Anyone who is interested in dance has paid attention to contemporary dance. Dancers today follow this genre because it is versatile and it gives them an opportunity to explore an artistic side that other genres don't.
In this article you'll learn about the history and origins, the different techniques and elements used, renowned dancers and icons of the genre, and schools that have excellent dancing programs.
Techniques of Contemporary Dance
Contemporary dance is a genre that was born from a need that several artists, dancers, and performers had to break free from what was established.
It has influences from ballet, jazz, and modern dance because many choreographers started training with one of these genres and then branched out.
The techniques used in contemporary dance are different and they all depend on what the dancer wants to communicate. For instance, improvisation is a big part of this genre.
Apart from traditional dances, contemporary dance has no strict choreography or movements. Dancers have to be in touch with their emotions and connect with their bodies and base their performance on the space and state of mind they're in.
Other dances are about the music and lyrical tone, but this genre is about emotions and theatricality. Other techniques apart from improvisation, involve movements, the introduction of other genres (like ballet or jazz), and more.
To dominate contemporary dance techniques you must familiarize yourself with the elements of dance, and not only of this genre. You should also be familiar with traditional and classical techniques that will help you dominate this dance.
This is why there is not one technique you can use, but there can be one technique you specialize in. For instance, your technique can be improvisation or ballet.
To dominate the movements and dancing style, you can hire a private tutor right here on Superprof and find someone who teaches exactly what you want to learn.
Tutors on Superprof tend to offer the first class for free to give dancers (or students) the opportunity to see what the classes are like, and their methodologies, and to get answers to any questions they might have.
If you didn't like the first class, you can communicate this to the tutor and continue searching for someone who you feel more comfortable with. The idea of the free class is to give the student the opportunity to choose.
Who are famous contemporary dancers in the US?
There are three contemporary dancers who made history by creating this genre from scratch and rebelling against the established. Their names are Isadora Duncan, Martha Graham, and Merce Cunningham.
Isadora Duncan was born in San Francisco, California, and she was known for being the dancer that broke free from ballet choreography. She broke with the rules of classical dance, steps, positions, and everything that was established.
Martha Graham was born in Pennsylvania but developed her career as a dancer in New York. She was a dancer, choreographer, and teacher and she is popular for developing dance moves of contracting and releasing emotion. Her style, reshaped the dance scene and is still taught across the world.
Merce Cunningham, also became one of the most influential dancers of the genre. Cunningham broke away from the structures developed by his mentor and created his own methods.
These three names are renowned amongst the dancer community, and from their work, many styles have been developed. Dancing students now get to choose whose elements to use and apply during training.
Today, there are many big choreographers, companies, arts schools, and institutions in the industry of the genre. Names like Kyle Abraham, Micaela Taylor, Francesca Harper, and Darrell Grand Moultrie are big in the industry.
If you wish to dance, we recommend you start doing hefty research on all the opportunities and options available to you. You can search for a private tutor right here on Superprof to help and guide you through the process.
Since there are so many companies out there, it is important that you find a place that adheres to your needs and wishes!
Keep in mind that to dance you need to put in the time and dedication it requires. It's not like you'll learn after one week or even a month of classes. It takes professional dancers years to dominate the styles of contemporary dance for one single performance.
If you are into the arts but you don't want to get into the professional world, you can still continue dancing as a hobby and a way to enjoy yourself with music.
History of contemporary dance in the US
As it was mentioned, contemporary dance was born because some artists wanted to break free from the strict norms of traditional dances. They wanted to explore their creative side, and thus create a form of expression never before seen.
This genre was developed by many choreographers and artists during the 1980s. They wanted to explore unconventional dance moves that were gathered from all dance styles of the world.
As these artists explored the limits and capacities of their bodies, new techniques and movements were created, and with time the genre that we know as the contemporary dance was born.
In previous genres, the norm was to dance with fixed moves. However, contemporary performers developed new dynamics and forms. Some of them are quick oppositional moves, shifting alignments, expressions of raw emotion, dance moves that are performed lying on the floor, systematic breathing, and working to find the limits of the human body.
One of the most important elements of this dance is freedom. Dancers are free to use the style and dances they wish, as they ignore previous dance rules and explore the limits of the body and their creativity.
The history of contemporary dance shows us that beautiful things can be born with revolutions, with brave creators (in this case choreographers) who dare to break out of what is established.
Today, contemporary dance is very popular, especially in the United States and European countries. Many schools are offering courses in this genre and are offering certificates or specializations in it.
This doesn't mean that ballet or modern dance are forgotten, but it means that the pioneers of this genre created a powerful movement that is today at the center of the artistic scene.
To learn more about the origins of this dance go ahead and continue reading our article about the history of contemporary art.
Institutions of contemporary dance
To find the perfect theater, studio, company, or school you first need to define some personal things. For instance, do you have a budget planned to assign to your dance classes near me? Do you have space at home to practice? Do you know what movement or form you're interested in learning?
Having answers to all of these questions is important because you can use them to find what you want and need. Some people think that going to a top school is all that matters, but there are many other things to consider.
For instance, do you want to become a professional dancer? If the answer is yes, then you do need to look for the top dance schools in the country. But, if your answer is no, then you don't necessarily need to go to a renowned theater or studio. Just as long as you find good teachers and clean floors!
People believe that modern dances are still not taken seriously, however, they are growing in popularity and many of the best academies in the world are teaching it.
If you want to become a dacner you need to put in the work and dedicate yourself and you will see how much improvement you'll make in just a few months.
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