Contemporary dance is a stage performance dance that uses compositional philosophy, rather than choreography. It uses dance techniques and methods found in ballet, modern dance and very generously draws from the other philosophies of movement that are outside the domain of classical dance techniques. In terms of the focus of its technique, contemporary dance tends to utilize both the strong and controlled legwork of ballet and modern body stretch of dance on the torso, and also employs contract release, floor work, fall and recovery, and improvisation characteristic of the modern dance.
Unlike the traditional dance forms, contemporary dance is a raw form of dance that does not follow any rules of dance steps. Alike popular to audiences and dancers, it portrays the world through the eyes of the dancer, their experiences, stories, and emotions. Here in this article, we look closer at what exactly contemporary dance is and how it is performed.
About Contemporary Dance
Contemporary dance emerged in the 20th century as dancers want to exhibit more personal expression in their dancing. It was a way to stray from the more traditional and structured dance styles. Breaking the conventional style of dance, contemporary dance focuses on the freedom of the dance movement.
When the contemporary dance is performing, dancers focus on connecting their mind and body through fluid dance moves. This allows dancers to explore emotions, and use their natural energy to portray personal expression in their dance movements. It is a combination of techniques often ranging from ballet, jazz, modern, breakdancing and even yoga and Pilates.
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How is contemporary dance performed?
When hearing the word contemporary, think freedom of movement and expression of mind and soul. Allowing a free range of creativity and passion to flow in dance has lead contemporary to become increasingly popular across the world. Most contemporary dancers prefer using their bare feet or soft ballet slippers, and often costumes as well. It will help to express their story and allow for easy movement on stage. The studio and performance theatre where the dancers will perform, usually be large and open, so that the dancers can focus on floor work and they are free to move about.
Dancers love performing the contemporary dance moves as it pushes against traditional boundaries and commonly incorporates versatility and improvisation. They are free to create their own moves or steps, from sharp and abrupt to flowing and long movements. As contemporary dance incorporates different styles, it is also performed to a variety of music genres. The music will be important to help tell the story behind the dance and set the mood of the audience. Some contemporary dance performances may even be silent or have voice overlay.