Modern Dancers

[Living Soul Dance]

I am learning that there are many different techniques of modern dance.
I studied Hortan & Graham.

What kind of modern dance have you studied?
How is it different from these 2 types?

Some people don't know what modern dance is.
Let's talk about it on this forum.

 

[progressivegal]

I've studied a variety but the majority has been Horton, Cunningham, and Limon. I'd love to get more into Graham though.

 

[Multi-Elis]

I've done some cunningham. I think that it differes from graham in this: Merce Cunningham was a student and dancer of Martha Graham, and he was the first modern dancer to whom she encouraged to learn ballet. After that experience, he decided to make a technique that would use the enormous amount of torso use in Graham's technique, combined with the enormous amount of leg and arm use in ballet. He also decided to do a less "psychologically" based dance. There's more to it, but I think I've covered the basics.

 

[Living Soul Dance]

I've done some cunningham. I think that it differes from graham in this: Merce Cunningham was a student and dancer of Martha Graham, and he was the first modern dancer to whom she encouraged to learn ballet. After that experience, he decided to make a technique that would use the enormous amount of torso use in Graham's technique, combined with the enormous amount of leg and arm use in ballet. He also decided to do a less "psychologically" based dance. There's more to it, but I think I've covered the basics.

That interesting.
Does Cunningham have a lot of falling?
And, what dance company does this technique?
Thanks. I'm learning something

 

[Living Soul Dance]

I've studied a variety but the majority has been Horton, Cunningham, and Limon. I'd love to get more into Graham though.

What is Limon?
Please share.

I only know Hortan, Graham and a little Dunham.

 

[progressivegal]

What is Limon?
Please share.

I only know Hortan, Graham and a little Dunham.

Jose Limon danced with Doris Humphrey, so if you've seen any of her performances ("Two Exstatic Themes" is highly recomended!) it's alot like that. It's been a while since I've studied it, but there definitely is alot of "falling" in limon technique.

 

[Multi-Elis]

Does Cunningham have a lot of falling?
And, what dance company does this technique?
Thanks. I'm learning something

If I remember right, the falling that takes place is more to do with in-balances where you catch yourself, or being caught by a partener, but I am not sure.
The Merce cunningham dance company continues to dance this technique (Merce Cunningham is still alive, he is very old, walks with a cane, but still has a dance company) There is also the Merce Cunningham foundation that teaches all levels. In genenral most contemporary dancers and dance companies refer to Merce Cunningham's technique as a basic method of know how and personal training, even if they don't use it in their shows, and even though this technique is considered more of a "modern dance" technique.

What's interesting about Jose Limone is that he started at age 20 and he believed that with dicipline he could make it ... and he did. I was told that it's a technique that uses a lot of arm mouvements

 

[Living Soul Dance]

That was awesome information about Limon.

According to a documentary I have on video tape, Alvin Aliey started at age 18 with Lester Hortan; and after 3 years, took over Mr Hortan's Dance Company.

Those are some incredible people!