MODERN
DANCE
POWERPOINT
During the early 1900’s, ballet was still
strong in it’s Classical form and with a
new modern day form due to
choreographers and dancers such as
Diaghilev, Nijinsky, Balanchine, Tudor,
Joffery and Robbins. These dancers saw
what was being created through modern
dance and portrayed these new views
through their choreography – some of
which were even ballet.
Balanchine’s Apollo that was created in 1928…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUNQjjbozF8
Meanwhile modern
dance was exploding;
some were loving it while
others still found it very
odd and even
inappropriate.
Modern Dance does not have a set
definition due to it being born out of a
revolt against any one codified style.
Instead it is about the underlying
philosophy of movement as individual
expression.
Breaking new artistic ground initially meant discarding
the entire classical ballet vocabulary
Such willingness to break the rules required strongminded women and men
These women and men tended to have their own
approach and their own beliefs about the nature of
movement and expression.
The “Roots” of modern dance lie in two
directions…
a) Individual expression
b) Revolt against the
establishment
Modern Dance “Trailblazers”
(A few amazing women (and ever fewer men) dared to blaze their own trail in developing a new
way of dancing… a way that was respectful and artistic)
Isadora Duncan
Ruth St. Denis
Ted Shawn
Isadora Duncan
Isadora Duncan’s desire was to create
movements that were natural and congruent
for her body… and movements that were
inherently expressive.
It was Isadora’s ideas rather than her actual dancing
that contributed so much to the development of modern
dance.
She wanted to create expression through movement,
she began taking ballet lessons, but eventually
discarded what she saw as a conforming and unnatural
movement form to create her own.
Isadora LOVED children, she even adopted
several of her own students.
She had a great desire to create a school in
which her students could find their own way of
expressing themselves through movement;
unfortunately none of her attempts were
successful.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPlN_gO5TOM
Ruth St. Denis
Ruth St. Denis was
transformed by pictures in
books of other lands and
people. She became
interested in Indo-Asian
thought, art, and her interest
was more theatrical than
scholarly.
Ruth St. Denis met and later married
Ted Shawn in 1914.
Denishawn
Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn created a school in Los Angeles called
Denishawn. Unfortunately this school no longer exists.
Denishawn was filled with classes teaching…
Ethnic, Barefoot, Ballet, Folk, Ballroom, And more
Modern Dance “Pioneers”
These dancers were called Pioneers because
they learned from the Trailblazers, took their
ideas, and “ran with them”.
Martha Graham
Doris Humphrey
Lester Horton
A major contribution to modern dance during the
Pioneer timeframe was the development of a summer
dance festival at Bennington College in 1934. This
would later become known as the
American Dance Festival.
Martha Graham
From Denishawn came… Martha Graham
Martha Graham is easily the most famous
modern dancer of the time. She broke through
many barriers and pushed the envelope where it
had never been done before.
She created nearly 200 works – many of which
were considered masterpieces
Lamentation (1930)
Lamentation is a piece that Martha Graham is
highly known for. This piece is about one
struggling with inner emotions and the need to
express them knowing it is borderline
inappropriate.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb4-kpClZns
Martha Graham’s technique…
“The Graham Technique” was
based on
contraction and release.
This video shows a piece that reiterates the use of
contraction and release.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozu2M1nD1B4
Lester Horton
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pm7nHpS_JqE
Doris Humphrey
Characteristics of Modern Dance…
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
The torso was fully used
“new” movement vocabulary was explored
all levels of space were used (high/middle/low)
Costumes and stage designs were simple and stark
Limbs were angled as well as curved
Music was often written for the dance, or simple
percussion was used or silence was used
vii. Dancers performed wherever they could, ie. Lofts,
studios, small NYC theatres, college gyms, church
basements (this was not an opera house art form!)
Modern Videos To Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uL1rB0GPIhI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zACQ0URYgmg
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