Modern dance is a dance genre that focuses on expression and free movement of the body. It has fluid gestures that express the dancer's feeling.
The style of modern dance is more relaxed and is not limited to predetermined techniques and costumes. Its objective is for the dancer to be creative and free in their bodily expressions.
Modern dance emerged between the 19th and 20th centuries, mainly in North America and Europe, as a protest against classical ballet, which had rigid movements rigorously followed by dancers. This protest was so intense that one of the first elements to be removed were ballet shoes.
Modern dancers claim express your feelings through dancing and have freedom in your gestures and bodily movements. They started to dance barefoot, without standardized clothes and with more twists and fittings in their movements.
Some pioneers of modern dance are: the Americans Isadora Duncan, Martha Graham, Martha Loie Fuller and Ruth St Dennis and the Swiss Emile Jacque Dalcroze.
Characteristics of modern dance
Expressions and movements linked to emotions
Modern dance seeks to interpret the dancers' feelings through free, fluid and expressive movements. The aim of the modern dancer is to convey their emotions to the audience through their bodily movements.
New body fits and distortions
With the move away from classical ballet, modern dance sought new movements and the freedom to create its own steps. This passage from rigid to free movements, made modern dance one of the pioneer styles in the different distortions and fittings during dance.
New makeup and clothing styles in performances
Modern dance abandoned the costumes and makeup required in ballet and sought a more natural and free style. Clothes can be loose or close-fitting, bare feet and generally makeup is more basic.
modern dance in Brazil
Modern dance emerged in the context of World War II. At this time, great European choreographers arrived in Brazil seeking refuge and brought many aspects of their culture, including modern dance.
Modern dance emerged in Brazil in the mid-twentieth century. Big names like Maria Duschenes, Luiz Arrieta and Ruth Rachou were responsible for spreading it across the country, mainly in the big capitals, like São Paulo and Salvador.
Great names in American modern dance influenced Brazilian art, such as Martha Graham and Isabela Duncan. In 1990, modern dance entered major Brazilian schools.
In Brazil, the great names of modern dance are Deborah Colker, Grupo Corpo, Grupo Raça and Ballet Teatro Guaíra.
Also read the types of dance, what is dance and contemporary dance.
