Lecture 7 Notes

Modern Dance 
Ballet Hierarchy
Germany
Isadora Duncan
Denishawn Co.
Martha Graham
Doris Humphrey
Charles Weiman
Mary Wigman

Modern Dance

MODERN DANCE

Rebellion against formalism

Responds to modern concerns and contemporary views

An American form of dance

Rejected established vocabulary of movements in Ballet and it's traditional themes

A conception of the 1920's and is constantly changing

Based on natural, expressive, basic movements

Dancer able to express broad range of feelings

Expression of contemporary scene

Movements reveal, rather than mask, the dancer

Movement can be harsh, forceful, percussive, "primitive"
 

BALLET HIERARCHY

I. Ballerina
II. Secondary Dancers
III. Corps de Ballet
 

GERMANY

I. Delsarte
  Divided movement into orders and types
  Language used in physical education

II. Dalcroze
  Used physical movements to accent rhythmic awareness
 

ISADORA DUNCAN 1878-1927

Body was her instrument
Powerful expressiveness of personality
Danced barefoot, bareleg, in short skirts
Cast dance in a new light
Modern dance seen as means of personal expression and powerful, emotional stage art
Set stage for great dancers to come
 

RUTH ST. DENIS AND TED SHAWN - DENISHAWN CO.

18 years, 13 major U.S. tours
Recognition of American Dance as an independent art form
Created audience of middle class theater-goers
Dance schools in L.A. and New York

I. Ruth St. Denis, born 1877
Actress, Skirt dancer, Toe dancer
   Brought elements of Egyptian Art & Dance, Oriental-style music
   Created dance theatrical appeal with color, lighting, scenery, exotic costumes
Used ethnic-based works, authentic dances from exotic lands
Very pictorial approach to dance

II. Ted Shawn, born 1891 - author of books on dance education
More analytical approach to dance
   Used technical training dance schools
   Instruction on ethnic and folk dance steps
Focus on developing male dancers and dance worthy art men
Used composers for his works
Themes: American Indian, African, Spanish

III. The DeniShawm School of Dance
Provided a training ground for great modern dancers to follow
  Martha Graham
  Doris Humphrey
  Charles Weidman
 

MARTHA GRAHAM, born 1898

I. Created over 100 Dances in the 25 years between 1926-1951
  American Indian, primitive rituals
  American Pioneers
  Greek Mythology

II. The Graham technique
  Effort - spasm and resistance
  Floor - part gesture
  Falls and recoveries
  Balanced on bent knees
  The "Breath" Martha Graham contraction
  Turns - swinging axis
  Explored potential movement vocabulary

III. Graham's contributions
  Appalachian Spring, Cave of Heart, Acts of Light
  Developed techniques
  High standards
  Fashion, stage design, costuming
  Modern composers
  Used Black and Asian Dancers
 

DORIS HUMPHREY, born 1895

Developed dance education in the U.S.
Composition and teaching choreography
Major contributions to American Dance Theater
  "With my Red Fires"
  "Shakers"
  Concept of "Fall and Recovery"
 

CHARLES WEIMAN, born 1901

Pantomime
Major Broadway Musicals
Trained other educator/dancers
 Jose Limon
Movements comic, light, humorous
 Entertaining and deeply moving
 

MARY WIGMAN, born in Germany 1886

1920's
Hanya Holm, My Fair Lady, Kiss Me Kate