Contemporary dance developed in the early 20th century as a rejection of rigid ballet techniques. Pioneers like Isadora Duncan and Martha Graham emphasized natural body movement with greater fluidity than traditional styles. Contemporary dance is characterized by its versatility in being adapted to different music styles and combined with other forms. It seeks a natural body alignment that makes it accessible for beginners while allowing experienced dancers to expand movement boundaries. Contemporary dance comments on the human condition and society in open-to-interpretation, risk-taking ways using the body, time and space as creative tools.

6. CONTEMPORARY
DANCE

7. CONTEMPORARY DANCE DEFINED…
• The name “contemporary dance” describes a
range of techniques and styles used in classes,
workshops and dance choreography.
• It was developed in the early 20th century as a
recreation against the rigid techniques of ballet.
• Pioneers such as Isadora Duncan and Martha
Graham searched for ease of movement using
the body’s natural lines and energy, allowing a
greater range and fluidity of movement than
typical and traditional dance techniques.

8. • Contemporary dance is characterized by its
versatility: it can be danced to almost any
style of music, or united with other dance
forms to create new styles of movement.
• Contemporary dancing seeks to work with
the natural alignment of the body, and is
therefore safe and accessible for beginners.
• At the same time, the ease of movement
promoted by contemporary dance
techniques allows experienced dancers to
push new boundaries of body movement.

9. • It is a dance that is made in, influenced
by, or presented in our current world
context.
• This is a flexible way of identifying the
field that allows for an increasing range
of contemporary practices in dance,
and allows dance artists the freedom to
self-identify their work rather than
being categorized inappropriately.

10. • Contemporary dance makes a statement
about the world around us.
• It can offer an artistic perspective on the
human condition in bold and courageous,
or subtle and ambiguous ways.
• It is a non-story dance, which means it is
open to interpretation.
• It is fresh, inspiring and risk-taking.
• The primary creative tools of contemporary
dance are the Body, Time and Space.

11. HISTORY OF CONTEMPORARY DANCES
• In European culture, one of the earliest records of
dancing is by homer, whose “Iliad” describes CHOREA
(KHOREIA)
• The art of dancing into a system that is expressive of all
the different passions.
• The Greek philosopher, Aristotle, ranked dancing with
poetry, and said that certain dancers, with rhythm
applied to gesture, could express manners, passions,
and actions.
• The most eminent Greek sculptors studied the attitude
of the dancers for their art of imitating the passions.