Modern Dance-People

Isadora Duncan

Matriarch: Natural movement, expression of emotions, music, visualization

Loie Fuller

Matriarch: technology, light, fabric. Abstract imagery from natural world.

Ruth St. Denis + Ted Shawn

Matriarch: started in vaudeville, created denishwan, St Denis interested in other eastern cultures. Shawn advocated for male dancers.

1st gen: Martha Graham

Studied at denishawn. Theatrical, dramatic, emotionally charged.

Martha Graham

Technique: Contraction and release. dance first, music second. Human’s inner nature.

1st gen: Doris Humphrey + Charles Weidman

Choreography: American heritage, abstract + modernist

Doris Humphrey + Charles Weidman

Technique Fall + recovery. Close connection to music

1st gen: Mary Wigman

Protege of Laban. Kneeling, crouching, strong sense of gravity. No Music; percussion only.

1st gen: Katherine Dunham

African american. Technique: codified mvnts, combining western, african + caribbean styles. Polyrhythmic music.

2nd gen legacy builders: Jose Limon

student of Humphrey + weidman. Strong, fluid torso, body as an orchestra.

2nd gen legacy builders: Hanya Holm

studied + taught modern dance under wigman. LMA concepts-body as tool for expressing emotions.

2nd gen Iconoclasts: Merce Cunningham

Student of Graham’s. Randomness + chance- freedom in choreo.

Merce Cunningham

tehnique: modern dancer’s emphasis on torso.spine, pedestrian movemnt w/ ballet legs + arms.

2nd gen iconoclasts: Lester Horton

Dancer, chorographer, educator, activist. personal + political expression. Dancers of any race could take his class

Lester Horton

Technique: large vocab of movements, connected to earth + sky. Clearly defined shapes, fluidity in movements.

2nd gen iconoclasts: Alwin Nikolais

abstract total theatre, use of technology. “dance is art of motion not emotion”

Further generations: Alvin Ailey

student of many pioneers, black tradition in american dance + music.

Further Generations: Paul taylor

Student of martha graham’s, fusion of styles + topics.

Further gen: Twyla Tharp

Brief student of paul taylor, Choreo: use of space, clear timing, musicality. Concert dance, broadway, film.