pathfit:dance

• Modern dance


  Has many flavors, with stark differences in choreography between different choreographers and dance groups
• Ballet (in modern dance)

  • Characterized by floor work, turn-in of the legs, greater range of movement and body line, pointe shoes but also bare feet
• Burlesque


  A literary, dramatic, or musical work which aims to create laughter by caricaturing the behavior of serious works or via absurd treatments of such subjects
• Ballroom Dance


  A duet dance refers to any type of partner dancing as recreation, enjoyed both socially and competitively globally
• Belly Dancing


  Also known as Arabic dance or Raqs sharqi, it is a dance originating from Egypt and emphasizes the complex movements on the torso
• Jazz


  A performance dance style and technique emerged along with jazz music, can be referred to as vernacular jazz or to Broadway or theatrical jazz
• Hip-hop


  A unique and exciting style of street dance that is most commonly performed in hip-hop music, a vibrant form of dance that combines a variety of freestyle movements to create a cultural piece of art
• Basic movements in modern dance

  • Fluidly free style, often performed with oblique angles of the body and in turns, include chaine tour, glissade, jetes, tour de basque, and geometric shapes like triangular, rectangular and circular shapes
• Difference between modern dance and jazz

  Modern dance choreography is performed with a theme in mind, while jazz dance is free form and employs a variety of sharp turns, hops, jumps, leaps and jazz walks set to an upbeat style of music
• Popular modern dance styles from 1990 to present

  • Hip hop
  • Lyrical
  • Free style
  • Fusion (combination of dance forms like tap, jazz, modern and ballet)
• Current trends in modern dance focus less on interpretation and more on acrobatic and aerial movements in groups and with partners, and articulating crossover dance styles by adding words, drama and illusion
• Famous modern dancers


  • Isadora Duncan
  • Ruth St. Denis
  • Ted Shawn
  • Hanya Holm
  • Doris Humphrey
  • Martha Graham
  • Merce Cunningham
• Benefits of modern dance

  • Better coordination, agility and flexibility
  • Stronger bones and reduced risk of osteoporosis
  • Improved balance and spatial awareness
  • Increased physical confidence
  • Improved mental functioning
  • Improved general and psychological wellbeing
  • Greater self-confidence and self-esteem
• Nowadays, modern dance is very popular throughout the world, with many ballet companies incorporating it into their class repertoire and performances
• Modern dance is the only form of art that allows free expression, which is an exceptional quality that not many dance forms possess