Tuesday 17 January 2012

Modern Dance

Modern is a term used to describe contemporary dance. Modern dance centers on a dancer's own interpretations instead of structured steps, as in traditional ballet dancing. A modern dancer rejects the classical ballet stance of an upright, erect body, often opting instead for deliberate falls to the floor.
Martha Graham is considered one of the foremost pioneers of American modern dance. In order to express the passion, rage and ecstasy of humans, she developed her very own language of movement. Graham's brave vision for modern dance earned her several awards and honors.
Modern dancers express their innermost emotions through dance, often becoming closer to their inner-selves. Before attempting to choreograph a routine, the modern dancer decides which emotions to try to convey to the audience.
Also Known As: 20th Century Concert Dance

Author-Treva Bedinghaus
Last updated-2012
Accessed-17th January 2012

Characteristics of Modern Dance:
Modern dance encourages dancers to use their emotions and moods to design their own steps and routines. It is not unusual for modern dancers to invent new steps for their routines, instead of following a structured code of technique, as in ballet.
Another characteristic of modern dance in opposition to ballet is the deliberate use of gravity. Whereas classical ballet dancers strive to be light and airy on their feet, modern dancers often use their body weight to enhance movement. A modern dancer rejects the classical ballet stance of an upright, erect body, often opting instead for deliberate falls to the floor.

Martha Graham:

Martha Graham is considered one of the foremost pioneers of American modern dance. In order to express the passion, rage and ecstasy of humans, she developed her very own language of movement. She created a new dance technique similar to classical ballet, but with several differences. She focused heavily on basic human movement, concentrating on the movements of contraction and release. Instead of striving for long, fluid movements, Graham's movements were sharp and jagged. Her dancing aimed to expose basic human emotions through movement. Graham's brave vision for modern dance earned her several awards and honors.

Author- Trava Bedinghaus
Last updated- 2012
Accessed-17th January 2012

1 comment:

  1. Early in the 20th century the form of modern dance was developed and it refers to '20th century concert dance'. Lineage of 20th century concert dance forms is what the legacy of modern dance can be seen in. Divergent dance forms are generally traced back to free dance and common heritage is shared about this between the seminal dance artists.

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