Contemporary Archives

If you’re wondering just what is contemporary dance, it’s a form of dance that combines different styles to express emotions and convey ideas through fluid, expressive movements. It is a popular and widely-practiced form of modern dance, with the term “contemporary” referring to movements that are now or currently in style, as opposed to those that were fashionable years ago. One of the unique aspects of contemporary dance is its ability to tell a story without using words, using body movements to communicate themes of time and space.

Contemporary dance does not have a single, identifiable style. It is an eclectic mix of dance techniques from western (classical dance, jazz-modern) and eastern (qigong, Tai Chi Quan, yoga) art of movement. Contemporary dance is distinctive because it reflects current trends and knowledge about the possibilities of the human body and its interaction with dance. The dancer explores and finds new possibilities for movement. This articles provides a high level overview to introduce contemporary dancing.

What is the Contemporary Dance? A female dancer in a warehouse setting balanced on one foot — Photo by Jansel Ferma: on Pexels

What are the main features of contemporary dance?

There are many different styles for this type of dance, but they all have some common features. They are typically focused on the body and the dancer’s relationship with it. The body expresses feelings and emotions in ways that words cannot, so the dancer is free to do whatever they want without being restricted by their connection with an outside source. This type of dance can be fluid or rigid, depending on what the choreographer wanted to convey with their movements.

Contemporary dance is characterized by the widest palette of dance patterns and movements.

The movement of this type of dance is highly improvisational, though choreographers do put in some time preparing the overall structure. The movements are continuous and fluid; they roll one into another to make it seem like there was no break between them. Contemporary dancers tend to be more liberal with their use of props and costumes. Often, the style of music is unobtrusive and its tone fits in seamlessly with the dance itself.

One of the best things about this type of dance is that it can be expressed through so many different means. This makes it a constantly growing and changing style, while still maintaining its fluidity throughout every change.

Contemporary dance includes:

Upright (dance in a standing position)
Parterre (movements on the floor)

During classes, the focus is on breathing, working with space, body weight, voice, and emotion.

History of contemporary dance style

The term “contemporary” when applied to dance is generally used to describe the modernistic approach towards dance which was born in Western countries.

The history of this type of dancing dates a long way back to ancient times when it was called “naïve art” or “art brut”. This then evolved to the theatrical style known as ballet, popular in Western countries. In Russia, however, there was a different approach to a dance called modern dance that gave rise to such styles as abstract and avant-garde.

It is a style of dance that has been around for quite some time. Contemporary dance was born in the United States during the 1920s and 1930s. The roots of contemporary dance can be seen in the interpretation of ballet. The early innovators included dancers like Isadora Duncan, Ted Shawn, Ruth St. Denis, and Martha Graham; who worked to create modern interpretations of classical forms in which they combined with their own ideas.

This led to the creation of new concepts that allowed for freedom of movement of the body and personal expression through dance. Duncan used to dance to express feelings and emotions which was quite new for this period of time. These new styles became very popular and people began to flock to see them. Dancers like Isadora Duncan and Martha Graham were the first to use this term which later went on to become a separate form of dancing.

Today, contemporary dance is one of the most popular styles that exist and dancers around the world continue to innovate it into something better with each passing day. It continues to inform newer dance styles such as k-pop.

What is Modern vs Contemporary Dance?

Modern dance and contemporary dance styles of dance are generally regarded as the same thing, but they actually have quite a few differences.

In this case, the context becomes important. The first to use the term “modern dance” was in the early twentieth century, when the pioneers of modern dance Isadora Duncan, Martha Graham, Rudolph Laban, and many others decided that dance needed to return to its original significance. So in response to strict classical ballet, they gave up pointe shoes and danced barefoot; they began to talk with dance about complex issues; they went into the parterre, giving great importance to working with gravity, contrary to ballet, which denied gravity.

When, in addition to the basic principles of modern dance, the dance began to adopt the techniques of oriental martial arts, yoga, dance-movement therapy, dance became even more advanced. So in the ’60s, the term “contemporary” began to be used.

Today, the term “modern” is most often used to refer to a period of time, it often means the current, today’s practice. That is, it refers to the current stage of development of a particular dance style, such as modern ballet, modern jazz, etc. When the term is used without naming a particular genre (as in the previous examples), the term usually refers to the set of aesthetic values preached by the founders of that genre.

Opinions of contemporary dancers and choreographers also differ on this issue and they do not express clear criteria for the difference between contemporary vs modern dance. So instead of thinking about whether modern or contemporary dance styles exist or not, focus on practicing it and having fun!

Final Words

Different from ballet, where the main idea is weightlessness, in contemporary dance you know how much your body or arm weighs, and you use that to build free, easy, beautiful movement and dance. The focus of the contemporary dance is on the expression of emotions and ideas through movement, rather than trying to be perfect. The fluidity in this type of dance makes it a constantly growing and changing style without losing its fundamental free-flowing nature.

Today, it’s hard to define what exactly “contemporary dance” is because of its diversity and uniqueness. It is more important to enjoy the creative process while dancing and creating your own style rather than following strict rules set by people before you.

Theories of Origin

We don’t know exactly when the Contemporary dance history began. It is not clear who and when he first started dancing, inventing movements and techniques. There are several theories that are based on the similarity of certain techniques to others.

So, there is an opinion that contemporary dance came from Eastern practices, in particular from yoga and some martial arts. This is explained by the special technique of breathing in a contemporary, which is also inherent in yogic breathing. It’s also important for the contemporary dance to have a stable position, balance, smooth transition from one movement to another, which is also very typical for yoga. So one cannot help but think about the similarity of these two types of physical activity.

Contrary to the previous theory, some historians argue that the emergence of contemporary dance is directly related to either Central America or European countries.

Alternative to classical ballet

What nobody denies is that the contemporary appeared as a result of the denial of classical ballet and its canons. Ballet is a rather structured system of movements with strict rules. Contemporary dance has become a kind of opposition to everything classical, because of its free, expressive and natural character.

It should be noted that the classic base of a contemporary dancer is often an undeniable advantage in terms of physical fitness and capabilities of the body.

Founders

The mother of modern dance, free and sensual, is rightfully considered Isadora Duncan, although contemporary dancing got its popularity even 30 years after her death. It was she who began to contrast the sharp lines, strict choreographic movements and standardization of poses in favor of free, natural dance, which expresses sincere emotions and feelings.

Isadora has established a tendency to dance barefoot. She was not interested in inventing new pas, but in creating a new worldview – light and joyful. This feeling was fully conveyed through her dancing and performances. She talked so much about “liberation from conventionality”, about “free spirit in a liberated body” that her art was eventually dubbed “free”.

Authenticity and individuality, the manifestation of personal feelings of the dancer – these signs became the main in determining the modern dance according to Duncan and her followers. The ballerina’s frozen smile has disappeared, and she has been replaced by sincere emotions and feelings.

Attention!

It is also worth noting the significant influence of the idea of freedom of movement and expression of feelings in dance on classical ballet dances. Even the academic ballet could not allow a “soulless” gesture after Duncan.

Martha Graham (1894-1991)

Although Isadora and her dance were quite popular, contemporary dancing has gained more popularity thanks to Martha Graham. This dancer, who introduced and widely popularized contemporary dance to a global audience.

М. Graham excluded imitation of movements, teaching independent plastic thinking and expressiveness of gestures. For this purpose, she used the technique of contraction and release, according to which the movement originates from the center of the body where breathing is concentrated (diaphragm).

Graham has introduced into modern dance all known to this day bases:

Breathing techniques: when exhaled, the diaphragm shrinks, directing the movement inside; when inhaled, it expands, the movement spreads in a spiral upward through the torso, arms, neck.
The movement must cover the entire space, that is, the dance takes place standing, sitting and on the floor (parterre).
The dance completely covers the whole body, all parts of the body are used.
More complete use of space through movements on the floor.

Merce Cunningham

Merce Cunningham worked with M. Graham’s troupe in 1939-45. In 1952, he formed his own troupe. He believed that the emotional element should be brought to choreography by the spectator, not by a choreographer or a dancer. His aesthetics were close to the theatre of absurdity and aleatoric in music. Cunningham has staged performances of both the Art Nouveau Dance and the European Classical School in many European and American companies, particularly the Paris Opera.

Pina Bausch

The German dance theatre in the Pina Bausch version becomes the third source of all modern culture with modern dance. She has been working as a choreographer since 1968, thanks to which she creates the Wuppertal Dance Theatre. She has not only transformed modern dance but has also created a new genre: dance theatre, a system in which words, music, and movement exist on equal terms. Many of the things that exist in the field of dance theatre today owe this genre to Pina Bausch.

Present day

Today, contemporary dance is a popular dance around the world. Such dancers and choreographers as William Forsythe, Alain Platel, Steve Paxton (creator of contact improvisation), Wim Vandekeybus, Itzik Galili, Meg Stuart, Ruth St. Denis, Boris Charmatz, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Sasha Waltz made a significant contribution to its development and popularization. They and many others are the authors and ideologists of modern free dance – contemporary dance. To these people, we should be grateful for what we see and enjoy this amazing dance exactly as it is.

Books about the history of the Contemporary:

Steve Paxton “Gravity” and “Trisha Brown: dance and art in dialogue, 1961-2001”;
Driver S. William Forsythe “Chur: Harwood Academic Publishers”, 2000;
Susan Rosenberg “Trisha Brown: Choreography as Visual Art”.

Here’s some articles relating to modern dance:

Acro Dance: What is it? Unravelling the Art of Acrobatics in Dance

What is Contemporary Dance?

Isadora Duncan

William Forsythe on a stage, talking to dance students

William Forsythe: a Revolutionary Look at Classical Dance

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