History

★ Formed in 20th century as a rebellion to ridged ballet

★ modern dance technique

○ barefoot

○ uses mobility of spine

○ initiate movement from core

○ uses levels, including floor

★ Choreography based on concept

★ Choreographers had a desire to strip dance to the essentials

★ No desire for the prettiness (ballet)

★ Based on the process of moving rather than the product of the movement

Isadora Duncan 1st Gen

★ Influenced by the idea of the future

★ Developed a “philosophy of dance” based on spirituality

★ Advocated for the acceptance of “pure dance” as an art form

★ Wore tunics like greek vase figures which inspired her dances

★ Her technique used weaving and whirling in natural movements

★ Corsets and modest clothes were socially acceptable, Duncan wore loose short clothes

Ruth St. Denis

★ Founded Denishawn School and Dance Company with husband Ted Shawn

★ Used improvised exotic movement and elaborate costumes to communicate the ritualistic dance
of Asian religion
Martha Graham 2nd gen

★ Invented method of breathing and impulse control called contraction and release

★ Believed movement started in the contraction of a muscle and continued in the flow of energy
released from the body as the muscle is relaxed

★ Her dancers are known for their hard angular look

★ Because she was so unique her techniques were known as “ugly”

Doris Humphrey

★ Instrumental in founding Juilliard Dance Theatre in New York City

★ Known as primary innovator of the new modern dance

★ Fall and recovery was a technique and theory the foundation of her teaching method

○ Inspired by the German philosopher Fredrick Nietzsche’s theory of the split in every
persons psych: Apollonian (rational and intellectual) Dionysian side (chaotic and
emotional)

○ true essence of modern dance is what happened in between these two extremes
called “arc between two deaths”

Merce Cunningham

★ Former student of Graham

★ Worked with composer John Cage

★ Embraced modernist ideology using postmodern processes

★ Used chance processes by rolling di or drawing cards right before performances, each number
resembling a different dance

★ His work known for being non-linear, non-climatic, non-psychological abstract work

★ Designed for audience to determine its meaning

Alwin Nikolais-Today

★ first works choreographed in 1960

★ known for crazy props and costumes

○ props that extend dancers bodies; costumes that make dancers look headless; dancers
used as props, visual, and auditory design

Alvin Ailey- Today

★ Trained on West Coast

★ First integrated company

★ Commonly danced about racial issues

★ Died in 1989, Judith Jamison ran company after him

3rd Gen - Post Modernism

Postmodern movement was a reaction to the 2nd Generation modern dance philosophies.

★ desire to reduce movement to it’s essentials.

★ No need for prettiness of ballet or soul searching philosophy of modern

★ Movement can be striped of ornamentation with an interest in pedestrian and gestural

Twyla Tharp

★ Went to Barnard University in NYC

★ Joined Paul Taylor Company in 1963

★ In 1966 she made her company Twlya Tharp Dance

★ Choreographed broadway musical “Movin’ Out” set to the music of Billy Joel

○ “Movin’ Out” received 10 Tony nominations

Bill T. Jones and Arnie Zane

★ Zane was a photographer until he met his lifelong partner, jones, and began studying dance
with him

★ Bill T. Jones-Arnie Zane Company made in 1982

★ Worked with people dying of a disease to set a dance called “Still Here”

★ Arnie Zane died of AIDS in 1988

Dance Today

Modern Dance has become very diverse. It has consolidated to include all types of dance. Many
dancers train and work in multiple styles and choreography has grown to include ethnic dance,
martial arts, and folk dance. The form is unrestricted and is open to the imagination of the
choreographer.

Vocabulary

★ triplet: step that goes down, up, up

★ swing: pendulum like movement, fall and catch

★ prance: exchanging of weight from one foot to another, imitates animal (bambi)

★ chasse: to chase, step-together-step

★ initiation: the beginning of a movement with a clear starting point

Vocabulary

 Breath – movement that occurs when the body is still and breath is the focus

 Head/tail – shortening of lengthening the distance between the head and the tailbone.

 Core/distal- movement from the center of the body to the periphery or vice versa

Vocabulary

 Body half – moving one half of the body at a time (right/left, upper/lower)

 Cross lateral – movement that occurs across the body from one distal extreme to the other
(right foot to left hand)