CONTEMPORARY DANCE

MEANING OF CONTEMPORARY DANCE AND FORM

1. Contemporary dance refers to a variety of dance movements that emerged during the middle part of the twentieth century and still remains relevant till the present time. It is a style of expressive that combines elements of several genres including modern, jazz, lyrical and classical ballet. Contemporary dancers strive to connect the mind and the body through fluid dance movements.
2. Form refers to the shape a dancer takes in space while dancing around the dance floor.

 

TYPES OF CONTEMPORARY DANCE

They include:

1. BALLET:Ballet is one of the most common type of dance and many other types of dance are actually based on ballet .This style of dance has been around for centuries and is often considered to be one of the most beautiful .Although, classical music is usually used to set the scene for a ballet, other types of music can be used as well. Modern dance is related to classic ballet, but does not follow the same strict rules, guideline and dance moves.Ballet is a type of performance that originated in the Italian renaissance courts in the 15^th
2. TAP DANCE: Tap dance is another form of dancing .Unlike most dancers, tap dancers need special sound making shoes with metal plates that make a tapping sound when the dancer strikes her foot on the dance floor. Along with expressing herself through movements, a tap dancer will also usually add to the rhythm of the music or make her own music by tapping her shoes on the dance floor.
3. JAZZ DANCE: Jazz dance consists of very bold moves and it is often set to upbeat, energetic jazz music .Unlike other forms of dance, the intrinsic nature of jazz often allows dancers to add quite a bit of personality to their performances.Jazz dance is shared by a large range of dance styles.Before the 1950s,jazz dance has to do with dance styles that show extremely bold and rigorous movements.
4. HIP – HOP DANCE:Hip hop dancing and break dancing are both very new types of dance .These types of dance are set to modern hip – hop music, and dancers are often encouraged to improvise different dance moves.
5. DANCE DRAMA: A drama in which all the action is expressed by dancing. Dance drama is a drama conveyed by dance movements sometimes followed by dialogue.

 

EVALUATION

1. What is contemporary dance?
2. List two types of contemporary dance.

 

GENERAL EVALUATION / REVISION QUESTIONS

1. Mention the three genres of literature.
2. State three sources of sound in music.
3. Define colour.
4. List and explain any three classes of colour.
5. List and explain the three properties of colour.

 

WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT

1. ……….is the rhythmical movement of the body in time and space to the flow of the music. (a) Music (b) Dance  (c) Drama
2. A style of dance in which dancers tap the dance floor with metal heeled with or without musical accompaniment is ………… (a) tango dance (b) tap dance  (c) ballet  (d) ballet
3. What form of dance purely relates to classic music? (a) Classic dance (b)Folk dance  (c) Ballet  (d) Hip hop dance
4. What form of street dance styles purely relates to hip – hop music? (a) Folk dance (b) Tap dance (c) Hip – hop dance (d) Tango dance
5. …………….is a contemporary style of dance that originated from the Italian renaissance courts in the 15^th (a) Ballet  (b) Tango  (c) Foxtrot  (d) Waltz

 

THEORY

1. Define contemporary dance.
2. State two types of contemporary dance

 

See also

RUDIMENTS AND THEORIES OF MUSIC

STUDY OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

HOW TO ACHIEVE A SENSE OF BELONGING

DRAMA DIRECTOR

COLLAGE PRODUCTION