What is Modern dance?
Born in the early 20th century, modern dance is a dance style that centers
on a dancer's own interpretations instead of structured steps, as in traditional
ballet dancing.
At this time the American dancers Isadora Duncan,
Ruth St. Denis and the German dancer Mary Wigman started to rebel against
the rigid constraints of Classical Ballet. Shedding the authoritarian
controls surrounding classical ballet technique, costume, and shoes, these
early modern dance pioneers focused on creative self-expression rather
than on technical virtuosity.
Modern dance pioneers often danced in bare feet and revealing costumes.
In the United States, several dance pioneers paved the way for American
modern dance, including the legendary Martha Graham.
Modern dance is a more relaxed, free style of dance in which choreographers
use emotions and moods to design their own steps, in contrast to ballet's
structured code of steps. It has a deliberate use of gravity, whereas
ballet strives to be light and airy.
Modern | Contemporary | Folk | Choreography |
Elena Degtyareva dances with 50% Male Experimental Theatre's 'Peter Pans' at The Project Theatre, Dublin from Elena Degtyareva on Vimeo.
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