Contemporary Dance

[Multi-Elis]

I just thought we needed a topic on it.
I used to be so against it, untill I was forced to do it in University. Even then, I just had a hard time getting the point of these ugly movements I was being made to do. And then it clicked. I now do 6 hours of contemporary dance a week.
So does anybody else do contemporary dance? What kind of classes do you take? How do you put it into practice? What drew you to it?

 

[Living Soul Dance]

What's contemporary dance?

Modern dance?
I've never taken a dance class called contemporary dance. Not even in college.

 

[progressivegal]

I think what she's referring to is post-modern dance (correct me if I'm wrong). I actually liked it from the beginning, but the majority of my classmates did not.

 

[dElIrIoUsLy:mIcH]

Im still not clear on what type of dance we are talking. . . .and how is it that you were forced??

 

[Multi-Elis]

Well, There are many ways to explain what contemporary dance is. Post-modern dance could be the way you say it in the new continent.

One way to look at it is: Anti-technique, anti-method. Ballet is one way to understand the body and the space around you. Modern dance is another way to understand the the body and the space around you. Contemporary dance tries to englobe all the techniques, or rather have no technique: it's just a way to learn in which the improtant aspect is getting to know your body and your abilities, and gaining a perfect body mind connection so that you are able to do... anything.

Another way to look at it is that it is a way of dancing that is supposed to searve your own purposes. You learn "tools" that you can later use for what ever choreography you decide to do. The choreography wouldn't be any spacific style of dance, it would just be a form of expression, whether abstract or not.

Contemporary dance cannot be describes as a style, only as an attitude. I wouldn't call it post modern dance, because contemporary dance englobes post modern dance. Post modern dance wouldn't accept the use of "un-natural" movements or theatrical dance, while in comtemporary dance, it really doesn't matter. Often contemporary dancers use modern dance techniques, only to forget about them when the occasion calls for it. If you like, contemporary dance tries not to fall in a particular "box". This is why every contemporary dance teacher has his/her own personal method of teaching you.

Having said all that, there are traditions that still persist. For example: balance and unballenced movements, counter-weight dancing, falls, contact dance, etc. Improvasation plays an enormous part in many classes. Over all, I'd say that fluid and "textured" movements are what you look for. Some teachers teach ways of dancing in which you use the natural swing and flow of your body to make a dynamic dance.

So this is why you sometimes find your self doing movements you don't like, because the teacher is trying to teach you something about your body, and is trying to teach you a different attitude about dance.

I think people don't all agree about how to dfine contemporary dance. But generally all teachers in contemporary dance focus on knowing your body and how it moves, personal creativity, and finding the "mot juste", the perfect movement to fit the occasion.

 

[Living Soul Dance]

Wow!
That was great!
So contemporary dance is an attitude. I have never taken a class like that before. Not even in college. Although my college modern dance professors tried to help us dance whatever was in our "In self " or whatever expressed our mode and personality today.
This type of dance sounds a bit like. "Dance improve for actors"
Cool!

 

[Multi-Elis]

One of my Contemporary dance teachers is also a coach for actors, when they need to do a kind of acting that involves more of the dance element or the physical element. Or to help dancers who need to deal with something more theatrical. Un example that he worked on was a show about Arliquin...

 

[Multi-Elis]

This is a nice definition, that actually only describes part of the picture:
Rather than a specific dance technique contemporary dance is a collection of systems and methodologies developed from Modern and Postmodern dance.
And here is the site I took it from: I think it also explains somewhere why Contemporary dance as we know it in Europe, is not so known in America
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contemporary_dance

I suppose that in non-European Universities, people feel that teaching modern techniques is enough. In away, it is often a good educational tool, and if the esteem for contemporary dance is not so high in culture, then it might be useless to teach. Here in France, contemporary dancers are looked apone as "high artists" as opposed to other more codified forms of dance. People try to be so intellectual and experimental about their dance, that 80% of choreographies aren't that satisfying. And then finally, the truth is that quality contemporary dancers are anyway obliged to do modern dance, to get some basic "technique"