NOTRE DAME OF JARO, INC.

Msgr. Lino Gonzaga St. Jaro, Leyte

NAME:_________________________________________YR&SEC: ______________________________
DATE:_________

PHYSICAL EDUCATION& HEALTH 12

GRADE 12 MODULES
INTRODUCTION: WEEK 3

Modern dance is a dance form developed in the early 20th century. Although the term Modern dance has
also been applied to a category of 20th Century ballroom dances, Modern dance as a term usually refers to
20th century concert dance.

DANCE

LESSON 3: Modern and Contemporary dance

 Discover where Modern and Contemporary dance came

from.
 Discuss the Modern and Contemporary dance
OBJECTIV
E:
PRE-ASSESSMENT:
When you heard the word Modern? What comes in to
your mind? Put your answer inside the Box.

MODERN
CONCEPT
Modern Dance

• The rebellion against ballet

• Emphasis on effort of dance

• Natural body movements

• Began in the late 1800s/early 1900s

Isadora Duncan 1877-1927

• “Mother of Modern Dance”, Laid the foundation of modern dance

• Believed art was about personal expression

• No more corsets and slippers, Duncan was the first to rebel against
ballet and use free flowing movement and barefoot technique

• Typical attire was a simple tunic and bare feet

• Was seen as vulgar almost like nudity

• Style focused on the chest and consisted of walks, skips, jumps, and
runs

• Died September 14, 1927 in freak accident (Death by Scarf)

Born in the early 20th century, modern dance is a dance style that focuses on a dancer's own interpretations
instead of structured steps, as in traditional ballet dancing.

Modern dancers reject the limitations of classical ballet and favor movements derived from the expression of
their inner feelings.

During the 1900's, European dancers began rebelling against the rigid rules of classical ballet. Turning against
the structured techniques, costumes and shoes of ballet, these dancers favored a more relaxed, free style of
dancing. Modern dance pioneers often danced in bare feet and revealing costumes.

Characteristics of Modern Dance

  Modern dance encourages dancers to use their emotions and moods to design their own steps and
routines. It is not unusual for dancers to invent new steps for their routines, instead of following a
structured code of technique, as in ballet.
 Another characteristic of modern dance in opposition to ballet is the deliberate use of gravity. Whereas
classical ballet dancers strive to be light and airy on their feet, modern dancers often use their body
weight to enhance movement. This type of dancer rejects the classical ballet stance of an upright, erect
body, often opting instead for deliberate falls to the floor.

Modern Dance Today

Modern dance has become a huge genre in the dance world today. You will most likely see modern
dance listed as a class offered on the schedules of most dance studios.
Some dancers feel that modern dance gives them a chance to enjoy ballet dancing without the strict
focus on their technique and turnout. Many dance competitions throughout the nation judge dancers
on their modern dancing ability.
Modern dancers use dancing to express their innermost emotions, often to get closer to their inner-
selves. Before attempting to choreograph a routine, the modern dancer decides which emotions to try
to convey to the audience.
Many modern dancers choose a subject near and dear to their hearts, such as a lost love or a personal
failure. The dancer will choose music that relates to the story they wish to tell, or choose to use no
music at all, and then choose a costume to reflect their chosen emotions.

What is Contemporary Dance?

• Contemporary dance is a medley of different styles of dances such as ballet dance, modern dance,
lyrical dance, and jazz dance.

• Contemporary dance stresses versatility and improvisation, unlike the strict, structured nature of
ballet. Contemporary dancers focus on floor work, using gravity to pull them down to the floor. This
dance genre is often done in bare feet. Contemporary dance can be performed to many different styles
of music.

• Pioneers of contemporary dance include Isadora Duncan, Martha Graham  and Merce Cunningham.
These contemporary dancers all believed that dancers should have freedom of movement, allowing
their bodies to freely express their innermost feelings.

BALLROOM is a set of partner dances, which are enjoyed

both socially and competitively around the world. Ballroom
dance is also widely enjoyed on (stage, film, and television.)
The term 'ballroom dancing' is derived from the word ball
which in turn originates from the Latin word ballare which
means 'to dance' (a ball-room being a large
room specially designed for such dances). The definition of
ballroom dance also depends
on the era: balls have featured popular dances of the day such
as the Minuet, Quadrille,
• Polonaise,Polka, Mazurka, and others, which are now
considered to be historical dances.
Ballet is the kind of dance that a lot of us wish we could mimic, given the way the dancers glide over the
dance floor, often a dance that portrays a story or idea. This dance was developed in France and Russia.
Classical ballet is the most formal and common style of ballet. Apart from this, there is neoclassical ballet and
Contemporary ballet

Modern dance involves the use of many dance

steps that are unusual and often interpret a
dancer's emotions and mood. The dancer in this
case typically performs on bare feet. In Modern
dance, it's not only the choreography that speaks
about the emotions to be conveyed. The lighting,
costumes and props are used with great creativity to
arrange interesting and unusual dance sequences.

Contemporary dance have the following characteristics:

• It has no set curriculum

• It has no particular music
• It has no particular costumes
• It has no particular body type

DID YOU KNOW THAT..

Today's contemporary dance is an eclectic mix of styles, with choreographers drawing from ballet, modern,
and "post-modern" (structure less) forms of dance. While some contemporary dancers create characters,
theatrical events, or stories, others perform entirely new creations as they improvise in their own unique
style.
DIRECTION: Using a Venn diagram compare and contrast the Modern Dance and
Contemporary Dance.

REFLECTION
WHAT DO THINK THE IMPOETANCE OF KNOWING THIS
CONCEPT? ( EXPLAIN YOUR ANSWER)

ANSWER: