Modern is...

elation · Joined: 14 Jun 2006 Posts: 10 Location: Wisconsin

Modern can be anything. I recently attended a dance conert in which the dancer was hardly moving-it was more of a light show really-and this is modern? For dancers like myself, I think these types of pieces give modern dancers a bad name. How do you defend yourself when others roll your eyes at you as a modern dancer?

DancerBee · Joined: 25 Jun 2005 Posts: 35 Location: Missouri

You prove them wrong. You show them differently. You explain to them that modern, at its best, is dance expressing fully and completely...dance moving beyond restrictions and the rules of ballet to tell a story, or express an emotion, or bare a soul. Unfortunately the avant garde and plain weird modern does give it a bad name...those of us who see modern as far more than that just have to show people differently.

Invite people to watch you dance. Put together a good modern concert. Take away lights and sets and let the dance stand on its own.

angel winns · Joined: 11 Jun 2005 Posts: 129 Location: Southern CA

elation wrote: Modern can be anything. I recently attended a dance conert in which the dancer was hardly moving-it was more of a light show really-and this is modern? For dancers like myself, I think these types of pieces give modern dancers a bad name. How do you defend yourself when others roll your eyes at you as a modern dancer?

Well just like ballet isn't always Classical style ballet. There are lots of different things you can do with ballet....or tap too. If someone is a real dancer then they know better than that. If they aren't then just say that there are different kinds of modern. I think I would be pretty bored performing that "light show" though.

dancersdreamland · Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2006 5:15 pm Post subject:

Well said, DancerBee!

mediaskank24 · Joined: 22 Jan 2007 Posts: 8 Location: New York

I agree with elation. I know that dance can be any type of movement and that's what really makes modern so great - that it's more about emotions and really feeling the movement, instead of hitting exact positions. But I went to a lot of modern performances in college where the dancers were not formally trained and the style was "pedestrian" and it basically consisted of the dancers walking across the stage in various speeds. And I have to admit that I find it very hard to consider that dance. It just seems that there isn't any level of skill in it, and if dance is considered a sport or an art form, shouldn't there be some level of skill?

mediaskank24 · Joined: 22 Jan 2007 Posts: 8 Location: New York

I agree with elation. I know that dance can be any type of movement and that's what really makes modern so great - that it's more about emotions and really feeling the movement, instead of hitting exact positions. But I went to a lot of modern performances in college where the dancers were not formally trained and the style was "pedestrian" and it basically consisted of the dancers walking across the stage in various speeds. And I have to admit that I find it very hard to consider that dance. It just seems that there isn't any level of skill in it, and if dance is considered a sport or an art form, shouldn't there be some level of skill?

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smiliano · Joined: 25 Feb 2007 Posts: 3

There are some definite contradictions in this post. If your going to say that modern can be anything and it is a form of free expression. Then if someone choose to use a "pedestrian" style or hardly any movement at all, that is formed from their own interpretation. Dance is art, not everyone is going to agree on whats good and whats not, especially concerning modern....But, modern also has technique as well.

pr · Joined: 11 Apr 2005 Posts: 1011 Location: Göteborg, Sweden

Welcome Smiliano! :D

lohaze77 · Joined: 03 Jun 2007 Posts: 4

we once did this piece where we, the dancers, played 'homeless' people. and all we did was jump around and wore raggedy (and downright fugly) costumes ...or at least, that's what it seemed like to me. But it was so much more than that...we were also actors because we were telling a story thought facial expressions and body movements. we were portraying homeless people and the morbid atmosphere that goes along with that. and the audience understood the story and they absolutely loved it. dance becomes so much more if you can tell a story and emotionally connect with the audience. i'm in love with modern dance precisely because it can be ANYTHING.