Like all dance movements, modern dancing has evolved over time as ideas have changed.
A Guide to Modern Dancing
By the turn of the 19th century, some ballet dancers were getting tired of dancing the rigid formulas of classical ballet and were looking for something more "human" and expressive. One of these dancers was Isadora Duncan.
Isadora Duncan lived as she died: dramatically. Duncan believed in dancing rather than performance, although she needed to perform for income. But she didn't like it. In fact, she chastised family and students when they performed for money. She set up dance schools in Germany, in France and in the new Soviet Union to teach children dance, sometimes financing the schools out of her own pocket. She died penniless when one of her trademark long scarves got caught on the wheel of a car in which she was riding, killing her.
Another influential modern dancer was Martha Graham. Graham was educated by some of Duncan's modern dance contemporaries, Ted Shawn and Ruth St. Denis. Over her lifetime, Graham choreographed more than 180 dances. Her dances varied in theme. For example, a dance might be influenced by ancient Greek myths, Biblical themes or American history. Unlike her predecessors, whose dance movements were typically fluid, Graham's dances could be angular and might look "stiff" in comparison to earlier modern dancers' choreography.
Martha Graham was one of Twyla Tharp's teachers. Among Tharp's achievements is melding modern dance, classical ballet and music and contemporary popular dances and music to create a new twist to modern dance. When Tharp was 23, she formed her own dance company, Twyla Tharp Dance, which she was forced to close in 1987 for financial reasons. In addition to creating works for her own company, Tharp worked with the Joffrey Ballet, the American Ballet and the New York City Ballet on performances that crossed traditional dance and music lines.
Contemporary dance continues to evolve today as new dancers with different training and musical preferences move dancing into the future.
 | The history of modern dance is a history of rebellion against restrictive forms. |
 | Modern dance steps, modelled on classical dance, can be fun and challenging to try. Here are a couple to get you started. |
Modern dance moves share a few things with their classical predecessors, but they offer a new challenge even to seasoned ballerinas. |
The origins of modern dance involve a group of visionary women. |
The modern dance still might be dangerous. To you. |
