MAPEH 4TH GRADING

• CHARACTERISTICS OF CONTEMPORARY DANCE:

  -Different styles of dance have a particular way to produce or perform movement.

  -However it is very hard to define contemporary dance

  -Contemporary itself is a Genre not a technique because it incorporates a range of different styles to create its own unique look.
• Classical ballet involves adherence to technique and style.
• Folk/National Dance involves using traditional music and steps.
• Tap/Theater Dance/Jazz use popular music and happy themes.
• If its non of the above(Classical Ballet, Folk/National Dance, Tap/Theater Dance/Jazz) then the dance is contemporary.
• Contemporary Dance is a style of expressive dance that combines elements of several dance genres including modern, jazz, lyrical, and classical ballet.
• Contemporary Dance may deal with abstract concept, images or emotional extremes.
• Some Contemporary Choreography tells a story on the words of a song, but other pieces have story lines known only to the dancers and their choreography.
• Contemporary emerged in the 1950's out of the constraints of classical ballet.
• Martha Graham decided to rebel against the rigid style of ballet and perform movement that was "Freer" and involved using the body and gravity.
• Martha Graham started to use costumes that were away from the traditional lyrical dresses and ballet tutus.
• From here contemporary dance continued to develop into "modern dance" it is today.
• Techniques:

  -Cunningham

  -Graham

  -Limon

  -Release

  -Improvisation
• Cunningham technique

  -Looks a bit like ballet-with the same turned out position of the legs, quick footwork, and strong spine-But also differs in many ways.
• Cunningham Technique

  -Utilize their torsos, bending sideways, forward and backward, and hold balances for long periods.
• Graham Technique

  -Based on "Contraction and Release" and uses different parts of the body in opposition to another to create spirals of dramatic tension.
• Limon Technique

  -Emphasizes the natural rhythms of Fall and Recovery, a conscious use of breath and the interplay between weight and weightlessness. It provides dancers with an organic approach to movement that easily adapts to a range of choreographic styles.
• Release Techniques

  -A contemporary dance practice which focuses on releasing excess tension and finding full body freedom, awareness and integration.
• Release Techniques

  -It emphasizes a sense of ease and fluidity, and is the physical state of being efficient, relaxed and ready to move.
• Improvisation Technique

  -The process of creating movement without pre-planning any steps or choreography.

  -Free movement is a great way to have fun, relieve any stress and explore new ways to move and the best part is there are absolutely no rules.
• Free movement is a great way to have fun, relieve any stress and explore new ways to move and the best part is there are absolutely no rules.