1. MODERN
DANCE
Kathy Chen
Ashley Wilkins
―There are no general rules. Each work of art creates its own code.‖
–Helen Tamiris
2. BEGINNINGS OF MODERN
DANCE
-1910s
-rebelled from traditional ballet
-Germany and America
-Independence for women
3. PHASES (GENERATIONS)
1) Early dancers 1910s-1930s
-Isabella Duncan, Ruth St. Denis
-Denishawn
2) Modern dancers 1930s-1950s
-Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey
3) Later dancers 1950s-1960s
-Merce Cunningham, Alvin Ailey
4. CHARACTERISTICS
Ballet Moder n
- strive for lightness, technical skill, - strong, sturdy, stable
correctness - The individual, less technical
- 5 main positions - Unlimited number of
- European fairy tales, folk stories movements/ positions
- Indian, middle eastern, American
stories; life in general
- -the inner or outer reality
6. RUTH ST.DENIS
•Influence to Martha Graham
•Considered to be at the front of the ―modern dance revolution‖
•Studied many things to establish her technique
• Delsarte: ―Every little movement has a meaning all its own. Every thought and feeling by some posture
may be shown.‖
•Used veils and scarves
•Liked the approval of the public
•Oriental
•With husband Ted Shawn, started Denishawn Dance Company
7. DENISHAWN
•Curriculum was varied:
•oriental dance
•Spanish dance
•American Indian dance
•Basic ballet
•Other essentials
•Tours very eclectic and held something for just about everyone
•Martha Graham, Doris Humphreys, and Charles Weidman
•Successful until 1931, when Denis and Shawn separated
10. MARTHA GRAHAM
- Mother of modern dance
-Technique: contraction and release
hard angles
-Inner meaning and emotion
-Evolving style
-Evolving themes
-Collaborations
13. REACTION
•Shocking, not beautiful
•a bit confused, but interested and enthusiastic
•allowed movement to flourish and expand
•Somewhat scandalous
14. CONTEMPORARY DANCE
Combination of Modern and Classical:
-Emotion, telling a story
-technique, gracefulness
-Natural movement, improvisation
-Also uses contraction and
release, breathing techniques
-Interaction between dancers
-Telling a story
Turn to Stone
•http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qobw4
zVtj9Y
15. TAP
•shoes with metal plates
•Percussive rhythms
•Varieties:
•Classical—move upper arms/body
•Hoofers—still body
•Improvisation
Sir Duke
•http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guBMrhG45Es
16. JAZZ
•Fast-paced, upbeat, aerobic, high energy
•Somewhat suggestive
•Flashy, lots of tricks
•Musical theater, old jazz
•Bright costumes
•Improvisation
•River Deep
•http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P59O4LN
FEv8
17. HIP HOP
•Low, down in the ground
•Loose movements yet sharp accents
•Stalls
•High energy
•Breaking, locking and popping varieties
•Emerged in the 1970s
•Hip hop music
My Chick Bad
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9lGGp5eq4
w
18. MODERN DANCE TODAY
•Still very angular
•Much of the same characteristics
•Slight ballet integration
•Modern and ballet influence on each other
Eyes Open
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1Q71MvaupY
Hinweis der Redaktion
-no huge ballet companies in America—major American movement -Germany too, but Nazi’s and WW2 -majority of modern dancers women; not necessarily good, male potential-opportunity for women to be independent
-Early dancers (no official name) 1910s to 1930s, approximate date—pretty much is the generations *ashleydenishawn*-Martha graham, dorishumphrey—denishawn too commericial. Shock audiences with different, earthy, not graceful dance.-est. rules once again broken—away with the contraction/release theory of Graham or the rise/fall of Humphrey. Dance is just that—movement itself is dance, Merce Cunningham -after this was postmodern dance
Main point—opposite of ballet Later, blending, but at first very different -Ballet: light, grace, defying gravity, technical skill, certain positions -Modern: sturdy, earthy, not necessarily beautiful, unlimited positions although, techniques developed that did make rules new generations of dancers revolting against the old -ballet stories based off European fairy tales, folk stories—basically classic, traditional stories. used classical music -Modern themes were often based off India, Asia, the middle east, or basically anywhere except Europe. especially ruth St. Denis who had a lot of influence from Asia, and offered dance classes of all different dances from non-european countries often no story—life in general, emotions, feelings expose inner or outer reality—often is bad side
Considered the mother of modern dance—most influential Started in Denishawn, was one of the best dancers of the school. Early dancing—like Denishawn, Contraction and release technique: energy originates and builds up in muscles, energy flows out from loosening muscles -results in hard, angular look -can see the effort -trembling, jerks -later: softer and sweeter, music/sceneryThemesearly 30’s: extreme emotions “Lamentation” -American history: “Frontier” “Primitive Mysteries” “Appalachian Spring” Collaborations : Aaron Copland, Appalachian Spring– one of the most renowned musical scores -Graham specifically had him make the score for the ballet—first modern dancer to collaborate with contemporary musicians
