PAR301/401
Newton
Unit 3 – Contemporary Dance
Unit Description
Students will participate in a variety of teacher-led
contemporary, modern and lyrical dance classes.
Focus will be on:
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learning contemporary, modern and lyrical
techniques
expanding repertoire of steps, motor-skills
further developing the elements of improvisation
and choreography
performing teachers’ choreography
developing and performing their own choreography
developing performance skills and expression through dance
Assessments and Evaluations
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Daily participation self assessment
Teacher evaluation of unit participation
Teacher evaluation of assigned choreography
Teacher evaluation of student choreography
Success Criteria
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Attend classes regularly and punctually with all of your equipment
Work hard and be positive
Demonstrate effort and improvement
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the elements of contemporary dance and
choreography
So what is the difference between modern, lyrical and contemporary?
Modern
dance
is very specific with a definite set of rules for each of the disciplined styles.
Martha Graham, Horton, Limon, Dunham and Cunningham are the major
modern styles. There are other styles that have branched off from those such
as Paul Taylor, Parsons and Alvin Ailey. These are performed barefooted and
unlike ballet involve a sense of being grounded as opposed to floating.
Contempo
rary dance
can be almost anything. It can be performed barefoot, en pointe or even in
socks on stage. It may or may not be performed to music , sounds or nothing at
all except the counts or breath of the dancers. Top contemporary dance
companies would be Complexions, Lines Ballet, Nederlands dans Theater,
Aszure Barton, Ohad Naharin, Shen Wei, Mats Ek, Gallium dance and Sidra Bell.
Lyrical
dance
exists only in competition dance and in dance studios. It is a literal
representation of the music using a combination of ballet and jazz with a little
bit of modern thrown in for good measure. it is usually performed in foot
undies and tends to be romantic and emotional in approach.
Origins of Contemporary Dance
Article by Rachel Hanson, Dancer & Choreographer
The origins of western contemporary dance can be traced back to the beginning of the 20th
century. While the big names in modern dance all date from this time period, the influences that
inspired these contemporary dance founders go back for centuries, and are not limited to the
western world.
What Is Contemporary Dance?
Contemporary dance is officially the name given to a series of dance styles including modern
dance. Highly interpretive in its choreography, contemporary dance often includes an innate
focus on alignment, oppositional movement, raw emotions and systematic breathing.
While many dance genres, including jazz and lyrical, focus on flexibility and the mastery of
various structured steps, the technique in contemporary dance is focused much more upon
unconventional choreographic moves that were devised in the first 60 years of the 20th century
by various masters of the craft. The techniques were unconventional because they moved away
from the lyrical movements of ballet and other classical dance forms. In addition, they took
influences from non-western dance cultures, such as the down-to-earth bent knees of African
style dancing. Using these elements and more, the earliest contemporary dancers were
revolutionary in breaking away from classical, traditional dance forms.
There are several individuals who helped develop what we know as contemporary dance today.
Martha Graham
Martha Graham is often credited as the founding mother of contemporary and modern dance.
As a dancer and choreographer for over seven decades, she
brought modern dance into the mainstream. She was the first
dancer ever invited to perform at the White House and receive
a medal of freedom.
Ironically, she hated the terms "modern" and "contemporary,"
as she believed dance styles were constantly evolving and
changing according to the times. She didn't want her
choreography or her ideals boxed in, and this has continued to
be a running mindset among contemporary dance
choreographers who have followed in her footsteps.
Merce Cunningham
Cunningham’s abstract dances vary greatly in mood but are
frequently characterized by abrupt changes and contrasts in
movement. Many of his works have been associated with Dadaist,
Surrealist, and Existentialist motifs. In 1974 Cunningham
abandoned his company’s repertory, which had been built over a
20-year period, for what he called “Events,” excerpts from old or
new dances, sometimes two or more simultaneously.
Choreography created expressly for videotape, which included
Blue Studio: Five Segments (1976), was still another innovation. He
also began working with film and created Locale (1979). Later
dances included Duets (1980), Fielding Sixes (1980),
Channels/Inserts (1981), and Quartets (1983).
When arthritis seriously began to disrupt his dancing in the early 1990s, Cunningham turned to a
special animated computer program, DanceForms, to explore new choreographic possibilities.
Although he left the performance stage soon after Cage died in 1992, he continued to lead his
dance company until shortly before his own death.
Tracing the Origins
The dancers mentioned above are two of the most critical influences in the beginning of
contemporary dance. If you examine the work of these dancers/choreographers closely, you will
find additional influences that helped solidify the work of these dancers. Ballerinas notice ballet
moves, and folk dancers notice storytelling tendencies. Martha Graham's insistence that
contemporary dance is always evolving to incorporate new music, new movement styles, and
new philosophies encompasses the defining characteristic of contemporary dance, since each
dancer's influences vary according to time and place, not to mention the inner voice of the artist
that guides his art.
http://dance.lovetoknow.com/Origins_of_Contemporary_Dance