Intermediate Modern History
DEFINITION:
There is no concise definition for modern dance, nor should there be, unless it is broad
enough to include all the diverse approaches existing now/and likely to exist in the
future. Modern was a rebellion against classical ballet and its codified technique.
Modern dance, sometimes referred to as contemporary dance, has no boundaries or
limitations for its style of creation. In fact, the freedom that is inherent in modern has
strongly influenced contemporary choreography of ballet and jazz.
Brief History:
In the twentieth century a new dance had emerged, and was classified as “modern”. It
was called "modern" because it broke away from the traditions and the disciplines of
ballet from the 19th century. At the beginning, modern dance was a way of life, an
expression of the freedom of the spirit, unfettered by outdated traditions and worn out
beliefs. It aimed to communicate to each individual some emotional state, idea or
situation which one could identify with or relate to their own experiences.
Modern dancers in the beginning attempted to rediscover natural movement and wanted
to break away from the rigidity of ballet. They also felt that ballet technique did not
communicate their primary purpose, therefore they wanted to create a dance art that
could speak to the humanity of modern man. Modern dance did not rely upon
pantomime or storyline. Modern dance bases its technique on natural movement. This
includes not only the use of the body in its rhythmic, dynamic and linear function, but
also in an enormous amount of gesture or pedestrian movement.
Modern dance was in its adolescence at the time of the movement for women's suffrage,
Prohibition, World War I, and new movements in art. One such movement was called
expressionism. Expressionism originated in painting, and was a subjective
interpretation of the artist's personal reactions to events or objects through distortion,
abstraction, or symbols. As modern dance began to be established, the rest of the stage
arts were gradually added. New music or unusual accompaniment was added. Whole
dances were supported by percussion only, or with new sounds from old instruments,
and at times music was even dispensed with altogether. Sometimes the dancer would
make vocal sounds and use that as their music.
The early dance pioneers were not interested in the spectacle that had been seen in
ballet, but concentrated on the ability to communicate emotional experiences. Modern
dancers have been particularly enterprising in the way that they are constantly searching
out new themes. They dance about social or personal problems; they translate plays,
poems, and novels. Greek myths and American folklore were among the most common
themes. Role and divisions like principle dancer vs. corps de ballet were thrown out,
and a grouping in modern dance choreography was treated as a fluid sculpted whole.
The element which best characterized modern was and still is "freedom".
