Dance 101 – Lecture Outline – Week Seven TEXT: CHAPTER SIX – MODERN DANCEVIDEO: THE INDIVIDAUL AND TRADITION; THE HISTORY OF MODERN DANCE; ISADORA; DENISHAWN: THE BIRTH OF MODERN DANCE ; MARTHA GRAHAM IN PERFORMANCE- Modern Dance o Evolved in the late 1800s and early 1900s as a revolt against perceived restrictions/limitations of balleto Began in America by groups of individuals who thought ballet was too conventionalo Themes, inspirations involve real life situations and societal issueso Free, flowing fabrics, unrestricted clothing and bare feet, connection with natureo Genre differs widely in style, approach and methodology- Isadora Duncan (1877-1927)o Born in California to lower middle class familyo Charged wealthy to watch her perform o Breakthrough to primitive dance; representative to freedomo Left US to go to Greece (wanted to go to ancient world and discover)o Continued fascination with the Ancient World – India, China, Egypt, Greeceo After Greece went to England; was essentially homeless o Created a stir in Europe; dressed in free flowing fabric but also naked o Mother of modern dance**o Mistress to many wealthy men; taught their kids but classes were very unstructured o Married Russian count who later killed himself o First two children died at young age in Paris; died by drowning o Strangled in the backseat of car with scarf (very unusual)o “Air on the G String” was played at her funeral o Isadorables was what professional dancers called her followers - Rudolf Von Laban (1879-1958)o Had a background in balleto Established own form of modern dance in Germanyo Labanotation is a way of writing down danceo Laban Movement Analysis is analyzing moment through time, movement, space, etc. - Ruth St. Denis (1878-1968)o Was an upper middle class spoiled girlo From New Jersey/New York City areao Loved theatre and became a show girl in early theatre and traveled throughout Europeo Came back to America to get more serious about dance and wanted to form her own company o Created works by “musical visualization” - Ted Shawn (1891-1972)o Took one of Ruth’s classes and began a relationship with hero Formed a dance school and company called it Denishawno Started dance school in New York and created another one in California o Wanted to get back to nature, found a place in Western Massachusetts called Jacob’s Pillow and took the male dancers there to train; also rebuilt the property - Vaudevilleo When Ted and Ruth ran out of money they would join this company as dancers “more commercial dance and considered it selling there souls” o First “variety show”o Done to entertain people across the country o Movies marked the end of Vaudeville - Mary Wigman (1886-1973)o Student of Von Laban in Germany and took it back to America - Loie Fuller (1862-1928)o Loved camera, to be photographedo Pioneer in film and dance connection - “Pioneers” of Modern Dance; all studied with Denishawn1. Martha Graham (1894-1990)o Contract and release techniqueo Danced until age 92o First company was all women o Has a school on upper east side called Martha Graham’s school of contemporary dance; does a lot of touring today (mainly in Europe)o Company had to fly and when flying over Middle East plane experienced mechanical failure and almost crashed; Martha created a piece called “Night Journey”o When company was touring Germany, Martha saw young teens joining youth groups (precursor to Nazi part), sharing a message of hate; Martha saw the danger and developed 3 part “Chronicle”o “Cave of the Heart”, based on Greek mythology o “Acts of Light”o Last piece Graham created was “Maple Leaf Rag”; out on the waterfront in Charelston and saw kids bouncing on bouncing boards and created dance on it o Graham reached out to American composers and commissioned music; Aaron Copeland created music for “Appalachian Spring”2. Doris Humphrey (1895-1958) and Charles Weidman (1901-1975)o Formed school with Charles called Humphrey Weidman school and company o Trained dancers together o Technique based on fall and recovery; wanting to escape from gravity - German “Pioneers” of Modern Dance 1. Hanya Holm (1898-1992)o Got involved in broadway scene o Choreographed in “My Fair Lady” and “Kiss me Kate”2. Kurt Jooss (1901-1979)o “The Green Table”, anti war statement- Erick Hawkingso First male dancer in Martha Grahams school o Lead dancer in Graham’s “Appalachian Spring” (1944); tribute to the American pioneers; stern strict creature in the work, a bride, a groom, and older woman, and a core ballet (groom Eric Hawkings and bride was Graham, later got married for real)o Formed own company based on ease and free flow of moment (opposite of contraction and release, Grahams