Stylistic features

From understanding the history and development of Contemporary dance in Britain we have to find the characteristics of the ICDS from 2000-current. In some ways, we are finding the characteristics of ‘New Dance’ in Britain today. Many of the characteristics and concerns of New Dance can be seen or applied to the ICDS 2000-current.

Overview of the characteristics/concerns of New Dance:

Liberation:

 Challenged the established conventions and perceived restraints of Ballet and Modern Dance in the 60’s & 70’s

 This was in part driven by the work of the Post Modernists in America that some of the choreographers of the New Dance era had experienced e.g. Alston working with Merce Cunningham

Shift Towards Individuality:

 Particularly in movement choices – the eclecticism of dance language

 Juxaposition of structural devices & form

 Interaction of dance with the culture, economics and politics of its day

Body & Dance Language:

 Technical training Vs the untrained body

 Idiosyncratic movement – a personal movement style rather than a codified dance language

 Pedestrian movement – the work of Steve Paxton was of particular interest

 Use of gesture to imply meaning

 New ways of moving – ‘borrowing’ ideas from other cultures or from other movement disciplines e.g. T’ai Chi, Alexander Technique, Martial Art forms

 Fusion of different dance styles – two or more

 Contact Improvisation – ‘physical laws of mass, gravity, momentum, inertia demanding sensitivity, support and accommodation between two people”

 Freedom of Improvisation alone or through contact

Themes and Issues:

 Challenges to the establishment in terms of: Political themes, social themes, explicit sexual imagery, subverting the highly stylised gestures of Modern Dance.

 Autobiographical elements

NEW FORMS OF STAGING

• Non-theatrical venues

• Out of the theatre into public spaces

• Site-specific choreography

• Props, Sound & Lighting as important as the

choreography itself, with movement working

around the manipulation of props and set

MUSIC

• No single musical trend discernible in the work associated with New Dance or the Independent Contemporary Dance Scene, except a sense of unrestricted choice.

• Some choreographers have worked with silence and some have followed the example of Cunningham and Cage using music as an independent adjunct to the choreography – both elements developed independently.

• Some choreographers have choreographed directly to the music or developed the music and dance through the collaborative process.

• Eclectic mix of musical styles and use of sound.

Alternative Approaches to Movement & Choreography

• Some dancers and choreographers feel constricted by working inside ‘set’ techniques like ballet, Graham or Cunningham and finding their own movement languages.

• Fusion of different dance styles to create something new

• Eclectic mix of dance styles and other movement sources used within choreography

• Use of physical theatre movement sources: contact improvisation, use of pedestrian/every day gesture.

Cross-Over with Other Art Forms

• Acting

• Song

• Cabaret

• Live music

• Media & Film

• Technology

• Physical Theatre

Collaborations

• Works created as a result of a collaborative process between choreographer, visual artist & designers and composers.

Narrative & Politics

• Works that reflect, comment or seek to provoke and challenge the audience in relation to current social and political issues.

Embracing cultural similarities and differences

• Exploring cultural heritage, identify and diversity through movement vocabulary and thematic exploration.