T riplet step that goes down up up S wing pendulum like movement suspend fall suspend P rance exchanging of weight from one foot to another imitates animal bambi I nitiation ID: 731199
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Slide1
Modern Dance NotesSlide2
Vocabulary
T
riplet
: step that goes down, up, up
S
wing: pendulum like
movement; suspend, fall, suspend
Prance
: exchanging of weight from one foot to another, imitates animal (bambi)
I
nitiation
: the beginning of a movement with a clear starting
pointSlide3
Fundamentals of Modern Dance
Breath
: Movement that occurs when body is still and breath is focus
Head/Tail
: Shortening or lengthening of the distance between the head and
the tailbone
Core/Distal: Movement from the center of the body to the periphery or vice versa
Body Half
: Moving one half of the body at a time (right/left, upper/lower)
Cross Lateral
: Movement that occurs across the body from on distal extreme to the other (right foot/left hand) Slide4
Qualities of Movement
Collapse: A total release of
energy
Percussive: sharp bursts of energy
Suspend: Continuous release of energy with a feeling of being held
Sustain: Even release of energy that stays constant; constant flow of energy
Swing:
Pendular
; Combination of suspend-collapse-suspend energy
Vibratory: Very, very quick bursts of energySlide5
Efforts of Movement
Weight
Heavy/Light
Time
Quick/Slow
Flow
Free/Bound
Spatial Focus
Direct/IndirectSlide6
History
Formed in 20
th
century as a rebellion to ridged ballet
M
odern
dance technique
B
arefoot
U
ses
mobility of spine
I
nitiate
movement from core
U
ses
levels, including floor
Choreography based on conceptChoreographers had a desire to strip dance to the essentials, “free dance”No desire for the prettiness (ballet)Based on the process of moving rather than the product of the movementSlide7
Influenced by the idea of the furture
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
Isadora Duncan
1st GenSlide8
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
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMxm9rq0FHcSlide9
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”Slide10
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 Nietzche’s theory of the split in every persons psych:Apollonian (rational and intelectual) Dionysian side (choatic and emotiona)
true essence of modern dance is what happened in between these two extremes called “arc between two deaths”Slide11
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
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGHvnRtr3TISlide12
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
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KFpcO0f89ESlide13
Alwin Nikolais-TodaySlide14
Alvin Ailey- Today
Trained on West Coast
First integrated company
Commonly danced about racial issues
Died in 1989, Judith Jamison ran company after
him
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Fz8UhA3v30Slide15
3rd Gen - Post Modernism
Post modern 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
Trisha Brown- “Walking on the Walls”
Yonvanne RainerSlide16
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.