Modern Dance Flashcards

flashcards for test 1

Mother of Modern Dance

Isadora Duncan

Modern Dance rejected what from ballet

rigid form, pointe shoes, and traditional gender roles

Naturual movement and barefoot dancing changed dance by

grounding dances and connecting it to nature

What cultures did Ruth St. Dennis use as inspo

Asian and Middle Eastern Cultures (Japanese, Indian, and Egyptian)

Ted Shawn’s role in re-shaping dance

introduced masculunity and athelcism into dance as an art form. Co-founded Denishawn School of Dancing

Denishawn’s School importance in dance

All male dance company which challenged traditional gender roles

Contraction and release

Martha Graham and it’s based on breathe and tightening

Fall and Recovery

Doris Humphrey and its based on gravity, balance, and breathe

How did José Limon expand on Doris’s Humphreys technique (fall and recovery)

Introduced humanity, emotion and storytelling into the technique

Who used Chance Operations to create unpredictable dances?

Merce Cunnigham

How Katherine Dunham changed modern dance

Introduced African and Caribbean traditions to dance and broke barriers for black dancers in the U.S.

How did Pearl Primus use modern dance as a way to fight social justice and share cultural stories?

She used dance as a form of activism by delivering messages for social justice through her dance.

Examples of Afro-Caribbean or African dance qualities

multiple rhythms, low weighted movement, cultural or spiritual stories

How did modern dance choreographers relate music to dance differently than ballet choreographers

They used experimental sound and even danced in silence. Dance did not always follow music

Which choreographer believed dance and music could exist separately?

Merce Cunningham

How did Modern Dance reflect political and social changes of the 20th century.

It reflected societal changes, including Women's Rights, Civil Rights, and psychological struggles.

How has modern dance blended with jazz, ballet, hip-hop, and global dance styles?

It has evolved into contemporary with ballet lines, jazz rhythms, and hip-hop groundness

How has Alvin Ailey’s “Revelations” kept modern dance alive?

He has kept modern dance alive by using African gospel, spirituals, and blues in his music.

What other dance companies continue the legacies of Graham, Limon, and Ailey?

Paul Taylor dance company, Mark Morris Dance group, and Martha Graham dance company

What Broadway show strong influence from modern dance?

West Side Story, Chicago, Chorus Line, and the Lion King

How did modern dance choreographers bring modern dance technique to the Broadway Stsge?

Katherine Dunham’s incorporation of African and Caribbean technique in the play West Side Story reflect in the show’s low weighted movement and cultural costumes.

Why is modern dance considered part of American popular culture today?

Modern dance reflects the changes of American culture. As issues or priorities in american society change so will contemporary dance; b/c dance is a mirror of society. (Broadway,films, and U.S. culture)