Dance Advantage » Modern/Contemporary

History Moves: Using the Creative Process to Explore Dance History

Heather Vaughan-Southard — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:24:48 +0000

The history of dance is far from dull and including dance history in your classes doesn’t have to be either.

When we think of learning about history, most people see lectures, thick books, and discussions about plenty of dead people. There are ways to incorporate information about the traditions of dance and the people who shaped them while relating it to the material that students may find more exciting.

Last month I provided a list of ten ways to move beyond steps, making dances that venture outside the norm of assembling favorite movement to popular songs. This enriched way of working leads to many possibilities for students to become aware of their dance heritage and the methods dance icons have used for creating dance.

Photo by George Joch / Courtesy Argonne National Laboratory.

To recap:

Concert Dance, to me, is determined by process – the ways movement is inspired, how it is developed, edited, and finally presented. The style of dance is irrelevant in many respects; it is all about the intent and the journey, which lead to the product.

Let’s draw on those same ten ideas to outline two ways to practically include dance history lessons while going about the usual business of making dances:

A: For a single artist’s view, I have chosen modern dance heavy-weight Merce Cunningham whose development of his own technique, innovative ways for crafting dances, and pushing the boundaries in dance technology provide ample opportunity to explore many aspects of dance.

B: If you are more interested in covering a variety of artists, here is a sampler of artists that have made interesting decisions during the work they’ve created.

1. Choosing Content.

Find content with enough depth that it can be explored from multiple angles, voices, and perspectives.

Merce Cunningham: Creating dances “about” the movement potential of the human body, the potential of movement within an established movement vocabulary

George Balanchine, founder of New York City Ballet: Balanchine’s choreography is known for its visual relationship to the musical score. Balanchine’s early work included direct narratives (Prodigal Son, The Nutcracker), his later work revolved around identifiable themes without demonstrating a clear plot (Agon, Serenade). In this sense, Balanchine offers three different ways in which content can be explored.

2. Choosing Genre.

Which style of dance best suits the idea or concept you are presenting?

Merce Cunningham: Modern Dance choreographer whose movement relates well to other types of dancers. This example allows for the discussion of how technical concepts are experienced differently or similarly based on styles of dance. Example: Cunningham’s use of spine, port de bras, and weight shift can be compared similarly to classical ballet and yet very differently to other types of modern dance such as release technique.

Twyla Tharp, versatile choreographer with major works in post-modern (Eight Jelly Rolls, The Fugue), contemporary ballet (When Push Comes to Shove, Sinatra Suite), and musical theatre “jazz” (Hair, Movin’ Out).
If any choreographer epitomizes versatility, it is Twyla Tharp. Working from a strong personal point of view, Tharp relies heavily on technique and the fundamentals of movement and thus can easily relate to many kinds of dancers and audiences.

3. Choosing Movement.

Is the idea behind the piece best represented by technical movement, gestural movement, or a combination?

Merce Cunningham: Again, creating within an established movement vocabulary, Cunningham explored possibilities physically first but later in his career used a computer program, Dance Forms, to inspire new movement threads before teaching them to his dancers.

Bill T. Jones: a self-proclaimed liberal artist. This is a choreographer who masterfully ebbs and flows between codified and gestural movement based on what the piece needs. Please note, when looking for video samples be sure to preview before watching with students. His work takes on many topics and some are more suitable for high-school aged dancers and older.

In jazz, Bob Fosse offers a rich example of stylized movement vocabulary that allows each piece to look different while still reflective of the Fosse trademark swag.

4. Choosing structure.

Dances don’t have to be choreographed from beginning to end. Try creating large movement phrases that can be ordered in different ways, layered in contrasting movement, or fragmented.

Merce Cunningham: The pioneer of chance operation as a choreographic device, Cunningham created methods such as rolling dice to determine the order of movement, order of works within a concert, and other production elements.

Explore the range Romantic, Classical, and Neo-Classical ballet to discuss structuring story and structuring movement. Martha Graham offers great examples of how to structure these principles as well as movement for solos or large groups.

5. Choosing sound.

Does the piece need music or could it be danced to text, silence, or unconventional sound?

Merce Cunningham: search out his collaborations with John Cage or the use of dueling stories in How to Pass, Kick, Fall, and Run.

Pearl Primus, a modern dance choreographer and anthropologist: Primus created Strange Fruit, set to the poem of the same title by Lewis Allen. This is also a nice example of how dance can be used to discuss other subjects such as the African-American experience within American culture.

6. and 7. Choosing alternate methods for coaching ideas and movement within rehearsal.

Find the unison in intent rather than (just) the unison of performance.

Watch choreographers rehearse their dancers in A Lifetime of Dance about Merce Cunningham and Dancemaker, about Paul Taylor.

Check out Daniel Nagrin‘s book, The Six Questions: Acting Technique for Dance Performance.

7. Choosing production elements.

What kind of showing is best? How important are costumes? Lights?

Merce Cunningham and collaborators believed dance, music, and set design should co-exist in space and time rather than depend upon one another.

Explore choreographers such as Anna Halperin, Doug Varone, and Liz Lerman and their use of site-specific dance. Google site specific dance for a long list of artists (and video samples of their work) creating this way both in the past and in the present. Although site-specific dance does not necessarily mean outside, here is article that offers valuable information on non-traditional performance spaces.

8. and 9. Choosing your value system and Choosing your method for reflection.

What determines good v. bad? How do you measure the success of the process as well as the success of the work?

Consider re-evaluating how you talk about choreography. Some interesting reads on this are by Larry Lavender (Dancers Talking Dance) and Liz Lerman (Critical Response Process: A Useful Method for Getting Feedback On Anything You Make from Dance to Dessert).

The artists listed here are a mere sampling of a larger pool of artists that relate easily to any and all of these segments of the creative process. Many of the artists listed are established modern dance choreographers, however, there are a great many choreographers from ballet and jazz worlds also working within the concert dance philosophy and developing interesting creative processes, too.

In developing lesson plans, realize how important it is for students to SEE dance and include opportunities to do this.

The newly available Jacob’s Pillow Interactive, dance company websites, clips from Youtube, PBS broadcasts available for purchase, or materials available through your library should make much easier than even a few years ago.

Here are some additional ideas for teaching the History and Evolution of Dance, and for leading students through the process of making their own dances.

How do you explore dance history in your classes?
What recommendations for source material would you add to those above?

© Heather Vaughan-Southard for Dance Advantage, 2011. | Permalink | Category: Beyond the Bubble, Blog, Choreographing, Dance Media, Dance Styles, Dancethropology, Film/Video, For Classroom, History of Dance, K-12, Modern/Contemporary, Teaching | Who's talking about this article?

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Talking Fusion, SYTYCD, and Futures with Dwight Rhoden

Nichelle (admin) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:24:52 +0000

Did you know, dear Reader, that in addition to Dance Advantage I write about dance happening in Houston? If you follow me on Twitter or perhaps Facebook, you may.

This Friday, October 14 Houston’s Society for the Performing Arts will present Complexions Contemporary Ballet, the 17-year-old company founded by former Ailey dancers Desmond Richardson and Dwight Rhoden.

You may also know their work from So You Think You Can Dance:

I previewed the event for Dance Source Houston. The interview with Dwight Rhoden below… ahem, rocks! And I wanted to share it with you. Enjoy!

Rise. Photo by Jae Man Joo.

Complexions Contemporary Ballet Ready to Rock Houston

What does a dance company have in common with U2, one of rock music’s biggest acts?

With a big smile on his face, Dwight Rhoden quips, “I think dancers are rockstars”.

Rhoden’s New York City company, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, is about to rock… and roll through Houston on October 14 with a program that includes musical accompaniment big and bold enough to blow off the Wortham’s roof: The Rolling Stones, Roy Buchanan, “The Hallelujah Chorus,” and, of course, U2. The evening will close with Rise, a work set entirely to tunes from the Irish rock band’s catalog.

Rhoden gets no argument here about the exceptional qualities of dancers. However, as I see it, the troupe he founded with dancer Desmond Richardson in 1994 is like U2 in other ways, too. Both have accessibility and wide appeal, traits which some in their respective fields dismiss as if it were harder to be obscure. Both groups resist being bound by or excluded from the circles of commercial and “high” art. Both even have a frontman (in Complexions’ case, Richardson) who can command a stage like few others.

Now in his 40’s, Richardson is retiring as a touring dancer at the conclusion of this season. Still at the top of his game, he’s been Dwight Rhoden’s muse since their days in the Ailey company. On Saturday, Richardson will perform CLICK, a solo choreographed by Rhoden about a man at a crossroads just before everything “clicks” into place.

Below, Rhoden sets the stage for this new work, gives his spin on So You Think You Can Dance, and illustrates why Complexions exemplifies the times.

Dance Source Houston: Tell us about CLICK and its significance in light of this being Desmond’s last year to tour.

Dwight Rhoden: Desmond is a dance legend and a national treasure. His artistry is on a continuous quest to find more. He has danced and I’ve created just about every type of work one can imagine for him. At this time in his journey I felt the dance icon, Desmond should play with the music icon, The Rolling Stones. The significance of CLICK for him is he’s playing a character that is a bit of a clown and has many contrasting qualities. Like Desmond, it’s all about fun now.

DSH: Rise looks like a lot of fun. Was there ever any doubt that movement could compete with the anthemic sounds, lyrics, and familiarity of U2′s music?

DR: My inspiration for Rise was the anthemic qualities of the music. I never once had any reservations about creating to it. U2′s music rocks and it dances to me. I had a visual movement vibe in my head every time I listened to their music.

DSH: You’ve choreographed over 80 ballets for Complexions, not to mention works set on other companies. You must occasionally stumble into familiar territory during your artistic process. What do you do when you find that you’re repeating yourself?

DR: I have developed a signature style to my work over the years but I always try and look for new possibilities and a fresh take on things. However, when I feel I need to stretch more, I look to my dancers to help influence the work, as well as using basic tools of the craft of choreography and composition.

DSH: Your company dancers come from many different countries. How does this fusion of languages and diverse cultural backgrounds affect the rehearsal process?

DR: It’s always fun to watch the dancers at first as they communicate and try to understand each other with various accents. Our Associate Artistic Director,

Jae Man Joo runs rehearsal with his thick Korean accent, meanwhile the dancers are speaking Spanish, Italian, Russian, French. That diversity lends itself to a very interesting creative process. Everyone has such a different back-story, as well as cultural differences that can only bring dimension to what is being created. I’ve been around the world but feel I’ve learned so much from my dancers.

DSH: The work you do is also a fusion. Though billed as a contemporary ballet company you blend many dance forms. Is this the future of dance?

DR: I think it has to be the future. We have to keep pushing the form and continue to make dance relevant to the time we live in. The classics will always be around. They are still beautiful, necessary and are a part of our history that is the basis for how we stretch the form.

Artists have always made work that reflects the world around them. Desmond and I feel we’ve taken it a step further with the creation of a company like Complexions. We celebrate the differences that make us individually interesting, putting them all together and thereby creating that hybrid that is like our world today.

DSH: Speaking of cultural relevance, you’ve choreographed and appeared on So You Think You Can Dance for three seasons. What will those familiar only with your work on that show find different about your work for Complexions?

DR: I think audiences will find a greater level of diversity in the choreography, music, as well as being able to see an idea be developed a lot further. There is a depth that can be developed with more time. On SYTYCD you usually have only 1-2 minutes. And choreographing for the camera is very different than creating for a live audience.

DSH: I imagine that you sometimes encounter those who know your work on the show but are surprised to learn you have a 17-year-old dance company. Critics of SYTYCD see a failure on the part of producers and guest artists to leverage the popularity of the show for support of dance elsewhere. How do you respond to the naysayers?

DR: In my opinion SYTYCD….

READ ON at Dance Source Houston!!

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2011. | Permalink | Category: Beyond the Bubble, Blog, Dance Companies, Dance Styles, Dancethropology, Featured, Interviews, Modern/Contemporary, News and Events | Who's talking about this article?

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What Do They Mean By ‘Contemporary’ On SYTYCD?

Nichelle (admin) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 13:28:44 +0000

What is contemporary dance?

How is it different from modern dance, or jazz dance?

Nicola Ayoub - Fete de la Danse 2010 | Photo by pixieduc.

Good questions that get asked a lot! And not just by newcomers to dance.

It seems the entire dance community is trying to sort it all out…

Four months ago, I got an e-mail from a reader who e-mailed me wondering if I had written anything on the topic. Seems she had been to some workshops and asked around, hoping for some clarification on the term. She came up empty.

Our new columnist, Heather Vaughan-Southard recently called describing contemporary dance ‘The Next Verbal Challenge‘ on her EducatingDancers blog.

And that was expounding on a conversation happening on Twitter (in 140 characters) and mentioned by Jordon Cloud on her blog about the differences between contemporary and modern dance.

And fellow dance writer and Houstonian, Nancy Wozny, penned The Contemporary Conundrum for Dance Spirit Magazine. It’s not a new article but the questions sure are familiar.

The point is, this is an ongoing conversation. I’m sure none of us were the first and we are obviously not the last thinking, processing, and scribbling about it.

EDITOR’S UPDATE: More scribblings

So you think you can tell me… what contemporary dance is? (Sarah Linstra)

How do you define Contemporary Dance? (Dance Studio Life)

What Is “Contemporary” Dance? (Dance Doc’s Think Tank)

What Is Contemporary, According To Nigel Lythgoe (Wet Paint – SYTYCD)

‘Contemporary’ Dance, My Take On It (MaryJane O’Reilly)

What is the difference between “Modern Dance” and ” Contemporary Dance”?

I’ll add more interesting articles as I find them.

I’ve been sitting on this post really, picking at it until I felt like I’d nailed it. Problem is, it refuses to be nailed. The subject really should be (and probably is) somebody’s Master’s thesis.

BUT it deserves to be talked about among undergrads and younger students as well. Students need to hear the perspectives and some of the history and experiences behind them.

And so I throw my thoughts into the fray. A scholar I am not, but let’s see where they go and what you do with them, shall we?

I’ll start with my Bottom Line first…

(you’ll forgive the language, I hope)

Labels suck but we kind of need them.

Can ‘contemporary’ be taught?(...)

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© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2011. | Permalink | Category: Beyond the Bubble, Blog, Community, Dance Styles, Dancethropology, History of Dance, Modern/Contemporary | Who's talking about this article?

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Dance Training in New York vs. Los Angeles

Nichelle (admin) — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 13:33:45 +0000

A community college dance student in California, looking to continue with professional training in modern dance wrote me seeking some advice and opinions on programs in both Los Angeles and New York (both potential points of relocation for this student). In the student’s shortlist of possible programs were the Debbie Allen Dance Academy (LA), The Alvin Ailey School, Peridance, and Limon Institute (NYC).

My first thought regarding the question was to wonder about the student’s ultimate goal. If I were to answer with questions of my own, I’d want to know,

“What would you ultimately like to do with your training?” and “What kind of dance career would you like to have?”

I’d ask because in my mind these two cities have different dance “personalities” and to my knowledge the programs, training, and careers to be found in each are quite different. However, born and raised in the Northeast, I admittedly know much more about New York and lack any real familiarity with L.A. Perhaps the differences were only in my mind!

So, I turned to Francisco Gella, a teacher and choreographer in the Southern California area who also has danced and been a part of the NYC professional dance community. Francisco generously responded in detail and has agreed to share his thoughts with readers as well.

Francisco’s reply:

It depends on what kind of dance, what sector of the business you want to pursue.

There are many different amazing programs in the southern California region (...)

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Expand Your Library or Horizons: 13 Books on Dance and Culture

Guest Contributors — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 13:45:36 +0000

I’ve been following Renée Rothman’s Dance Doc’s Think Tank blog since (I think) its beginnings and certainly from early on in the life of Dance Advantage. Dr. Rothman is a scholar and educator and her insights on everything from Bellydance to So You Think You Can Dance fascinate me because I almost always learn something about dance and particularly dance in American culture.

In this article, she provides an invaluable list of dance resources (and a helpful description of each) for even the non-academics in the house. Bookmark this one – perfect additions to your personal, academic, or school’s dance library! Just click on the titles to view or purchase on Amazon.

Dancing always takes place within specific historical and cultural contexts. Anthropologists attempt to explain the power and purpose of dance activities by detailing these meaningful contexts. I have assembled a small list of dance books that cover a range of dance forms from the U.S. and abroad.

A few of these are full-on ethnographies, a specific sort of literature that includes very thick descriptions of specific populations meant for scholars. I’ve put a star - – by these. All of the selections are ethnographic in that they address the human meaning and experience of dancing. All of the books were selected because they are easy for non-academic audiences to read—that is, short on jargon but long on insight—and are relevant in today’s world of dance.

GENERAL INTEREST

Dancing: The Pleasure, Power, and Art of Movement

by Gerald Jonas. Harry N. Abrams in association with Thirteen/WNET 1992

I used this as my textbook when I taught Dance in World Cultures and still recommend it as an excellent primer on the subject. It was produced to accompany the PBS 8-part film series which may be available at your public library. World dance forms are compared along topical lines such as religion, gender, and courtly society. One chapter, for instance, compares two 400-year-old classical dance traditions: Japanese kabuki and Western ballet. Among the varieties of dance you will encounter are dances from Africa, Polynesia, and Southeast Asia.

International Encyclopedia of Dance

edited by Selma Jeanne Cohen and the Dance Perspectives Foundation. Oxford University Press 1998

This 6-volume collection is a comprehensive, reliable and well-documented reference on the histories and cultures of world dance. It has nearly 2,000 entries covering geographical regions, historic and modern styles, and biographies of dancers and choreographers. Its price puts it out of reach for most of us as individuals (a used paperback copy starts at $200), but it is the best resource for dance researchers of any caliber.

Dancing in the Streets: A History of Collective Joy(...)

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Teacher’s Top Three: Improvisation and Composition Studies

Nichelle (admin) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 13:30:32 +0000

As a dance educator and choreographer in New Mexico, Jenn Romano works with high school dance students and in two after school dance programs for at risk youth. She also choreographs for local musicals and is involved in a myriad of diverse projects, including writing on ballet and dance as Albuquerque’s Dance Examiner.

Jenn’s Top Three comes directly from her work, teaching dance composition in New Mexico high schools. She uses these exercises to practice improvisational skills as well develop student-generated choreography in her classes. Try them with your students!

1. Slowing Things Down

Movement in slow motion is by far my favorite thing to do (as my students will definitely confirm). The fluid, controlled motion is mesmerizing to me and takes strength as well as focus.

For this exercise I choose a starting point and give the dancers a period of time (sometimes half an hour or more) to traverse the perimeter of the room. The leisurely pace allows for the exploration of a myriad of levels and shapes. As an added bonus, slow motion is a great cool down and is easy on the joints.

2. “Flocking”

A grown-up version of “Follow the Leader,” this exercise is great to initiate dancers into improvisation. Like “Follow the Leader,” one dancer is in charge of creating the movement and the others must follow. Rather than forming a line, however, the dancers are grouped together like a flock of birds. That way, when the current leader turns in any direction, the dancer now in front of the group becomes the group leader. This is a great activity because the dancers must learn to work while moving in a closely established group and also learn to think quickly when they are leading others. (DA Notes: See flocking in action in the video example from a 2008 flock improvisation at Tate Modern below)

Once, we performed this exercise in a common area of the school where the other students were treated to an impromptu show. Some of the “leaders” took to following the mannerisms of spectator students and even the headmaster (thankfully, he was a good sport!). The feedback from our audience was very positive and it seemed to give the dancers a new confidence in their improv skills.

3. Hitting the Books

This choreography assignment means going to the library because, well, I love to read! Beforehand, we discuss different qualities of movement. This discussion might include having the students suggest descriptive words which the class then interprets with our bodies.

In the actual assignment, the dancers choose a bookshelf and pick a random book. Children’s books tend to be the most fun but the possibilities are endless. Sometimes I compose specific instructions to make it more like a game (i.e. pick the seventh book to the left on the second shelf, read the third sentence on the fifth page). Once a sentence is chosen, the dancer’s job is to interpret the words through dance paying close attention to adjectives and verbs.

The best part of the project is putting all of the dancers’ contributions together to create one big performance piece. We use the text as a soundtrack (sometimes getting the drama club involved to record them for us). Repeating some sentences and chopping others into two parts have created some hilarious combinations of nonsense.

Jenn Romano has a degree in Dance with a minor in Journalism from Columbia College. For over twenty-five years she has been pursuing her love and passion for dance beginning with an obsession with Classical Ballet and soon branching-out to study Modern Dance, Jazz and Classical Indian among others. In all her endeavors, Jenn encourages dancers to follow their dreams and passions regardless of body shape or ability: Dance hard and dream big.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH0dJ3mdu1g

What are YOUR favorite improvisation or composition exercises?

We would love to answer any questions you have about using improvisation-based “games” in the K-12 or studio setting.

Your comments are welcome below!

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2011. | Permalink | Category: Blog, Choreographing, Dance Styles, Dancing, For Classroom, Improvisation, Modern/Contemporary, Other Dance Forms, Teaching | Who's talking about this article?

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Terpsichorus: Discussing Entity — Wayne McGregor/Random Dance

Nichelle (admin) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 15:30:51 +0000

Click the button to find out more about the idea behind Terpsichorus

Welcome to our first Terpsichorus discussion!

If you haven’t yet watched the film, don’t panic! You can still download and watch the film at the locations below. Feel free to come back and add your thoughts, questions, or comments after you do. The discussion will remain open indefinitely (I may close comments eventually but not for a while!).

Look out below

I’ve posted some flash responses offered during preliminary email discussion between Steve, Robin, and myself (Nichelle). These are just to stir some conversation. You can comment on any of our comments!

Also, you’ll find some viewing prompts. These are open questions that you can choose to answer or not. If you find you’re at a loss for words, these may be good starting points.

Note: I am roughly considering Part I, anything that occurs before the big set change, and of course, Part II anything after it.

An extended list of viewing prompts, should you want to watch with it in front of you, is available here.

Spread the word

Don’t forget to invite and share with friends. If you’re on Twitter or Facebook, use the sharing buttons above (on the site). Include the #terpsichorus hashtag on Twitter, if you would! If you follow our pages on Facebook you can tag us with @Dance Advantage or @You Dance Funny in a status update and let use know you’re watching.

Steve on Twitter | Nichelle on Twitter | Robin on Twitter

You Dance Funny on Facebook | Dance Advantage on Facebook

The Movement

“Aesthetically, I find the vocabulary beautiful in its awkwardness… Occasionally something resonated on a human/emotional level but mostly I watched with interest from visual moment to moment.” – Nichelle

“I’m finding the movements get repetitive, they are much the same tempo throughout without any particular highs or lows. There is a bit in the early men’s section where one guy sort of crab walks backwards, partially supported by another guy, that i thought was awesome.” – Robin

“I found the patterned, more structured moments to be more pleasing to watch, a theme that was sort of echoed in the geometric shapes cast on the floor.” – Steve

“I felt like there were three main “modes” he was operating within the choreography. Don’t know if it’s true for his other work too? One, is fast, forceful, and angular. Two is very sinewy and sleek. Three is what I’m dubbing “the pterodactyl” – hyperexteded spine, inward rotation, bird-like. The mood, music, lighting, set, etc. had a lot of variety and it was interesting how he used these “modes” throughout all of those changes.” – Nichelle

List 3 adjectives describing McGregor’s movement vocabulary (or body of movements).

How would you describe the shift in mood, movement, and emotion that occurs with the change in costume, lighting, and music in Part II?

The Music, Sets, Costumes, & Lighting

“I don’t enjoy the music!… I do think the dancers execute the movement brilliantly and they are all very beautiful but really, i am just not liking it.” – Robin

“I will say that MacGregor’s work is intense and he has a genius ability to visualize (and actualize!) incredibly innovative sets and choreography.” – Steve(...)

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© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2011. | Permalink | Category: Ballet/Pointe, Beyond the Bubble, Blog, Dance Companies, Dance Media, Dance Styles, Dancethropology, Featured, Film/Video, Modern/Contemporary, News and Events | Who's talking about this article?

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Role Of A Lifetime: Returning To Dance As A Mom

Nichelle (admin) — Fri, 07 May 2010 12:44:18 +0000

“How can they already have an opinion about everything?” Sara Webb, a principal dancer for Houston Ballet wonders about her 2 year-old son. “I never thought I would argue with Josh over which shoes he would be wearing to school at this age.”.

Toni Leago Valle, a Houston contemporary dancer and choreographer has been there. However, her son Dante is about to turn six, a new phase of childhood. In addition to feeling as though she’s finally retrieved her mind (“Its amazing what constant sleep deprivation does to your brain.”), Toni feels a sense of relief as Dante goes out into the world to find his own likes, dislikes, and friends. “I am no longer the center of his universe, which makes me very sad, but relieved. I’m sad that he wants to leave me so soon, but proud that my son is well-rounded and ready to venture out into the world. And I no longer feel guilty that I do something for myself, like dance.”

Pregnancy Is The Rehearsal

Toni Valle in I am Mother

It’s not uncommon for women expecting or considering motherhood to focus heavily on pregnancy (see the previous article, Pas de Deux, for more on that). All of the fears, anxieties, and even joys get hung up in that anticipatory period before a birth. However, as you know and have read above, pregnancy is really only the beginning. Remembering her childbirth experience, Sara puts her thoughts in dancer terms “Pregnancy is that rehearsal process. It can be hard some days and easy other days. But the performance is so much bigger.”

Pregnancy, though, is a little like rehearsing Swan Lake for a presentation of something by Elizabeth Streb. I joke but, speaking from experience, parenthood is in a completely different genre and has its own vocabulary of challenges.

What remains the same however is that post-pregnancy and after delivery, the adjustments, uncertainties, finangling, and felicities continue for dancing moms.

Body Image

Most mothers feel self-consciousness about their post-pregnancy figure, but constant analyzing and scrutinizing of the dancer’s instrument can make this transition especially hard on dancing moms. “Your body does change,” confirms Sara, “and my fear was that I wouldn’t be able to look or dance the way I did before pregnancy and birth.” It was a fear that Toni shared. When asked what concerns she had about pregnancy, Toni answers, “That my body would never be the same. Its true, my body has never been the same. So what.”

However, Toni concedes, “Like most dancers, I am hard on my body image, and that got worse after having a baby.” Sara remembers her return to dance, “The worst was having to be partnered again, especially when I didn’t feel my lightest. I apologized to all of my partners for having to lift my extra “baby pounds” and was really embarrassed. I was very self conscience about the way I looked when I had to put leotard and tights on again.” Sara says that eventually these feelings went away. Toni also has come to terms with her new body. “I’ve learned to ignore myself and just keep on dancing.”

Adjusting To Motherhood

As is the case for Toni, many dancers perform and earn an income via a number of sources. She admits this was difficult at first. “The first two years were rough because I refused to slow down. I did not dance as much, but having a baby is like taking on a whole new life in addition to your old one. I was adamant about not leaving the dance world and at the time there were no other dancers I knew with children. I felt like I was embarking on a solo journey; having to figure out the mess of dance, jobs, and family by myself. ”

Sara Webb and Ian Casady in 40 by Stanton Welch; Photo: Amitava Sarkar

Sara sometimes questioned if dance was the right place for her to be. She continues to battle with what she calls “Mommy guilt” at times. “This is such a personal decision for every mother, but for me I knew this chapter in my life wasn’t over yet. There are still ballets I would like to dance that I haven’t danced and ballets that I would love to dance again. I have been dancing since I was 8 years-old. I have put so much time and work into my career. I know that I won’t dance forever, but I am enjoying it while I can. When I tell Josh that I have to go to work, he says,’Mommy go dancing.’”

Managing Family Time

Sara and her husband Ryan found a way to make things work with a little one when Houston Ballet went on tour last April to Spain. “My husband took time off from school and work to join me and help take care of Joshua.” In fact, having family and friends who provide backup and encouragement has been important for both Sara and Toni. “[Fellow UH instructors], Karen Stokes or Becky Valls watched Dante while I taught class, students played with him, [fellow performer] Joe Modlin was holding Dante backstage, [choreographer] Jane Weiner allowed Dante in rehearsals, [Dance Source founder] Christina Giannelli came to my house for meetings to make it easier,” says Toni, “the list goes on and on.”

“I have an amazingly supportive husband,” says Sara. “My work schedule can be pretty inconsistent at times. Every night we plan for the next day and how to make it all work logistically. Our goal always being to maximize our time together as a family.” Toni agrees that family time is important. “I knew Dante would be my only child and I have made a point not missing out on any of his life. I love dance, but I never want to look back and regret that I danced his childhood away. When I’m with him, I’m really with him.”

Change For The Better

There is no doubt that being a mom is tough, whether dancing, working, or not. No matter the age of the child, as it is with dance, there are always new trials to face. Reflecting on this, Toni adds, “Motherhood is challenging, but everything in life worth having is challenging.”

Image by dino_olivieri via Flickr

While the challenges might easily become the focus of discussion in regard to dancing moms, Sara and Toni are quick to point out the ways in which their lives have improved since becoming a parent. Sara continues her dancer analogy, “I remember after having Josh and holding him for the first time feeling like I had just had my best performance. This performance though, doesn’t end. Every day that I am with him and I get to be his mom, even on the tough days, is a great performance. And it is one that will last forever.”

Reflecting on how motherhood has positively affected her work on stage, Toni says, “My choreography has become so enriched since the birth of my son. I produced and performed CRACKED when Dante was 2 years old. The show was based on the realization that I am a good parent and my son sees me a a wonderful person.” Personally, she states, “My self-worth tripled when I saw myself through my son’s eyes.”

On May 7, 8, and 9, 2010 at 8:00 p.m. Sara Webb will perform with Houston Ballet at Miller Outdoor Theatre in Hermann Park. The free performances will feature three diverse works by three of today’s most sought-after choreographers. Call 281.FREE.FUN (281-373-3386) for further ticket information or visit www.milleroutdoortheatre.com.

On May 13-15 and 20-22 at 8:00 p.m. Toni Leago Valle will premiere her company 6º in a joint performance with Amy Ell’s Vault at DiverseWorks, 1117 East Freeway, Houston, TX, 77002. For more information, visit www.amyell.com or www.6degreesdance.org.

Have a wonderful Mother’s Day!

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2010. | Permalink | Category: Ballet/Pointe, Beyond the Bubble, Blog, Career, Dance Styles, Dancing, Health and Wellness, Interviews, Modern/Contemporary, Performing | Who's talking about this article?

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Pas de Deux: Two Career Dancers On Pregnancy

Nichelle (admin) — Thu, 06 May 2010 17:38:15 +0000

Can a professional dancer maintain her career and be a mom, too?

For a long time women in dance were discouraged from becoming mothers and having a child would have ended a performing career. As gender inequality issues rose to the surface of public consciousness in the 1960′s, ballerinas like Allegra Kent began to challenge the notion that a professional performance career and motherhood were mutually exclusive pursuits. However, it is within only the last 10 to 15 years that support from dance companies and organizations has made it possible for more mothers to continue and pursue their careers in dance.

Balancing any career with motherhood has its challenges but mother/dancers certainly face some unique concerns and questions. To produce a picture of what it is like for mothers who are also professional dancers, I spoke with two dancing moms, one a ballet dancer, one a contemporary dance artist and choreographer. In this first installment, we discuss pregnancy and what it is like to dance and perform while expecting.

Mother/Dancer

Sara Webb and Ian Casady in 40 by Stanton Welch; Photo: Amitava Sarkar

Born in Dallas, Texas, Sara Webb trained at the Academy of Nevada Dance Theatre and the Harid Conservatory. She joined Houston Ballet in 1997 and was made a principal in 2003. She has performed leading roles in the company’s classical and repertory works, including her favorites, the title roles in Ben Stevenson’s Cinderella and Glen Tetley’s Voluntaries. In 2007, following a c-section for the birth of her son Joshua, Sara was able to return to class after 4 weeks and was back to work full-time after 7 weeks. She is now 16 weeks (4 months) pregnant with her second child and will perform this Mother’s Day weekend in a three free performances at Miller Outdoor Theatre. For Sara, motherhood was always part of the plan. “Ever since I was a little girl I had two dreams. One was to become a ballerina and the other was to be a mom.”

Toni Leago Valle received a B.A. in Theatre, specializing in dance, from University of Houston in 2000 and at 30 embarked on a professional dance career. As can be typical for a contemporary dance artist, her occupational resumé is diverse. She performs with many of Houston’s top contemporary dance companies and teaches at University of Houston (UH). As an independent choreographer, Toni has staged three evening-length works and, entering into a new phase, her dance company, 6 Degrees, will debut on May 13 on a split bill concert alongside Amy Ell’s company Vault. Toni is also Project Coordinator for Dance Source Houston, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting dance and, in addition, handles administrative, production and promotional services for several local art organizations. In 2005, just two weeks before she delivered her son, Dante, Toni premiered a solo, inspired by Japanese Butoh dance, titled I Am Mother. She too was back to rehearsal after 7 weeks. “I was amazed how fast my body remembered how to go upside down. It was like welcoming an old friend.”

All In The Timing? Deciding To Start A Family

“You’ll be able to dance a lot longer than you’ll be able to have babies,” Toni was once told by choreographer, Karen Stokes. Though she has now found this to be true, (“I’m 41, still going strong.”), Toni had a late start in her professional career and thought she had to get in as much dance as possible before having a child. “I didn’t believe I would be able to dance after having a baby; that having both a child and an active dance career would be too demanding.”

Sara and Toni acknowledge that many professional dancers choose to retire from performance before having children. “It takes an amazing amount of energy to maintain a home and family when children are small. It’s a 24 -hour job.” Reflecting on what she has witnessed in contemporary dance, Toni says, “I think most mothers choose their families with the idea that they will return to performing as their child gets older. Then they find it hard to make their way back.” In ballet, a return after long absence is even less likely. Says Sara, “You have to want both. Not everyone wants to have kids while they are dancing.”

Sara feels supported in her decision to become a parent and attributes much of this to the Artistic Director of Houston Ballet, Stanton Welch. “Stanton comes from a family of dancers. He watched his own mother have children and then return to the stage. He understands, supports, and encourages dancers to have families and return to dancing. ”

Staying Healthy

The guidelines for maintaining a healthy pregnancy are generally the same whether a mother is dancing or not — plenty of rest, awareness in terms of over-doing it, pack healthy snacks and drink lots of water. Sara also suggests that a dancer must “be smart in how you rehearse and communicate with those that you are working with.” Toni adds that continuing to dance during pregnancy was important for her mental health as well. “Without dance, I might have killed my husband, then gone on a shooting spree,” she jokes.

When asked if performing while pregnant requires any special precautions, Sara cites only the safety measures one would normally uphold in dance. In fact, for her it’s about making sure her partner is comfortable with “partnering a pregnant lady.”

Both during and after pregnancy, mothers deal with monumental changes in the body. Sara returned to dance even after her c-section.”I wasn’t expecting one and I had to work really hard to find and strengthen my core muscles again.” In a blog post for En Pointe with Houston Ballet, Sara writes, “I started walking around my neighborhood, Joshua in tow, every day. After two weeks, and having a little more bounce in my stride, I went to the gym. I tried to do some crunches and pilates moves – unbeknownst to my doctor who would have killed me—without much success. Yes, I was crazy! But by week four I was feeling stronger (thanks to Amy Ell at Houston Gyrotonics for helping me find my core again).”

A Unique Pas de Deux

I have offered my own pregnancy tips and touched on how it felt for me to dance and teach while pregnant in an earlier article, Baby On Board. However, every pregnancy is different, as Sara corroborates, “I am sicker, more tired, and carrying this baby a lot lower. While I am calmer this second time around, there are always those concerns that never go away with pregnancy.”

Toni Valle in I am Mother

Every mother is different also and dancing while pregnant is a singular experience.”I found pregnancy itself to be a bit alien and not at all normal. However, performing live while pregnant has been a memorable experience,” Toni explains. Naturally, she channeled her experiences into her work as a choreographer. “Knowing nothing on real mothering, I researched Mother and Fertility Goddesses from various cultures. I wanted to give an essence of mothers- not the kind, loving, care-giver we normally associate with mothers, but the strength behind the mother- the person who would kill you if you threaten her child, the mother who will starve so that her baby will live. This was the mother image I understood and related to.”

Sara embraces dancing while pregnant in a contrasting, but equally poetic and meaningful way. “When you dance it is always just you, one person, alone in your art. Sure, there are partners and other dancers that could be with you, but you are still one dancer. Dancing pregnant I am two. I always feel that little spirit with me, whether kicking, pushing, or just being. It is a unique experience that is hard to put into words. I also find that little one gives you extra strength, pushing you forward when the fatigue wants to pull you back. You become a team. I look forward to telling each of my kids someday what it was like to dance with them, a unique pas de deux that not all dancers get to experience.”

Part Two of mothers in dance (on managing a career and family) tomorrow on Dance Advantage!

On May 7, 8, and 9, 2010 at 8:00 p.m. Sara Webb will perform with Houston Ballet at Miller Outdoor Theatre in Hermann Park. The free performances will feature three diverse works by three of today’s most sought-after choreographers. Call 281.FREE.FUN (281-373-3386) for further ticket information or visit www.milleroutdoortheatre.com.

On May 13-15 and 20-22 at 8:00 p.m. Toni Leago Valle will premiere her company 6º in a joint performance with Amy Ell’s Vault at DiverseWorks, 1117 East Freeway, Houston, TX, 77002. For more information, visit www.amyell.com or www.6degreesdance.org.

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2010. | Permalink | Category: Ballet/Pointe, Beyond the Bubble, Blog, Career, Health and Wellness, Interviews, Modern/Contemporary, Performing | Who's talking about this article?

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Five Ways Postmodern Principles Can Positively Impact Your Studio

Roger Lee — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:20:43 +0000

What studio wouldn’t want their dancers coming out more versatile as dancers and more open-minded as people?

Whether adding an improvisation class, a creative composition course, or just exposing students to performance and video, incorporating postmodern dance principles into your studio structure and course offerings is a step in the right direction for developing more well-rounded dancers and standout dance studios.

But where is postmodern dance in studio instruction?

It is a commonly asked question in today’s growing dance world.

Most studio dancers have been exposed to the traditional course offerings of ballet, jazz, and tap dance. They are familiar with ballet terminology, tap dance sequences, different forms of hip-hop, contemporary dance techniques, and even know how to use “spirit fingers” if the opportunity presents itself.

With a wide variety of dance genres being offered at commercial dance studios around the country, there is still a noticeable absence of modern and postmodern dance techniques available for young dancers to explore.

Dance Professor Katie Langan of Marymount Manhattan in New York says “Rarely do my faculty or I see an audition solo for entry into college that is modern-based, despite the emphasis on modern dance training in undergraduate BFA/BA curriculums… This scenario repeats for any number of students who come to mind and plays out in colleges and universities across the country.” [Dancer Magazine, March 2008] She acknowledges that students auditioning for college dance departments are often coming equipped with ballet, jazz and competition dance experience. Few are coming in with a firm grasp on modern and postmodern dance principles because most commercial studios do not expose their dancers to modern dance.

Some common reasons studios might not include postmodern techniques in their course lineup:

Commercial dance studios value a different aesthetic

Belief that dance studio students are not interested in learning modern techniques

An absence of studio owners or teachers with postmodern dance experience

Belief that there is no benefit or application for professional ballet, jazz or commercial dancers

The exposure to postmodern principles and technique has so positively affected my experience with both commercial dance and concert dance that I would recommend that studios add it to their course roster. Young dancers who gain an early exposure to the world of post modern dance are only at an advantage in today’s competitive dance market. It will prepare them for careers as professional dancers or for success in a college dance department. The reality is that modern dance principles are gaining popularity throughout the dance world.

Katie Langan agrees. “Ideally, I believe modern should be in every dance curriculum no matter the final goal. Furthermore, it should be offered at all levels of training, despite the difficulty in translating some of the complex principles at a beginning level for children.”

Give your students the advantage they’ll need in their professional and academic pursuits by implementing post modern principles into your program. Here’s how…

5 Ways Postmodern Dance Principles Can Positively Impact Your Studio.

1. Creates a sense of individuality
Postmodern dance is more about discovering your own unique voice through movement than imitating an already prescribed aesthetic. While most studio class offerings ask students to replicate shapes, tricks and routines, postmodern dance asks students to explore their own movement vocabulary through dance improvisation. Having students explore movement from a “personal place” can enhance their sensitivity towards dance and help them find new meaning and joy through personalized movement.

2. Promotes creative composition
Have you ever had a student say, “I don’t know what to do next!” when choreographing? Postmodern dance principles promote a sense of creative choreography in young dancers. It leans them away from relying on familiar steps or classroom exercises to constitute choreography, asking the dancers to improvise new movement, try out new ideas, and think about choreography as an ongoing creative process versus an end result for show.

3. Focuses on process over product
While every studio wants to have their students perform at a high level, most end up putting pressure on students to deliver an impressive end product. With a postmodern approach to studio directing and classroom instruction, students can feel free to enjoy the process of rehearsing, choreographing and training as much as the final outcome. Traditional students put all of the emphasis on the performance day, the big year-end recital, or the national competition. Postmodern principles require that dancers and instructors engage in the process of creating new work, not just look forward to the end product.

4. Promotes a balance between artistry and technique
Postmodern training encourages dancers to be more than mere technicians and helps to develop living artists that have emotions and individuality on stage. Excellent virtuosic technique is great to have, but so is a sense of self and a true “identity” while performing. Most dancers can channel familiar emotions of happiness and sadness. The postmodern approach to emotion is one of discovery, requiring dancers to move from a deeper level and tap into real emotions and experiences. This approach can help set your studio dancers apart from “everyone else” in the large and rather competitive dance world.

5. Lessens the fear of competition
Speaking of competition, in case you didn’t know—the dance world is full of competition. Not every studio participates in organized competitions, yet owners have to work to get students in their studios, solo artists have to compete for grant money, and dance companies compete for funding. In fact, there are elements of competition in just about every aspect of dance. Post modern dance tells us to think of competition as a chance to share yourself with the world. Young dancers given the opportunity to show their talent, drive and passion to the world while others do the same develop a “sharing” approach to all aspects of dance competition making it seem less scary to the young dancer. With the absence of fear, students have a better shot at performing to their full potential—whether that happens to be a national competition, admission to a college dance company, or even secure funds for an artistic endeavor. Post modern dance celebrates creativity and uniqueness. If dancers can learn at a young age that it is okay to be unique, they will have less fear, anxiety and self consciousness when approaching “competitive” situations. In turn they will feel eager to share their unique gifts with the dance world. This type of confidence and sense of self is priceless for an aspiring dancer.

Do you incorporate postmodern principles or techniques into your curriculum? Why or why not?

What are other ways postmodern could benefit studios?

© Roger Lee for Dance Advantage, 2010. | Permalink | Category: Blog, College, Dance Styles, Modern/Contemporary, Studio Admin, Teaching | Who's talking about this article?

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Profile of an American Icon: A Few Words With Paul Taylor

Nichelle (admin) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 12:20:16 +0000

An Unignorable Hunch

Paul Taylor is one of the most prominent and influential choreographers of our time. Yet, in the late 1940′s he seemed to be on a different path. He was studying painting and swimming on scholarship at Syracuse University when amidst a series of seemingly unrelated dance experiences he was struck by a revelation or, as he describes it in his autobiography Private Domain a “flash of recognition… an unignorable hunch” that he was to become a dancer. Not long after he began training within the newly formed dance department at Julliard and won a scholarship to the American Dance Festival where his athletic build and powerful presence captured the attentions of Martha Graham, José Limon, and other modern dance founders. He was already making his own choreography by the time he was invited to join Graham’s company in 1955.

Taylor performed in the work of a number of dance pioneers in these early years, including Merce Cunningham and George Balanchine. He did so while continuing to choreograph for his own company a number of avant-garde works that sometimes confounded audiences. In 1962, the same year he left Graham’s company, he created his first popular success Aureole.

Photo by Tom Caravaglia

Photo by Tom Caravaglia

“The amazing inventiveness, that peculiar quality of dynamic imagination which infused even his earliest choreographic attempts, continues absolutely unabated. There is still an awe-inspiring naturalness to his choreography, a sense of every step being in the right place at the right time to the right music, that is simply God-given.” — Clive Barnes, Dance Magazine 1994

An Unequivocal Talent

In a 1989 New York Times article, Anna Kisselgoff states “There are four Paul Taylors. One choreographs dark pieces, another creates light comic works, a third favors homemade rituals and the last seems to invent pure-dance pieces inspired by music.” She goes on to acknowledge that this is an oversimplified analysis of Taylor’s rich body of work, a hallmark of which is the bleeding of these ostensible contradictions into one another. Taylor’s choreography ranges from revolutionary to romantic, comical to controversial, robust to penetrating, spontaneous to shrewd, often within the same dance.

Photo by Lois Greenfield

Carol Walker, retired Dean of the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College calls Paul Taylor

“an American icon and one of the most prolific and stunning choreographers of the past 60 years. He was a dancer who captivated audiences in his performances with the Martha Graham Dance Company and in his own work. He is an author of two books and an Emmy winner for his choreography Speaking In Tongues. Dancemaker, Matthew Diamond’s award winning, Oscar nominated feature-length film about Mr. Taylor was hailed by Time as ‘the best dance documentary ever’. An artist and a man who has been devoted to making dances not only for his company but for major ballet companies as well, his work has awakened in many a love for dance that few choreographers’ inspire.”

Celebrating 80

Paul Taylor will be 80 years old this July yet a celebration of this milestone begins this week with Paul Taylor Dance Company’s return to New York City Center [link] which features performances of enduring favorites as well as two premieres. On March 15, the day after the company closes its season at City Center, Mr. Taylor will be honored with a Nelson A. Rockefeller Award at the Purchase College School of the Arts Gala. To celebrate Mr. Taylor’s work at the gala, members of the Purchase Dance Corps will perform excerpts of two of his works.

A Few Words With Paul Taylor

Photo by Maxine Hicks

I have been captivated by Paul Taylor’s choreography since my first exposure to his work in college. Seeing Esplanade live was an exhilarating introduction to his movement and scenes from the insightful film Paul Taylor: Dancemaker made an enormous impression as I practiced the craft of choreography and prepared to enter the professional dance world. Therefore, I feel very honored that Mr. Taylor took the time to answer a few questions for Dance Advantage about his life and work in an email interview.

Dance Advantage: Your first experience with dance was through books. What did you read or see within the pages that so captured your attention that it changed the trajectory of your college study and your life?

Paul Taylor: Some of the first dance books I read during college that changed my aims were Martha Graham: Sixteen Dances in Photographs by Barbara Morgan, a book about the Diaghilev Ballet in Paris, Dancers, Buildings, and People in the Streets by Edwin Denby, and several books on dance history.

DA: Your dances have often been categorized as either dark and psychological or light and joyous.

PT: Most of my dances are a combination of both dark and light.

DA: Indeed, certainly this is a reflection of life and the human experience, but which is harder to make – the light or the dark?

PT: All of my dances have been both hard and easy to make.

DA: You have created over 130 works for your company since 1954. What is staggering about this is that you have made new work (sometimes multiple dances) every year for the past 55 years. What about the creative process continues to intrigue you and keeps you coming back again and again?

PT: It’s my life.

DA: Despite all this dance-making, you’ve said that you don’t think about dance much before you get into the studio.

PT: I lied.

DA: Is choreography a bit like sculpture, are you molding or carving the dance as you go?

PT: It is like sculpture or a painting but I usually have a general plan before rehearsals start.

DA: And what happens when you get stuck and aren’t sure how to proceed?

PT: I skip ahead then go back and try to solve the problem later or ask the dancers to improvise and use whatever steps that seems suitable.

DA: Many of my readers are young dance students who face the decision of attending college or heading straight to a performance career. The dancers you select tend to have gone through university or conservatory programs before coming to you. What do you think these dancers are “picking up” in college that makes them right for your company?

Photo by Lois Greenfield

PT: College is a good place for students to find out what they really want to do. They are exposed to a lot of things that they may not have experienced before. They may be inspired by attending a performance by a touring dance company or by seeing a dance film.

DA: In auditions one of the first things you have dancers do is walk. What do you learn from the exercise?

PT: Walks are like fingerprints – none of them are the same. An individual’s walk can reveal a lot about a person.

DA: What other attributes (aside from great skill and technical ability) are essential in the dancers you choose?

PT: Passion and commitment to one’s chosen profession. Company morale is as important as the dance steps, if not more so.

DA: The legacy of modern dance is that we try to avoid doing what our predecessors have done and push the art form in new directions. Many of your dancers have gone on to choreography. In what new directions do you see them trailblazing?

PT: A lot of my dancers have gone on to do interesting things and are trailblazers. Twyla Tharp was one of a pioneer in making dances that combined jazz, modern and ballet. Laura Dean created dances with a lot of repetition, choreographed to Phillip Glass, which was very innovative. Pina Bausch introduced a harsh theatricality in her work that had not been done before.

DA: You’ve seen so much, what (if anything) surprises you about the 21st century.

PT: I’m constantly surprised by the advancement of technology, especially the invention of computers and cell phones.

DA: You’ve received numerous awards and you will soon be honored again with a Nelson A. Rockefeller award at Purchase College School of the Arts. What does this award mean to you?

PT: One always likes to be appreciated and I’m especially grateful that my friend Carol Walker, who has had the Company perform at Purchase College many times, will be presenting me with this prestigious award.

“Purchase College is honored to present the Nelson A. Rockefeller Award to Paul Taylor at the School of the Arts Gala on March 15, 2009. Paul Taylor is selected for this prestigious award because of his lifetime of achievements as a dancer, a choreographer, an author, an artist and the epitome of a creative role model. We are honoring his prolific and powerful body of work, his engagement with other art forms, and the long time association that the Purchase College Conservatory of Dance has enjoyed with Mr. Taylor and his company.” — Carol K. Walker, Dean of Dance 1984 – 2007

Learn more by clicking the image above

Proceeds from the Purchase College School of the Arts Gala will create the first permanent endowment expressly for the School of the Arts. Reserve tickets

More Paul Taylor Links and Resources

Sunday Arts Profile — Thirteen.org: A profile of the company featuring archival performance footage of Paul Taylor

Paul Taylor & Patrick Corbin in Conversation: PTDC alum and choreographer, Corbin sits down with Paul Taylor

Return of Beloved Renegade: Recent NYTimes retrospective by Alastair Macaulay on PTDC’s return to City Center

Paul Taylor Dance Company Website: Articles, Dancer Profiles, Company History, and News

Special thanks to Paul Taylor, Carol K. Walker, Purchase College School of the Arts, and Karen Apablaza.

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2010. | Permalink | Category: Beyond the Bubble, Blog, Dance Companies, Dance Styles, History of Dance, Interviews, Modern/Contemporary, News and Events | Who's talking about this article?

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Isadora Duncan: Mother of Modern Dance

Nichelle (admin) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:27:50 +0000

photo by snickclunk

Isadora Duncan was an American dancer born in San Francisco in the late 1800′s. Adopting a free-form, expressive style of movement which she performed barefoot and in loose-fitting tunics (a departure from the rigid attire of the time), she became one of the fore-runners of modern dance.

Her early public appearances in the United States were unsuccessful and, like many of modern dance’s early pioneers, Isadora traveled abroad to Europe. There, her work garnered recognition and appreciation by audiences. Her dances, inspired by ancient Greek sculpture and philosophy, were characterized by expressive and free-flowing movement and gesture. They captured the imaginations of those familiar only with the convention and structure of ballet, an art form which was experiencing a decline in the early 20th century.

A rebel at heart, Isadora defied social norms. She was outspoken in her disdain for marriage and even jazz music which was gaining popularity at the time, preferring instead the classics of Brahms, Wagner, and Beethoven. Her two children, who later perished when the car in which they were riding rolled into the Seine river, were fathered by two different men. Her choices garnered public and political attention. She was both revered and ridiculed, considered by some to be a revolutionary and labeled a harlot by others. In Russia she met a poet seventeen years her junior and married him in 1922 so that she could bring him along on tour to the United States. Accused of being a Bolshevik agent, Duncan fled America for the final time.

She lived the rest of her short life on the French Riviera where she died tragically when her trademark long, flowing scarf became entangled in a motorcar wheel, strangling her. An innovator ahead of her time, her natural and free dance liberated the dance formula and paved the way for the development and acceptance of the modern dance art form.

“Isadora Duncan.” Encyclopedia Britannica. 2009. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 13 Apr. 2009.

More About Isadora

Isadora was also a dance educator, founding and inspiring several schools of dance. Read more about her legacy and the history of her “Isadorables” at the Isadora Duncan Foundation for Contemporary Dance whose resident company, directed by Lori Belilove (a third-generation Duncan dancer), performs the Duncan repertoire.

From the Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco, a fascinating account of Isadora’s life, including glimpses from her childhood. Written by Samuel Dickson, this was originally one of the KPO/KNBC radio scripts, later printed in “San Francisco Kaleidoscope,” Stanford University Press, 1949.

Short and sweet observations by Henrietta Cullinan, made after her attendance at the Royal Ballet’s recent performance of the ballet, Isadora. I just enjoyed her comparisons to Madonna and her remarks regarding Isadora’s dislike of jazz music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68mbHx32xsE

— Thanks to Dancing as One for pointing me to this video.

Ismene Brown looks back at Isadora’s controversial life and asks, “Isadora Duncan– sublime or ridiculous?” A really interesting article.

Did you know that San Francisco Bay Area dancers are given the opportunity to be recognized and honored by the Isadora Duncan Dance Awards Committee? The awards and ceremony are known as the Izzies and dance blogger/San Francisco Ballet principal, Maria Kochetkova is a recent recipient.

Did you know that Isadora Duncan is the subject of a graphic biography (i.e. comic book)? You can read an interview with author, Sabrina Jones at comicbookresources.com, and a review/description of the book at Girl w/Pen.

Photographer, Hila’s beautiful shot of Tamara Rojo dancing Isadora Duncan Waltzes, choreographed by Frederick Ashton. Check out the accompanying video for an excerpt of this work.

A lovely poem by Kirsten Olson entitled Isadora Duncan’s Fire. “My mother played piano. And I, Isadora, would dance.” Read on…

Catherine Galasso will be premiering a new work in San Francisco about Joshua Norton, an eccentric businessman in the city’s history. The work will feature Isadora Duncan in its cast of characters and the blog provides reference material regarding this work-in-progress. There is interesting documentation of the process of recreating Duncan, and using her movement style as the basis for a contemporary re-interpretation.

Your Mission Should You Choose to Accept It…

Find ways of studying, incorporating, re-inventing Isadora Duncan in your classes or at your studio, (even if you don’t teach modern dance)!

List some ways you can or have done so in the comments below.

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2009. | Permalink | Category: Beyond the Bubble, Blog, Dance Companies, Dance Styles, History of Dance, Modern/Contemporary | Who's talking about this article?

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Classic Confusion

Nichelle (admin) — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 07:26:59 +0000

What is classical dance?

The most inclusive definition I’ve found is used throughout K-12 educational documents and refers to classical dance as:

“Dance that has been developed into highly stylized structures within a culture. Generally developed within the court or circle of power in a society.”

Rooted in Europe, ballet would probably be considered the classical dance of “the west.” Other regions have their own classical dance forms – Indian or Cambodian classical dance are examples. Such forms are sometimes included under an umbrella of “folk dance,” “ethnic dance,” or even “world dance.” Depending on who you talk to, however, these terms are all synonymous or all different classifications.

There is typically much confusion among dancers about the labeling of dance. I am no history scholar but I will do my best to make sense of the terms as I understand them.

What Is Classical Ballet?

I have heard and comprehended the definition of classical ballet in two ways. The ABT online dictionary provides a pretty clear and concise definition of both usages:

The traditional style of ballet, which stresses the academic technique developed through the centuries of the existence of ballet.

A ballet in which the style and structure adhere to the definite framework established in the nineteenth century. Examples of classical ballets are Coppélia, The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker and Swan Lake.

In other words, classical ballet can be defined as ballet studied in the tradition that has been passed down, relatively unchanged at its core, since the birth of the technique. There are variances in the methodology of classical ballet study which are often based upon region. Vagonova, Cecchetti, and more recently Balanchine or R.A.D. are examples. The term classical ballet is generally used as a means of differentiating these traditional principles of study from those of contemporary ballet.

Within classical ballet additional labels may be applied to works and performances that tend to reflect the era in which they were created (i.e., Romantic, Russian, Diaghliev era, etc.). Unfortunately, certain performed works within this lineage are referred to as being of the classical ballet era, or classical ballets. These typically refer to works of Petipa dating from the 19th and early 20th century (such as the ones listed above). Works that have employed the language, phrasing, structure, and techniques of classical ballet in the 20th century and beyond (many of Balanchine’s works are a good example) have typically been labeled as neoclassical, as they seem to bridge the gap between those in the classical ballet tradition and contemporary ballet by stretching the boundries of the classical ballet “rules.”

Contemporary ballet, generally refers to a work that takes its technique (and pointework) from classical ballet but also utilizes abstracted (or less literal) movement ideas, manipulation of the spine and torso in movement, and choreographic processes similar to those in modern/contemporary dance. Here, the focus is often more on the movement itself rather than a narrative, or story. Today’s students of ballet typically study classical techniques along with modern dance techniques so that they are able to adapt their classical techniques to fit any of the above genres.

Modern Dance vs. Contemporary Dance

Modern dance, like the art of ballet in the 17th century, was at one point (the early 1900′s) a new idea (see “What is Modern Dance?” for a little history lesson).

I have heard people refer to the techniques and works of people like Isadora Duncan, Martha Graham, and other originators as “classical modern dance” – sounds like an oxymoron, I know. (Note: traditional modern dance is yet another mutation).

Typically modern dance has been dropped altogether when referring to 21st century concert dance works. For now, these works simply fall under the label of contemporary dance, which you can also read more about in the linked article above. If, or when, there is a shift of focus within this realm of dance, perhaps a new (and likely confusing) label will be attached to it!

Labeling Dance

As you can see, the repetitious or sometimes redundant terminology in categorizing creates difficulty in talking about dance.

Labels are often unsatisfactory and are argued and debated, creating even further confusion. But, I think it is helpful for students of dance to understand that even though there is sometimes an overlapping of terms, there is a difference between technique and choreography in classifying dance.

For labeling purposes, all work/art/choreography being created now is contemporary but may be subject to a change in labeling in the future. A new or current work can evoke aesthetics and processes of the past, but would probably be described as contemporary.

Older works are often categorized by both the techniques that inform them and by the era in which they were created.

The techniques studied by dancers which inform contemporary concert dance choreography are (in the broadest terms) modern dance, classical ballet, and possibly jazz dance, and can also be infused with elements of vernacular (or social/ballroom) dance, ethnic dance forms, martial arts, etc.

Through study of the history of dance and through experiencing a broad range of dance genres, one becomes more equipped to recognize relationships, influences and changes in the timeline of dance (which is really more important than the label itself).

Location, Location, Location

Just remember that in labeling dance, sometimes it just depends on who you talk to, where they’re from, and their background in dance.

In addition, we must recognize, of course, that labels are limited and really only useful when reading, writing, or talking about dance. Dance, by its nature – a language of movement – is an art form that resists labeling.

Don’t worry if it’s all still confusing.

It is confusing for those working and creating within, and writing about the dance world.

In fact, if you feel you would like to add or respond to my thoughts, please feel free.

The more recent something is, the harder it is to define because we are still in the midst of change. And change in art occurs as slowly or rapidly as the world around it. Compare the mutations of dance in the last 100 years to the mutations of earlier centuries and I think you’ll see it runs parallel to advances in technology, industry, and communication.

The Dancer believes that his art has something to say which cannot be expressed in words or in any other way than by dancing… there are times when the simple dignity of movement can fulfill the function of a volume of words. There are movements which impinge upon the nerves with a strength that is incomparable, for movement has power to stir the senses and emotions, unique in itself. This is the dancer’s justification for being, and his reason for searching further for deeper aspects of his art. – Doris Humphrey

If I could tell you what it meant, there would be no point in dancing it. – Isadora Duncan

Dance isn’t something that can be explained in words; it has to be danced. – Paige Arden

Talk about dance? Dance is not something to talk about. Dance is to dance. – Peter St. James

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2008. | Permalink | Category: Beyond the Bubble, Blog, Dance Styles, Dancing, History of Dance, Modern/Contemporary, Terminology | Who's talking about this article?

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A Dancer’s Guide: Tips for College (Part II)

Nichelle (admin) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 04:25:13 +0000

Tips for College Part I dealt with what to expect in technique classes and performance rehearsals, as well as some tips for success in these areas. In continuation of the series, I will highlight two aspects of dance in higher education with which many incoming students have little experience.

Improvisation

Improvisation may be an entirely new concept for some of you (if we’re not counting the off-the-cuff choreography you’ve performed in front of your bedroom mirror). I count myself very lucky to have had early experience in creative dance and improvisation at my hometown studio. At the time, I did not realize it was a rarity. However, it was not long into my first year as a dance major that a professor introduced the concept of improvisational movement and began leading the class in some beginning exercises. I could feel tension among the students. Some were nervous to appear so vulnerable in front of their peers and instructor and others had no idea how to start or what to do. A few that had before been asked to move as they’d like in a dance studio class had perhaps had no guidance and had always used the moments to re-hash their favorite moves or try something they’d seen the older kids do. It seemed likely that this was not what the professor was looking for. Fear suddenly paralyzed some of the most talented dancers in the class. If you are an experienced improviser, your background will serve you well in the college environment. If you are in the other group, don’t panic! Improvisation, just like technique, takes practice to move comfortably and confidently. And you will get plenty of practice now that you are entering this new phase in your study of dance. So…

Tip #5: Don’t be afraid to just take a deep breath and go for it. You may feel like a fool, but the only people that looked foolish that day in my class were those that were too afraid or insecure to make the most of the opportunity. They giggled, marked their movement, or froze altogether rather than bravely being willing to appear awkward or even unsophisticated.

Modern Dance, Contemporary Concepts

Modern dance may be new to many of you as well. It is a very important part of many dance programs because it was within academic establishments that Modern techniques were developed and the art form found its foothold in America. Despite its prominence at universities, few dance studios offer Modern Dance techniques in their curriculum. Some of you may compete in (or witness) Modern at competitions. However, often only some of those that compete in this category are studying modern dance techniques and usually even less are utilizing the choreographic processes typical of Modern Dance. If you are one of the few, kudos to your dance school.

The art form of Modern Dance (and Contemporary dance forms in general) is more than just performing the techniques and steps with which it is associated. That is the “how” but Modern Dance also asks “why.” Without the process or investigation of this question, a dancer or choreographer is offering their interpretation of Modern Dance. In other words, a dance may look expressive or emotive, contain un-balletic poses or rolling on the floor, and be accompanied by unconventional music choices, but can lack the artistic intent of contemporary dance forms that you will be asked to explore in college and beyond. I believe I’m safe to assume that many of you will find what is expected of you in your study of Modern Dance (and perhaps other dance forms as well) in a university setting to be very different from your studio at home. There will be more emphasis on dancing with an understanding of how the body functions and how something feels (as opposed to how it looks), on working apart from or even against the music as you dance, on presenting abstract meaning or intent through movement, and on discovering ways of moving that are new or even unflattering. With all of that in mind…

Tip #6: Embrace the task at hand. Focus simply on the task your teacher, who is guiding you in your exploration, has charged. When you are uncertain or just learning, solving one problem at a time will keep you from getting wrapped up in trying to make something spectacular instead of discovering something spectacular. A direction as simple as “dance with one elbow attached to the ground” or “let your breath guide each movement” may seem silly at first and you may be tempted to think that you don’t need this exercise to be a good dancer. But, don’t think, just try it, because these silly little exercises will help you grow from someone who makes dance into someone who can express themselves through dance.

Filling in the Gaps

There may be a point during your college career that someone may imply that there have been gaps in your dance education and you are faced with breaking old habits or learning something in a different way. If or when this occurs, I encourage you to resist becoming indignant. Refer back to Part I and learn to trust your new instructors, letting go of any assumptions that you “already know how to do” whatever they are asking you to do. As a college instructor, it was often frustrating for me to see talented students holding on so tightly to what their teachers “back home” had told them that their progress in my class stalled. In fact, the students who improved most rapidly in my beginning level classes were those who had little to no dance experience because they held no preconceived notions and could absorb all that I offered them. I encountered students with 14 years or so of studio experience which had yielded many bad habits from repetition of poor technique. Unfortunately in some cases, these “experienced” students seemed unsatisfied with re-examining the basics after having been considered “advanced” dancers at home. It would have benefited these students to remember that even professionals consistently work to better understand and perform the basics of their technique.

I hope that my wording in this post has not made anyone feel that their instruction up to this point has not been worthwhile. While it is wonderful when dance schools for young students take steps to provide an understanding of the more creative or artistic side of dance (and as you may know, I highly encourage this), I realize that teaching students to execute dance is the primary function of a studio. You should not feel shortchanged if your school has provided you with a solid technical foundation and performance experience. You have plenty of time to dig deeper in your understanding of movement and to mature as an artist.

Read on to Part III…

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2008. | Permalink | Category: Blog, College, Dance Styles, Dancing, Modern/Contemporary | Who's talking about this article?

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What is Modern Dance?

Nichelle (admin) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 19:56:20 +0000

This is not an easy question to answer, even for dancers and choreographers.

The beginnings of modern dance in the United States (Germany also had a related and influential dance movement) are traced to the early 20th century to a group of dancers often labeled the forerunners of modern dance. Isadora Duncan, Loie Fuller, Ruth St. Dennis, and her husband and partner Ted Shawn, each made significant contributions to a new type of concert dance in America.

Image by New York Public Library via Flickr

Their dance reflected and challenged the art, philosophy, and issues of their time, explored the cultures of other places and times, made new advances in theatrical lighting and spectacle, and discarded the costumes and artificiality of classical ballet. They were exploring and expressing themselves in a way that had never been seen before, and they were guiding others to do the same.

Image via Wikipedia

From this small family tree, emerged another generation of dancers. This group, considered the founders of modern dance, broke whatever rules had been laid down by their predecessors. Instead of borrowing movement from other cultures, they created movement based on the experiences of their own era. They were interested in presenting the inner self and all of it’s complex emotions on the concert stage. These founders, Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey, and Lester Horton, among others, also created their own techniques which they taught in independent dance schools and universities. Their work established modern dance as a legitimate art form.

Image via Wikipedia

Dancers in the founder’s companies such as Merce Cunningham, José Limon, Alvin Ailey, Paul Taylor and Anna Sokolow continued to redefine not only modern dance but, dance in general. Each contributed something different but, in general, this third generation was noted for a more minimalistic approach to dance in which movement became more pedestrian and stripped-down. Some, like Merce Cunningham, explored chance elements in their choreography, allowing a roll of dice to determine a dances’ structure. Others, like Alvin Ailey, brought ethnic, social, and political issues to the forefront.

Image via Wikipedia

In the 1960s and 70s, the work of these earlier artists ushered in the postmodern dance movement. The artists involved with Judson Dance Theater were some of the prime movers in this experimentalist trend. Dance artists were leaving the theatrical stage altogether and performing dance in public parks, on buildings, in museums, and on busy streets. Choreographers explored improvisation as legitimate performance and often presented performers with no dance training in their work. Audiences were asked to accept everyday movement like dressing, walking, and playing as dance. It was a direct upheaval of the concepts and codification that Modern dance artists had fought to develop.

Yet, as those who had gone before have done, each generation of modern dancers seeks new terminology, concepts, and techniques that broaden the definition of dance.

This legacy continues in the 21st century, an environment that draws from the techniques of modern dance and the spirit of exploration in postmodern dance. In fact, today most dancers on the concert stage are likely to have experiences in many techniques and, with the exception of those who have pursued or immersed themselves specifically in ballet or other systematized dance form, consider themselves contemporary dancers.

They study traditions in modern dance, but also other movement disciplines like ballet, jazz, african, yoga, gymnastics, and martial arts, as well as improvisational techniques such as contact improvisation and body mapping. Therefore, the movement you’ll see in a technique class or on stage reflects this diversity.

Image by CosmoPolitician via Flickr

Modern dance, although defined in many dictionaries as “a form of contemporary theatrical and concert dance employing a special technique for developing the use of the entire body in movements expressive of abstract ideas,” is a label that has begun to feel outdated for describing works created in the 21st century.

The term has recently been dedicated more to the techniques (both the structured styles like Graham, Limon, or Horton and the less codified systems) that are studied by contemporary dancers than works currently performed on the concert stage. To understand Modern Dance, therefore, it is a good idea to become familiar with these techniques as well as with its history and its role in the development of the constantly transforming art form of contemporary dance, which is not a technique but a collection of principles regarding movement and the choreographic/performance process which are closely related to the goals of the original modern dancers and their techniques.

Many times when people ask the question “What is Modern Dance?” they seek to prepare themselves for participation in either a class or as an audience member. As above, I recommend learning a bit about the history of modern dance as well as simply experiencing the art of contemporary dance. Take technique classes from a variety of teachers, watch choreography and performances by many different artists, and/or explore and improvise with movement, all the while, keeping an open mind in regard to one’s own definitions of dance. Each experience broadens and shapes understanding, giving one the knowledge to compare, and the confidence to appreciate that modern and, in fact, most contemporary dance refuses to be defined by labels. As one’s experience with the art of dance grows, the need to brand dance forms will diminish, and the question “What is Modern Dance?” will be replaced with “What else can dance be or become?”

Below are some interesting quotes, links, and resources that have more to say about Modern Dance…

One reason why modern dance is hard to define is that it is not so much a particular system or technique as it is an attitude toward dance, a point of view that encourages artistic individualism and the development of personal ways of dancing. As Helen Tamaris wrote in a program note for a concert she gave in 1927, “There are no general rules. Each work of art creates it’s own code.” – Jack Anderson

American Modern Dance, as a performance art form, serves many roles in today’s society. Many American choreographers of today use their art form for social commentary. There are other choreographers who tell stories with their dances. Finally, many choreographers simply manipulate the tools of choreography to visually create something new and interesting-perhaps something never seen before. Whatever the specific intent of the choreographer the role of dance today is to communicate, to create, and to educate.
- Beth Braun and Mark English

Ballet & Modern Dance: A Concise History
Prime Movers: The Makers of Modern Dance in America
The Makers of Modern Dance in Germany: Rudolf Laban, Mary Wigman, Kurt Jooss
No Fixed Points: Dance in the Twentieth Century
Terpsichore in Sneakers: Post-Modern Dance

Answers.com

RIDance.com’s answer to “What is Modern Dance?”

PBS’s Modern Dance Primer

Classic Confusion tries to define labels in dance

© Nichelle Strzepek for Dance Advantage, 2008. | Permalink | Category: Beyond the Bubble, Blog, Dance Companies, Dance Library, Dance Styles, Dancethropology, Dancing, History of Dance, Modern/Contemporary, Terminology | Who's talking about this article?

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Dance Advantage » Modern/Contemporary

History Moves: Using the Creative Process to Explore Dance History

The history of dance is far from dull and including dance history in your classes doesn’t have to be either.

To recap:

Let’s draw on those same ten ideas to outline two ways to practically include dance history lessons while going about the usual business of making dances:

1. Choosing Content.

2. Choosing Genre.

3. Choosing Movement.

4. Choosing structure.

5. Choosing sound.

6. and 7. Choosing alternate methods for coaching ideas and movement within rehearsal.

7. Choosing production elements.

8. and 9. Choosing your value system and Choosing your method for reflection.

How do you explore dance history in your classes? What recommendations for source material would you add to those above?

Talking Fusion, SYTYCD, and Futures with Dwight Rhoden

Complexions Contemporary Ballet Ready to Rock Houston

What Do They Mean By ‘Contemporary’ On SYTYCD?

What is contemporary dance?

How is it different from modern dance, or jazz dance?

I’ll start with my Bottom Line first…

Labels suck but we kind of need them.

Dance Training in New York vs. Los Angeles

Francisco’s reply:

Expand Your Library or Horizons: 13 Books on Dance and Culture

GENERAL INTEREST

Dancing: The Pleasure, Power, and Art of Movement

International Encyclopedia of Dance

Teacher’s Top Three: Improvisation and Composition Studies

1. Slowing Things Down

2. “Flocking”

3. Hitting the Books

What are YOUR favorite improvisation or composition exercises?

We would love to answer any questions you have about using improvisation-based “games” in the K-12 or studio setting.

Terpsichorus: Discussing Entity — Wayne McGregor/Random Dance

Welcome to our first Terpsichorus discussion!

Look out below

Spread the word

The Movement

The Music, Sets, Costumes, & Lighting

Role Of A Lifetime: Returning To Dance As A Mom

Pregnancy Is The Rehearsal

Body Image

Adjusting To Motherhood

Managing Family Time

Change For The Better

Have a wonderful Mother’s Day!

Pas de Deux: Two Career Dancers On Pregnancy

Can a professional dancer maintain her career and be a mom, too?

Mother/Dancer

All In The Timing? Deciding To Start A Family

Staying Healthy

A Unique Pas de Deux

Five Ways Postmodern Principles Can Positively Impact Your Studio

What studio wouldn’t want their dancers coming out more versatile as dancers and more open-minded as people?

But where is postmodern dance in studio instruction?

5 Ways Postmodern Dance Principles Can Positively Impact Your Studio.

Profile of an American Icon: A Few Words With Paul Taylor

An Unignorable Hunch

An Unequivocal Talent

Celebrating 80

A Few Words With Paul Taylor

More Paul Taylor Links and Resources

Isadora Duncan: Mother of Modern Dance

More About Isadora

Classic Confusion

What is classical dance?

What Is Classical Ballet?

Modern Dance vs. Contemporary Dance

Labeling Dance

Location, Location, Location

Don’t worry if it’s all still confusing.

A Dancer’s Guide: Tips for College (Part II)

What is Modern Dance?

This is not an easy question to answer, even for dancers and choreographers.

How do you explore dance history in your classes?
What recommendations for source material would you add to those above?