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Historically, there are two different meanings for the term "Modern
Dance." Originally, the term came from the early 20th. Century
meaning that the dances (Ballroom type) being done were
modern in nature, rather than the older Quadrilles,
Two
Step, Minuet
etc. of the time. These "Modern Dances" were generally
associated with Vernon
and Irene Castle, Maurice
Mouvet and Florence
Walton and others who were ballroom dancers of the time (1910s.)
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Today the term means something different however.
This term 'Modern Dance' designates a concept of dance rather
than a particular dance School or dance Studio. By the 1920's
it was a solo or group - a free form type dance with no base in
its beginnings but utilized many other styles of dance > >movement
(originally Greek and Oriental,) as well as indigenous
and the dancers personal feelings leading to movement.
Isadora
Duncan (1887-1927) was to become the mother of (CURRENT
DAY) freeform style called 'Modern Dance' and by 1913 had reached
international fame with others following suit.
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This new free form style was thought ridiculous at first but Duncan's
success with this style in America opened many eyes along with
other pioneers such as and
Ruth
St. Denis (18781968),
>Rudolf Van Laban and >Mary
>Wigman>
who would become the primary movers of this
style of dance and helped create a new
Style
of dancing. Others
to follow and add more to the ever growing style were such dancers
as >Hanya Holm (1893-1992), Ted
Shawn (1891-1972), >Doris >Humphrey>,
>Charles Weidman (1901-1975), Martha
Graham (1894-1991), >Valerie
Bettis(1919-1982), Jose
Limon and >Helen Tamiris (1905-1966),>Tórtola
Valencia (1908-1930)
with her 'Natural Dance' (in
no particular order.)
- The Modern Dance form came to
be due to the restrictions on the ballet dancers at the time or
to "release the dancer from explicit and locked definition"
but today modern dance is very recognizable thru its forms, base
and techniques. The dancers use their natural instincts, impulses,
a release of natural feeling when moving or a "firstness."
The dancer tries to release the inner feelings in an outer expression.
It works some what of the 'Ying and Yang' and or 'Contrast' teachings
of opposites, such as Up/Down, Left /Right, Contraction/Release,
Fall/Recover, Fast/Slow etc. The body is the instrument for self
indulged expression.
Modern dance avoids any set bases or a set vocabulary of steps
such as ballet or Oriental, Hindu etc. but does use all these
ideas along with the dancers natural ability and dance training
(Its kinda like a free for all or 'on the spot type
choreography'.) Because of this, Modern dance is often misunderstood
by the onlooker, as occasionally they can not figure out what
is happening. By the 1950s, Modern dance was firmly established
in the dance world.
Modern dance is said to be based on four principles:
1) Substance (movement)
2) Dynamism,
3) Metakinesis,
4) Form (not dependent on music.)
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