and altrrDativc 8rnerations lo omc would bolh rrspecttully yr,,,, u,.n.na n.* unn;,;;; ,;;;;J:: Pt'r..s I ro.'o, ev,,r'c
disrcsprcttully violat. thosc th.orics. tt,,u ,,,,,,,,,"u, *,* ",f";;;';;::;'-'-.' "r""r
Jo5a Lim6n (1908-1972) nrtuscd his dan(s aDd tc(hniquc with tr" t {b tslgr is (imitartv Dhitov
'trrtrn,gham
imprtant elcmcnts, thr lcast bcing signature grstu-res. His contribution
tu makinS his dnn( rs s( th. slory and powc. of th. humm spirit hr
oD staSc s well as in the clssr@m. Ior him, 6 tor Humphrey, €vcry
,1,:].1.,,:,:;:1; t',;: ;,1,"J;.1,J:::illl":;:1;::"1.,:T::;:,"

lurc n.d.d to lEvr a clrar Drolivation, whcthrr draDrlti(, €motidral .,,'. r t'"r hy detib.rircty nxorpotut,rr.rr;;;.; ;;";;:::,;:
trbstract. ALstrrct" nr)venrcDts iD th( arl ol danc.-uDlikc, say,
rcrmcd morc recc,,,y rhroush
imag$ nr mathcmatics or music-ar., iD fa.t, coDcrelc physi(al :::l:-:l-..1,.lrr1::,,1'" 'a\ h,s,,sc of
ttuns of lhe intcllect, spirit nDd body. limdn's powcrfir, physnlue gav. a
weight and cnergy to his movcmcnts. lle t.rlked al,out thc human b(xly .r!'l , ,rt,{r renrinst} , *,rU
tangiblc instrumcnt at lcast as compl.r( as an orchestra. Hc felt ",,,,,r,"',,,.,,i. ", J;";,".ii]:li:i];
1*:..p,i.,,i4,,, pr,y,.. .n.,c.,r,hi,osnphnsd,ld
filll]lli :11,::j.. r,,,,,,i.,,,"
danccr nc.ds k) treal all parls of lh( bqly as individual hslrunrtnli
whcn "sound.d" individually or nr scqucncc, .ould "play" a sy lLi"., ",,,",, -"."'_"i,; ffi ;:Ii:'"":l,,ffi :l
1.,i ""::
Lnow!
ihdr Io mdler ho,v hi, d.r,r,\.,r,
Dov.DcDt lbr aD audicD(c's scnscs. LitrriD's dramatic talcnls as a ,.,,, l:,,*1""- x,c.rnh^rrn
tr r,ur,,,.,r.J,
rap}ernnd lcad daDcer nr his oMr works, such as tlt Darrative dnD(c ,r llr't ,rr
L,,;,,;.;,;;;;:;;:i::.::,]li
r,,\lr,(rr.r,r\ s,r\ ljr \ (hL,^r
l)r Jon6 (1956) rd al)strfft pie.cs like :rhde Ir a 'Ilmc (1954), flrr
huDaDity n,rd the gift of mov(ment. With no othcr artisl of thc
hor lt.rwkrns and CunniDgtram
w€re ctoscty alied to murician
did thcre secm to be su.h a selflcss mission to dignify thr ficld of
3l':.1
rn,i,r,rlr
::,,, r.nr ll""
(,rgr :,:l:.z€wski
L],
(I9
{1i3r,2ooo) aDd crDninsh.rn,
r",r,,r" r;;;';;,;:.;,::.l*
rl,"',,llr'\trtr.r(.litc ".r.r,,
lr, rh(ir((rhbornlors, unqucphitosoptrics.
I{E l) rl'r N r N(i CrtRRr,N rs
n,,,lrnrllrl(rl rl.urer: r,.]ut lir)t(n_tb.
,,,,,r,,,,,,,,,r,.,,,,.,,,_ ;;,1 :::,,,r:l t9](l
l'nrt (,1 llt'nrxl(1r (ln,r.l(riln,t(..,,r1 l.,lo L,,t,l,r,(,1 l') !'rrr ;;::1,;ll':lii;i,lll:
,,,r(,,,,f.,r,.,,,,,",,,",,i.,,,,.:;,;;;,,,;,',,::;:,;.
,rrr\l\. rrlLrl,(l ,r rI\\rfr l,) r.(l,lIr rIIr, ,r\,r'r rl l('rrr ,1,,.,...,,,.,
, ,i,, , ,r r , rL ,|
| \| | ,r I I L,'(,,,,i ,r.,,,,,.\
r,r'rr,(l 1,,,r, rr,,lliirl rji,rrlnrr t'l lli rr,rltrr,1,'rr, $,,rl,l _ : l"
, ,
,.r , I I . L I I I \
n, '' '
'|,'r,'Ir llri,l(. t,st,[], \,Il {l!rrr! rt.Ir Ir rrn,rt \rl(,rrr, r!r r
 \.r\ ltlllr rr\rrr!.Il (! r\rllr,rltrIrrl,IrtlIr)t!'lltrt,ljr,InII(IiI\,\IIILr\
lh. qun ky 1rrr.. ,r,il,rr,rrr ( lt)5(,). Lr hi\ l.rt.r wr{.t \, lx)w.v(r L. (\tIl,tist
his owD tr. ilnnN. l,r8c nuDn,.r ol his dnn.r5 ifc nNsnnlv s,r,rilivr
ntl .ln, y(t also quitr lyri(..!|, wilh trrLrsi(.trn)gil!.t tionr trnDd.Io u((
to the AndrMs Sist€rs. wr can €asily sec the bouncy aDd grac€tuI
ty in many ofNs signalur€ works, such as /xr@I. i962L r:planadr ttg
Ar.len court 17981) an l Rosss (198s). tlis wry sens€ of humor md ability
symboliz. the troublrd foiblcs of ot r sodety are ryident in workj su.h as
Bartha l197ot anl Company B (1991), and th€y havc madc him the
old guard repr.s€ntative of modern daD(c toddy.
Audiences often co.tuse th. morc groundrd lyridsm of chormgmph€E
as Taylor md Lar Lubovid tb. 1943) with thc m€llifluousncss of the
tic ballet. rhey arr similar in t()llc !t timcs, and somc of th€ world,s I
in8 ballet companics p.rfbrm mnny nxdcrn choreograph.rs, works, but
doesD't matter uyDorc if mod.rD daD(c kDks tike ballet. what mattos
that thc compaly pedornrtuS thc work .apturcs th. work,s
stylc. Audi.D.€s today sce th. stylcs of iDdividuat choreograptlcrs who
have th€ capadty to be lyri(al, bul who also have cnouSh abandon not to
what geffes they r€scmble. Modcrn chorcographers a.e nor afraid to
movem.nts that carry lab€15, and thcy cmptoy the righr techniqu€ for
bcst perfom ce- simila.ly, b€hrg a ballct (horsaraphcr today arso
.mbra.ing thc vd'abulary alproprint( for thc style ofany particutar picc.
It follows that danc€ works brandcd as .Dvctopins ajazz styte cm atso
.xpr.ssion h both ballct an.l mdcrn dnD(. lh€ danfts of
,}|lvin Ailey (193r-19a9) rcmbnrc clcments of modem, jazz and
dance with Ailey's own flanrlnyaDl aDd n(cessibtc aesthetic. well-
through thebroad, physically powcrful t({hnique of Califo.nian Lester
toD (1906-1953) aDd through stiuts on B.oadway d wfth
Humphrey, Holm and otlers, Ailcy cstablishd a New yo.k based
iD 1958 and brought thc electricity ol Broadway daD.e ro rhe conc€.t
,.'lthough his wo.kr rcmanr part of thc scrious modern danc€
well-trained Afri.an Amcrican aDd A'iaD danftrs prwide the
.oDrm.rcial attack. Ail.y aDd his su((.ssors havc brouglt popular
lion to a company that continucs to bc iD Brrat demand worldwid€.
Ailcy's most fmos work, pcrhaps thc most cclcbrat.d dd infe.lious of
thc works of mode.n danc., is Ra.?,la.ionj (1960), a la.ge, many
Broup trstimony to Negro spirituals, as frcsh roday as it was in 1960.
lrrght us that theatrical excit€mcnt can be gmerated in serioB dance
lh,'l ni (irtl lv, d('nurrl
llrc hi8ltrsl lrv(.l ol l(.hDi(tur liun DrxlcrD dancr
ir lrtrn hdllcl or llrondt{ly. Al lhc Alvh Ailcy Dancr Ccntcr, studcDts p.r
Irlihl( lhis vilal (horcogrnt,her's visnD through tllc sludy of Horton's aDd
lr,rlrrtrr's Dx rrD tr.hniques, ballct a ,azz.
l'rrx.' llr( tr('5t (clcbrated moderD dan.crs and choreosraphcrFsuch as
lu,riltrr (;hhnm, Jos€ Lim6n, clrles wtidman, Agncs dc Millt, Huya
ll,n'n, Mary wi8man a.d eveD Ruth St. Dcnis and T{d shawn wtr.stil]
ill!( lo s(L Ailcy ptrform. ln 1960, the.e was an attcmpt to institutionalize
lln |.riln8. of th€ mmy modern dance pioDeers. Clas$i(ally trained mod€rn
rlnri ( lrrilblazer uclen Tamiris (r905-1966), onc of thc fcw who came from
hrl llr.n r.Dou.ed th. conservative ballet nrtitutions, called for such a
|''Irt,nry to presery€ th€ divcrsc dances of tlre Prcvious thirty-five years.
t lr l, n I r r nnl ely, the id€a of a repertory modcm dan.c (ompany at Ncw York's
llrxolr Culler for the PerformhrS Arts qui.kly dicd ns irdividualism took
rv.r l'.rhaps the highly personatized mturc of Drodcrr danc€ makrs such
Ir\lilrtnrhfi zation impossible.
-Dlyla Tha.p
tlx, (n lh. most ecceDt.ic individualists of modem dan(c, {b.
lo.ll) Itn$ a mo.e eclecti. back8round than hcr ontcmporarics, having
rlrxft(d liano, violin, viola, acrobatics, ballrt, lap, modern, jazz, drums,
I.il,trr twirling and even gypsy dan.ing nr h.r Srowth ns n dancer and cho-
t(''Fnlpher Her work has .mb.a.ed a widc rangc of experimcntal
it,ttr(tr!(h€s, in ludinS dances performed in silcncc, dan.rs hrard but rct
trflr r daDcrs doDe tojazz, rock'n'roll, Popular songs, classical music
irrl rnir)imalist sco.€s. One ofher most cclcbrated dan.cs, origimlly made
lor llrr .,offrey Ballet, is Deuce coupe (7973), a qu'irky pidurc set to a suit.
nl llcnch Roys tunes. May of her works arc in thc repertoircs of both
lurtrL m and ballet companies.
'llx\r slill-working thnd- and fou$h-generatioD modern daDc€rs and che
tn,Brrphers have mixed md matchcd the traditions ofboth ballct and mod
fl r (lnD(c to crcate very intriguinS pieccs, oftcD with potent box officc stay-
lrH I'owcr. Cusp chorograph€.s su.h as Bill T. Jones lb. 1952), Ralph t-cmon
l[ lt)5]), Mark Monis, Maguy Marin (b. r9sr ), susar Marshall (b. 1958),
lllrl.r I harp, Merce Curmingham erd a host of other i epeDd€nt modern
,'rr. dcre ents aft in regula. d great dcmand by thc wry balt€t com-
lrnk r their modcrn eld€rs' previously bypassrd. until comparably talented,
tr\l 8.n€ration ballet choreographers bu.st forth from within th€ ranks of
I hh Aroup, benefits will continue to acffuc for both sidcs of daDce: the mod
fl r. postmodern and av t gdd€ (rcators will at times exploit th€ technical
 ( r ,, .l(r \\,ll Cr\L!N\ l)\\L
',,
\l,rl\,n tlx.r,,rIrl ,(trll,, rn\. ,Ixl Ir. t,.rlnl
r,rnt,,!L\ r!r r^. r!.r ,r. lrhhlilhl.ll st)nli.rl d(si8trs itr lh.ir dDces, mnny dramatic ballct aDd
',,'t,.(llt.rl'l.rllr\r,Ar,rt,trna ln ltr.I rt.rtn . nrrh'rn {htr.. worki also cvok. ima8.s through thc desigD ofmovemcnt,
n1t. . (trlutrrcs.Dd lights.
DEstcN CuRRENt.s
f)F.FrNrNc CTTRRF.NTs
whereas som€ modern chorcog.dphers
tean roward athtetic movrm
ly.ical piecs, dramatic thcmes or even
dan(r as pure cxpericnce, od lll. ll,c k, tlre ballct lradittunalisls, we might (onsidcl postmod-
have tended to use the dancc lo c.catc 'lxxltrnists
fbrms fl ,hrr. as another €ra of nrnovativc e'xp.rnnerrlatiotl in reaction to ils
m€tri( slssrstioft or rh" ;;.;:;;;;;H::'::.",H::':::1] xxrl(!r nntc(cdcnts. A new gcneration of rcvolutionarics-b.Sinnnrg with
visual effccr$ of Itanya Hotm,s ana
O.ri, a.mph."y," works embod ll! l,unous, frc ot-char8€ Judsort Church prrform ice tu Ncw York City's
quaity, nnd much of Merce cunningruml
:::;.:i_,,1" ll*".,*pe
works can b( view.d similarly. pitobolus, a (o,cc,,r:;;;r;;;;:;
l'lfilrwn'h Villagc oD July 6, 1962<xpaDd€d our cotasciousncss about thc
and gymnasts rhat start.d out in tfl \ trr..trira of dan(. Audiorfts had to I'Dd th.ir owD ways h) undcrstand
1971, aDd jts offsp.inE MOMIX a.d
xl rtrrl)ra.. thcsc Dew aDd challengnrg pcrtbrmnn.es. Most of thcs.
*0., 7 respc, r ivcry, onr rnue to cr f dre comprcx
1",,:,1":-l:
ally :"*, dDd :8
(ompclliDE fiumorous
W,nL\ -sr'(h as YvoDDe RaiRr's wholly ped.strinn riio /r (1966), Stcvc Pax-
mobile_lil
lrrl\
s.ulptur€s
;;,",;';: ;ffi;[: fi:H:;.,jTl:
;""",..:
::::::,.: and offbear crcations sricl
,r.x*,vnaer, 'lwosome 17977), whi(h incorporated the now ofteD-usrd
n,rri'H..phic tool called.ontad improvisatioD, arrd Michacl Clark's anar-
anl MoMtx in oiit (2002), perfo.med
as o;ettus l g7z), Unti ed t1g rli M, Ii," Es.ape in Hdl (1986), among hundrcds of others--dcliberatcly
with and without props and cte (llcir audiencc's comprchcnsion and acccptance. Defyn4 .ategoriza-
(oshrmin8, conrnru€ to surprise
au.licDccs nronnd rh€ wortd. r. lhr postDoderD daDccs wcr€ pcrfonmd at thc nrost uriquc of times
company, thc swis$-l,as.d Mummcns.hanz
{mask thcate.), fouDded rriltlrt, early morDinS, rDcxpectedly), plac€s ((ity squarrs, subway plat
1972, ako embodiej this acsthctic,
along with th. futuristi. EIue M rtr ltrrildnrg k,ps, lofts) aDd thcat.rs, with daDccrs somctnncs lc.lnrical
(;r(,[1,. Iorrn(t((t iI 1987
t,r,'tnictrt nnd at other timcs deliberately uDtrahed.
Fjlrrrtl modern ddn(e .horeuSr,lpher
.through Marl Wigman to H rvA,.i Ihc idca that thcre might enst a pdrtiGlar postmodcrn daftc tc(h-
roh, rhe Rauhrrl\
idei\ Jtso influcrrcd rt," ro,u..nr,rf*,,r""
drsign Alwin Nikolais 0910_1993). or ( l(\(cpt for th. icondlastic CrD D8ham system) count.rs somc posl
Nikolais transformcd the rl( rtr'li.qumt questirDnrg of the us. of "lradilioDal" dnncc t.chdquc.ln
shapcs of hk dancc.s into depcrsonatized,
intrrgalacth figures and l. postN)dern art (iD(ludnrg daDc()-h an.ffort to aok.lhc human
a wholly ncw d.rn(e thcdter acstheti(
rrou8h h,s usc ot f.,br!. d,rd lrrth lying dormaDt bencath tlt': complcxiticFis more forused oD
drenlr'ns. whx h he tit .olurfu and drdmrtica
) y. He atso ( rerlcd his ln,|,!rls k) dr.oDstrld, uD(lcrstirDd aDd arti(ulatr lhc dcp(rsonnlznrg
rle.tronic audiotapcs coDrainin8 musiGl
sourd eff€cts that accenred lrlr ol loday's society through €xperimental appli(ations of cistcntial-
strang€ fiEures,mov€meDts, which
seemed to gambot abour anthron.
phicauy atl over thc stase. ms tr'l.ll.(tualisn and commc.cialism.
more memorable c.".,;,;;;;;;;
scope 11953), of the Etements (.t96s), .rryad and r lrtr'(ography (an bc(reatcd through group.fforts, Dot p.ioritizhgjust
Styx (1976)
tad.o canas ,uauteriUe
tcttorco}raphed for thc 19s4 olympic tx r'sou's rolc or one technique, form, performance spacc, aesth€tic, tra-
cames).
Nikolais's world rescmbles our own ir. (ullure, style or boundary. what secms contemporary might sud-
often_d€personatized age of n bnroque motif; what looks sct in fin d( sia.l. Paris might
vinlar.expoieDce i5 mad. mor. ia(ire 'l\',xorlx)rnlc
::l::n:j:."" throush l,rl..]Orr'(eDlury pop or rock nrusi( (ns in Raz Luhrmrlul's 2OOl Iilm
l:*l:.:::,:,:-:*:
,:aeo imaga and nfw
dcsigns in an instant. His Donlit..al
,*.,.;,;;;;" trrlnr l(nrs.!"); nnd what scc'rs cxprrimrntal might bc n |troadwny (om-
dan(es are Dot to be exptain€d, lll\ nr(rnt lo carD nnD.y (su(h as llayln -l ltn rp's :]002 show .4.lovir' Orl,
snnply war(hed Atrhou8h some
moderD daD(e chorographers r,, llrlly.,i).1's pop yrrBs)

Lr,)
 ( ta ,.1 r

Ry thc 1960s, chor€ograph.rs such as Stevc Paxton (b. 1939), David rii Nn, unfashionable body typcs nnd oth€. diffi.urr topics. sritfr.,rc
0 994)
(b. 1936) and Lucinda Clrilds (b. 1940) lcd thc postmodcrn revolution. r(, n('d a heat.d debate in thcdnD.e wo.rd,, rhrouSh fts in deprh, nr_yollr_
nihilisli( dnD.c .vcnts ofteD callcd "happrnnrgs," thcy courter€d (hr l,xr irvrstieation of,,peotrr dcatiDg with tqDinal i ness.,,! No,rdaD.crs ,bf
fyn)g modcrn danc philosophies aDd tlr nxrcasing theatricat capacities nll ,rA.s, (lasses, races, sexuat preftreDccs, alld srates of
h€alth,,,shared rcir
thc DrdoD d.n.crs of th€ 1950s. lh.y dru(lu.cd thes. proSrams 50 I'rt ,cnl and strugShrg livcs through cx.erpted tar8. s.rrccD_projcdn
)
.ru.l r(pdili(,r w.rs uDlik.ly and olto, nrludcd rurtranrcd dan(ers, vhl,1' laotaac in direct{o-audicn(r narrativcs, Dix.d with
tc.hnn.alh,
aD DDvcnrmls and improvisatioD in taDdcN wilh visual and musical arti orotagc daD([,A .rnd qcslur( How doe, otre tah(t su(h i
'r',.trxhrq wor;
of thc samc pffsuasion. The$ dperiments h,crc nrtclc.tually ,ur\'\ n)ter€sts ccrrainly lic somcwh.rc within ure posrmod.rn rcatms of
and exciting bccausc they thr€w away thc rcccnt past of mod€m dmce l,,n'tation, exp.rimcntalism and intel€.tualism, bur rhey atso draw
on
r.taining its fcrvor llin)al mod€rn .tanG and mode.n ball€t conventioDs, such as (onccrt
\. slroDg technique this (torcoSraphy is nr rhe repe(ory of somc ballct
Fu.thcrmorc, th.s. experim.ntalists havr ri8htly been re.ogniz.d for t
lLrrries) aDd a sophisticatrd nrusi(al sensibit v
important, (ontinuing contributiors; thc tcrm porlmodern danre
affxcd to their artisti. endeavors. By thcn, lhc tcrm nodern had n,rr dan.er-choreographcr piDa Bausch (b. te4o), flrrough
her Wup_
beconr t@ (losely id€ntified wilh thc carlirr modern dan.e pioneers l,rl li rztheater, .emains onc ,bf the most irflucntiat avaDt_8ardc
artists
with lhcir tblbwe.s, so its use h.eftrcD(c to lhcse expoimeDtalists lln ri,ropean dmcc s.enc.,,4 StudyiDg wiflr flrr socialy conscjous
Xurt
only be morc corfusilg. Thc tcrm posrrodc.n dan.c, theD, although t\ .'nd the psycholosica y (omptex baletic dramarist AItoDy .l.trdor,
Dftlcd phihsophn?Iy to concurr.Dt acsthctic forms amoDg the other
was intcDdcd orisinaIy ad simply to mcan chor€oSraphy donr
ically a/ter modern dance- critics could not havc anticipatcd the
t trhtl
heir to thc cetman .rpr.ssionist danc. tadition catl?
.amificalions of thdr n.wly coiDd tc.m.
tlll\h1tkstarutt lol,otuctiot,str6s ]ldeas $uallyfeelitgs of alienati@,
t llish, lrust.ation, and cructty_tathet than the elabotation ol pun
Just as cvcry part of the t)rocess ofcrcatnrg a dnD.c could now be.alled ttt\ol.ni. As Bauseh h.rceu fias snni, sfis is "not in!e6 ted in hotr pcopte
qucstion, the very act of presenting a dancc cor d also creat€ a sym nn\\', but in what mows thcm ,, Hcr productions usuallr avoid a linc.t
t.ar.
.xpcri(D(, whcrr Doth audieDces nDd perli)rmcrs could srlfl t\ttr1 hgic) spdch, prcps, antl costum?s ptay a larga mle. nry arc tr,ar-
dcconstru.t and analyze their own (xistcn(r. SnDihr to how w€ watch n'tl\t\ts ttthaatrtal invention ln l'Jlf|D!19791she covewt tht sta+cwith
listcn to whatcver is going on iD aDy cvent in our lives, postmodern I r,.1 ; nr Viktor I1 986./ rha plaedt thc action ireide a h.f!e eanhwo* gravti
formcrs passively stald on sta8. rescmbhrS pcdcstrians watching . s lI N.lkcn II982t s,r. ..oye,r l rh. staBc witti thousands of camations . . .
by, minric thc distraded attcntions we often embody when choosing l.,ttl d ho lan.lma* staging o/Srrav,ns& s tut. of spn Dg fis|st, shc
checkout line to staDd in at a superma.kct o. refl€.t oD th.i. faces ttttlntl thr staqe with wet carth.s
frozcr, incrcdulous fGr as we watch skyscrapers implodc into rubblc.
h \ r!,nk, Iikc that of so many tatc 2oth and early 2rsi (cDtury (hor._
The relatcd Japanese dance theater known as Butoh ad&esses
h proof that thc rclarivrty simplc a.ross{he arts cxperimcnts
respoDsrs to dcvastahng trag€dy. The postmqlenrs may be giveD ' '!. of
crentnrs dflnccs aDd eveDts that make us thn* dceply about our I'rrlrrtrl(r h nr)vemcnt nr thc.a.ty l96os have ryolved far bryond Lvrrl
(oD(lilnrr rrxl wh.re w. {it ir that so(irly. As wnll klly s ( I 9 l:l I 97.1) .rl"r1 ,vrl.t,\t .,rrli(r itrr,rrIrinAs. Mr( tr ,,t lodd) ., snthi.l,c.rtt..t, nllrjti_
slrip .h rn.tcr IoSo uscd to say, "Wc hnvr Drrl thr $cmy, and h( is llsl' '.ri "rirIt\ Ir.r\ h {tr,rlt.nAr\ lo,Irin!xc crp(tati()Is drrt irll.It!nrs
l,'rl,,Ir! r't lltilgs I(' r(nI.
ll,rnr'\ (h l()5-l), n (oDtcDIn,rn) dnr!rr' (lx,.oArrpber lrnirrll iri
(l n(e, Al(, (nril,b( D nnd (onlr(l itrrt)rovisalnnr, nrorBr-alrs Drul ,'r ll,, !. r\JrriD!.nt\ .rr. rr!.
tr!n,I s l)oisrrr tnrr,nxntrr..r r,ht)
dtr,l st!,t.tr i(\l ntlo hi1 Arr(diil\, nlltldn. (trrnn rlly t,tr,vo(rliv(. .,,,r tnlt,l( t,nIrt r,[[.r l)r.,Ur'\ tt, torir L,!rtv rvlLli[A rt|r!r\lr
llr\,!,{lIl(irl r!rlll,lrrll(iunu r\\rkr \,r ll ,!\ llrrr\(\itrrIl!. f.!rl,r ,rn lr,r\ lrtrrrx
A t l,)7,),Itr1.\r,+, r)7r,), \rt t r. tr\ llxnr rt,r{r

rrrArn5l,rrll(nlr\(1, l(,rr,t ,Ir,rl\l \.l rl\ r!ILIII I,InIIrIIIII|,IIrI
tt({rr"rlri,, .rxll(s\l\ r.tn.lrliv( (l(.si{I\, 0llr.r\ ,rI t'trfsr,rtlr r Nlo(ll
Monk (b 1942), '1norc irrt.rcslcd nr.hrreosulrri,rB rilr( tllnn nr rtNi
srcps tar daD(rrs,"6 is likrwjs( aD.crluircd rrsr.. tttr latuntiot ol th! ti
.rrilrl ( 1971) nrludrd a daD.. solo fbr th. clor.ographcr hcrsctf: ,,sh! t,cg
srated oD a dais draped in white, an ami.Dt sibyt impartnrg dccp know
iD a foreiSn tongu€. craduauy, as she moves doM fiom hcr perch to
a winding white fabric path, sh€ dispos€s of her gray wig and slass$
trips ba.k through time to childhood aDd a state of nrnoceD.e. Her
raph, with its little steps, hops and sptus, has the inteDtio.al naivety of
dance."7 .{though mmy audieme membe$ are rntranced by Monk,
staged embodimeDt of th€ phrase ,,and€nt sybil impatnrg .tecp
ir a for€ign tongue" could be gibberish for som€ people, nnd her ,,
back throuah time to childhood . . . with ltrle steps, hops, and spiDs-
hav. f€lt pointless aDd absurd, signifyirg Dothing beyotrd juvenite
of facile mov€ment. Yet the postmod.rn movement aDd fts avdnt
Sarde
tilioD€rs €mbrace this wide vari.ty of interpretation: if aDyrhins goes
stage, the same is true for aD audicme,s reactions.
P.ople still walk out or M€rce Cunnnrgham,s daDces (a back handed
ute to his lasting power), iD particular first timcrs, who often ar€
trated in the attempt to identify a.c€ssibte potuts aDd landDrarks on
stage. Cunningham keeps his dancers partialty hidd€n, tucked
corDers, flittnrg here aDd therc oDstage and offsrage unexpect€dty. To
l€nse his audi.nce (and daDcers) further. he almost alwavs
composers to create an accompanim€Dt-which iDctudes (itv street
aDd tree braD.h rustlinSs more ofteD than th. .orventioral s
musi( nrdepend.ntly from th. choreography, bringing the score aDd
commissioned sets togcther as late as opening night. Dancers, audi
chorrcgrapher, composer and visual artish exp.rien.e the piece toa
for the first time, pristine in its inno.€me, the ,bDly commoDatity
them is that thcy happen at the same time.,,8
CU R RUN'l LY
'lixlay, oDe can se€ daDce on stage, on film, on video aDd on the
s(r.en, synchronously aDd as)nchrcDousty, alt arouDd the wortd. rhe
nrcnt of possibility and upredictability, limfted oDly by th. imasi
r.D)ai,D always attractive and saleable. Th€ r€sutrs, howryer, are not
I .lt) \ _ll ( ir D\r!
lrl, r.rlrr| .rx'IAh l,) hiI rrttrirl[!8 Nrw nrl i\ rlwr"-s IiLc tLnt R(Er(ilrss
,lllr l,,rrrl rl rsl,rrhll.! l(, lhv. b..D nn)ved, ns llru{l) sdvs, by lhat
' 1 p.,ll,.rl,!c d.srrc ol daD(crs lo "spcak" with thcir nrovchenls,
r \,
, , . , 1 l t 1 , , ,
'
rll,,, l,i l!. \1,,r,,c(l rto nxurprchcDsnD. TurDiDg perforhcrs' skills nrlo
!,,,,,,,,,,,i(,rlivc (lrvn.s that touch our own oftcn irrarln uhlr h.a s. mnxls
'
riil .t'r ils rcD|iDs th. goal of thc majority of lhr workl's ,vorkiDg artists.
lr li r '{,, ks thal rtfl(t
the .urrency of a ..rtaiD p€riod are evocative not
l" r , n n
lhcir si /1. du Dlode but because of their impressive ki.ctic and vis-
, (
'
rr,rl rnrnSrry. the immortal Russian AIna Pavlova (1881-1931), who
h,,,,,r'kDowD to Am.ricaDs through a host of coDcert dates and vaudcvillr
ll,rr1 ltr lw.cD 1912 and 192s, l€ft us an exquisite mcmory of the roDantic
lr,r llr,rl r.maincd embedded in the ballet psychr of (omDer.ial th.at€r for
l,,rr'. l,' (ome. Th€ Dt:ing swan (1907) was a solo (ho.eoSraphed for h€r by
ill,ll,nl li)kine, set to music by Camill. Sl. Saos. For that tim., complete
,l'tr r,,,phnsizing one vibrart imag€ wcr€ truly moderD and revolutionary.
lrlr yrar(
oD, popular modern dance choreographer David ParsoDs (b.
lor,r,) r.at.d ar equally powertul image that stands apart from ary label.
(
I
(1987), a solo iD the dark with flashes of light, hi8hlights one
!d who repeatcdly jumps and leaps about th. staSe nr a€rial pos€s,
r"lrly (ontrolling a strobe iiaht that illumiDates the pi.ture at the pin-
1, ,,1 (nch bound. Blinded by the darkness b€tween jumps, the eye is
,l(l inlo .reating thc illusioD of sustained hunan flight. Caxgrir takes
,r rl I lr r same lenSth of time to elicit gasps of suspend€d belief from thc
lllrx r as the swan does to rea.h her Iast fluttcr. From Pavlova to Par-
rr, D(dern ballet to current modem dance, breathtaking imagery
,(ll.ss of category is onc of the most appealing and coveted aspects of
Il,nrlrn al dance performances.
rl( rrporary .xplorations r€quire dan €rs to improve not only their tech-
lrirluositybutalso their skils nracting, music and all dancestyles, thns
lrrA thc demarcations between the (apacities of modern and bail€t
ifls Irt general, aU dan.ers bday jrhp hi8h.a turn morc, havc mo.€
$rir and are stronger, faster and more flexible than their forebea$
,Irn ,,l their incrmsed knowledgc and application of b.tter diets, dietary
rt'l.,,xIls, injury prrymtion aDd therapies and b€cause of mor€ scientific
lrnr( ,nethods for both athletes and dan.€rs.
r nri.(y also has beeD overcome with the philosophy that a somrhow
l, , I I .( hni(al crcation,
humar or otherwise, caD be achieved. Many ftel
Ih ov$whelming necd for tcchnical achicvem.nt iD a highly coDp€ti
 CURRLNTs or 2O ,1ND 2i,i CLNruRy D^rr r
tive market ha5 usurp€d daD.ers' passioD for danc€ as an art form.
audi('l1cememb.r can (and p€rhaps should) dcmard both ENDNOTES
iDvolveDr.Dt an.i exquisite techniqut from all dan e perform€rs. The I Wrlter Tery, 'rid
Shan : Farht oJAnqnan dane (NN york: Dial, I976), p.
96
larity developirg among so many of today's styles of professional ' l).lra Crainc ed M{krlt, cds., Inc Oa,ionl di.rionarl o/dane (Oxfod:
Ju.lith
tranrinS has created a technical homo8eDcity that, dght or wrong, Oxaord Llniv sity psss, 2OOO), p. 262.
s€res scores of choreographcrs of various id€ologies and styles.
I
I ll I 'or(J Mth p.egv c hspie. L?\t n€tl on.d,rrr rNrw yurL: pantheun,
I r,rt p. 25.:.
Thr work of curreDt postmod€rn, avant-gard. and exp€rimeDtal I ( rnjD. and
Mackdr, of,rd dbtionary oJ danu, p. s).
ph€rs seems to be about process rather than performance. If tru€, it
hav€ diffi.ulty flou.ishnE because it all too ofteD deliberately avoidj i Allu) Robertq and Donsld
lrDttu, me dance hantlboo* tBostonr G. K EaI,
bl. traditiotr with which to hook audien.rs.
/ thnt
Thc hodern, postmod.rD md alterDative art forhs sharc a | ( r,,i,rc and Mackjerr,
singularity: the Dotion that aD individual has thc riSht to create
orri.t ditihary ol dafte, p. 121
,:1..1t,...-.:l:,, ft" dlnr saq sta|.dmt! ot rplr4
she or he wish€s. ID 1966, daDcc historiaD Srlma JeaD Cohen reftrred k) rL,wn Lom..w.stcvtu 14frn
udverrty pr.ss. t066,
I .o. r^4ddre
field of modern daD.€ as an a of iconoctasts.'r It still is.

LikMise, contemporary ball€t's association with traditional

continues to (har8e, Daknrg it ever more diffirult for n.w audi€nce
btrs to decnk if the.ompany is ballet, modrrn, postmod.rD,
alt.rDativc, avaDt garde, .xperihcntal, in vogu. or somdhing else. lf
audiences can initially inhibit their ned to lab€l a.ompaDy s repertory,
should be.abl€ to better appreciate aD assimilatioD of th€ broad
ideas often being prcsent€d bdore them.

The artistic orreDts flownrg since the timr of Isadora DuDcan

t{hatryer style is appropriate for thr .horeoSraph€r's €xpression.
the past liv€ oD, as ballet (ompaDies .ontnlually remount tr
.veDiDg length rohanti( a,rd classi.al hdrlooDs, along with
th€ one act traditions begun in the 1910s that Dight still be called
bauet. The Alonso KinS Lin€s Ballet, Australian Dance Theatr., Lcs
Africains and mary oth€r compaDies around the globe (ortinue to
ballet works in unnamabl€ styles, using ever),thing from classi(nl
hip-hop, mod€rD dmc. d yoga.

Pion€ering chor(oaraph.rs coDtinu€ to iDvestigate and exp. nrcnl

many differtnt stylcs, so to label their works as bcldrgnrS k) any o (
do.s thcir nrlislic visions a tru. disscNi... lbdi!'s (iJxc wn1,l is
cDorm(tr,5 (ompl(xity aDd (onhndidn , tirll ol ((,))p(liD8 t,hih,sol
d.ily lcsl lhc polrDtirlly .oh.n)ilrlr( w.le.s ol DCw ( rur'.Ils (n .\l