2/18/14Modern Dance- End of the 19th century (around 1890) into the beginning of the 20th century - Rooted in Germany/Europe although it is a uniquely American art formo The dance form in Europe was ballet and therefore the pioneers of modern dance were not as respected in the country- Another name for modern dance is aesthetic dance- Took influence from Greek art and sculpture - Focused on physical fitness, the body, and somatico The science and study of the physical well-being and function of the human body- Was the avocation of middle class and wealthy white women (during the early 20th century)o Wives of wealthy white meno These were the people who had the leisure time to perform- Developed as a rebellion to ballet:Ballet Modern DanceShoes BarefootRoyal/Aristocratic Dance of the PeopleFantasy RealHighly Skilled More NaturalEthereal or Elevated Grounded or EarthyLinear Bodies Curvilinear or Rounded- Compare/Contrast from a technical perspective:Ballet Modern DanceSwing: using gravity to gain momentumRelease: giving way to gravityContract: having control of musclesSuspend: defying gravity with muscularityNEVER touch the floor in ballet Floor Work: dancing on floorVestibular: spinning and moving inmultiple directions(Tasmanian Devil)Lateral/Body Half: moving one side of thebodyCross Lateral: moving across your sidesCore to Distal: moving from the core outto the end of the body(fingers/toes)3/6/2014- Pseudo-Exoticismo False depictions of eastern culture- Exotico originating in or characteristic of a distant foreign country, exciting alluring appeal because of its foreign nature and rarity- Fascination with Eastern Culture during this time period- Modern Dance had not yet became a codified technique yeto Ruth St. Denis  Brought back dance influenced by what she had seen on her visit to the east- This didn’t have a great affect because people were not immersed in the culture themselves  Made her own interpretation of eastern dances- Music, lighting, and costumes were different, but some of the movies were similaro Ted Shawn Had school with his wife, Ruth St. Deniso Martha Graham Their most famous student and created her own form of modern dance Used classic Greek literature as some of the inspiration for her work Had a more evolved vocabulary in comparison to St. Denis- Required more training and talent- Vocabulary: Movement being done Used ballet as a foundation to modern dance- Established ballet as a foundation of all concert dance even to this day, as a opposed to a rebellion Career spanned over about 8 decades- Therefore, all of her work was very diverse- Always dramatic, personal, and technical  Some of her students became the fathers of contemporary dance- Important people:o Rudolf Labano Mary Wigmano Isadora Duncano Ruth St. Deniso Ted