Modern Dance Origins

Modern dance origins are not only interesting, they also can help you more appreciate this art form.

Modern Dance and Ballet
Modern dance is rooted in classical ballet, but the legacy is complicated. On the one hand, modern dance was created as a reaction against the formal, rigid constraints of classical ballet. Modern dance concentrates more on freedom of expressive movement than classical ballet does. On the other hand, modern dance has incorporated many of classical ballet's movements and steps into the modern dance repertoire.

American Modern Dance Origins
The three early muses of modern dance in America were Isadora Duncan, Ruth St. Denis and Loie Fuller. These women were all born in the second half of the 19^th century. The dawn of the 20^th century found them focusing on improvisation and freedom of movement when dancing. They variously combined philosophy, drama, vaudeville and ancient history into their dancing to create the underpinnings of modern dance.

Duncan, St. Denis and Fuller were followed by the greats Martha Graham and Doris Humphrey. You might have seen one of the famous pictures of Graham in a characteristic angular dance pose. Humphrey wrote the first book that could be used as a guide to modern dancing, The Art of Making Dancing, published after Humphrey died in 1958.

Of course, there were also men involved in developing the American modern dance movement. Ted Shawn was an important figure in early modern dance. Shawn and Ruth St. Denis, who were married, opened Denishawn. Dance students who attended Denishawn included Martha Graham and Doris Humphrey. After St. Denis and Shawn's marriage broke up, Shawn formed the all male troupe Ted Shawn and his Male Dancers.