Melanie Moore
Rabu, 19 Desember 2012
Contemporary
Question: What is contemporary dance?
Answer: Contemporary dance is a style of expressive dance that combines elements of several dance genres including modern, jazz, lyrical and classical ballet. Contemporary dancers strive to connect the mind and the body through fluid dance movements.
Contemporary dance stresses versatility and improvisation, unlike the
strict, structured nature of ballet. Contemporary dancers focus on
floorwork, using gravity to pull them down to the floor. This dance
genre is often done in bare feet. Contemporary dance can be performed to
many different styles of music.
Pioneers of contemporary dance include Isadora Duncan, Martha Graham and Merce Cunningham. These contemporary dancers all believed that dancers should have freedom of movement, allowing their bodies to freely express their innermost feelings.
Pioneers of contemporary dance include Isadora Duncan, Martha Graham and Merce Cunningham. These contemporary dancers all believed that dancers should have freedom of movement, allowing their bodies to freely express their innermost feelings.
Dance Event
"Breaking Ground 2013": Three-Day Contemporary Dance and Dance Film Festival Coming to Tempe in January
Categories: Events
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| Photo courtesy of Conder/dance |
See also:
- Museum of Modern Art to Showcase Video Game Collection in 2013
- Sci-Fi/Fantasy Scribes Timothy Zahn, Terry Brooks, and Other Authors Coming to Phoenix Comicon
- Museum of Modern Art to Showcase Video Game Collection in 2013
- Sci-Fi/Fantasy Scribes Timothy Zahn, Terry Brooks, and Other Authors Coming to Phoenix Comicon
"This is our sixth year and we are seeing a real connection between
the films we feature and our live dance offerings," company founder,
Carley Conder says. " We adhere closely to a format emphasizing work
that is not just contemporary, but also intensely, creatively
innovative."
Conder says she also intends for the festival to support new
choreographers and invite outside artists into the Phoenix community.
On the first night of the event students from ASU, local community
colleges as well as from outside the state will present their work at
ASU's Margaret Gisolo Studio Theater. The next night will feature the
second set of dance works and films in a grouping titled NOW I. The
evening's program includes "Vias de Vuelo," an "achingly lovely film" by
Mexican filmmaker Alfredo Salomon.
The second night of the festival, NOW II, will include the premier of
a 20-minute solo piece from Arizona-based dancer Ashley Leite.
The festival includes performance art, highly technical pure
movement, multimedia collaborations as well as site-specific work with
performances being held throughout the center. For example, some works
will take place in the sculpture garden and films will be screened on
the walls of the building.
"The idea is that people will be truly immersed in the work," Conder says.
Attendees will also be able to participate in two Master's classes, which will be held in Tempe and taught by visiting artists.
"[Breaking Ground] is our way to try to pull in the general public,"
Conder says. "We have the opportunity to bring in so many great people,
it's a wonderful way to get outside influences into Arizona."
Tickets are available as a three-day pass of for each day of the
event and range from $7 to $35. For more information including the
complete program of performances visit the Conder/dance website.
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| Photo courtesy of Conder/dance |
Contemporary Dance
What
is Contemporary Dance?
"If
I could tell you that, I wouldn't have to dance it."
Isadora Duncan, asked what one of her dances meant.
Isadora Duncan, asked what one of her dances meant.
The name "Contemporary Dance" describes a range of techniques and styles used in classes, workshops and dance choreography. Contemporary dance was developed in the early 20th century as a reaction against the rigid techniques of ballet. Pioneers such as Isadora Duncan and Martha Graham searched for ease of movement using the body's natural lines and energy, allowing a greater range and fluidity of movement than conventional dance techniques.
Contemporary dance is characterised
by its versatility: contemporary can be danced to almost
any style of music, or united with other dance forms to
create new styles of movement. Contemporary seeks to work
with the natural alignment of the body, and is therefore
safe and accessible for beginners. At the same time, the
ease of movement promoted by contemporary dance technique
allows experienced dancers to push new boundaries of body
movement.
Contemporary
Dance techniques
The four main techniques used in contemporary dance are:
The four main techniques used in contemporary dance are:
Cunningham
(named after teacher and choreographer Merce Cunningham,
focusing on the architecture of the body in space, rhythm
and articulation.)
What does that mean? Cunningham
uses the idea of the body's own "line of energy"
to promote easy, natural movement. Richard Alston uses
Cunningham technique in his graceful choreography.
Graham
(named after Martha Graham) - focusing on the use of contraction,
release, fall and recovery.
What does that mean? Graham
technique is characterised by floorwork and the use of
abdominal and pelvic contractions. The style is very grounded
and the technique visibly contrary to the sylphlike, airborne
ideals of ballet.
Limon
(named after Jose Limon) - exploring use of energy in
relation to gravity and working with weight in terms of
fall, rebound, recovery and suspension.
What does that mean? Limon
technique uses the feeling of weight and "heavy energy"
in the body, and movement is instigated using breath to
lift, and swings through the body to create and halt movement.
It also feels very nice to perform!
Release
- placing emphasis on minimising tension in the search
for clarity and fluidity and efficient use of energy and
breath.
What does that mean? A
bit like it sounds - in Release technique, we release
through the joints and muscles to create ease of movement,
releasing the breath to aid the release of the body. A
great relaxation technique as well as a dance style.
Two or more contemporary techniques may be combined in class or in a piece of choreography.
Improvisation
Improvisation focuses on the investigation of movement and its relation to performance. Development of individual movement material is facilitated through a variety of creative explorations.
Contact Improvisation
Contact improvisation describes a duet dance form characterised by weight exchange, fluid movement and touch. Partners improvise using the natural movement of the body.
Contact improvisation describes a duet dance form characterised by weight exchange, fluid movement and touch. Partners improvise using the natural movement of the body.
Choreography
Choreography workshops are designed to encourage personal investigation into ideas suitable for choreography.
Choreography workshops are designed to encourage personal investigation into ideas suitable for choreography.
Rabu, 12 Desember 2012
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