Modern Dance and Ballet - Essay Example

Modern Dance and Ballet Introduction Present dance and ballet have developed through history. Therefore, the trends in dancing movements have gradually taken various patterns. Different choreographers implemented exclusive movements as others made subsequent adjustments in the later generations (Adshead, 12). The developmental feature in the movements is evident in the movements in modern songs. The dance movements in contemporary songs are entirely dissimilar from those in antique songs. This paper contains an analysis and perspective about the movements in My Immortal to show the evolving inclinations in choreography. Evanescence is the band originator of this song, and the movements are congruent through the song. The movements are compatible to the tempo of the song, as well as the cultural and emotional significance of the song. Therefore, the observation and analysis of this song demonstrates the development of contemporary dance and ballet. Contemporary dance and ballet exemplifies a form of sovereignty and liberty in the movements. Anciently, dance movements were entirely confined in a regular routine. In this case, antique choreographers viewed dance as a repetition of a regular sequence of movements (Dunning, 2). Subsequent generations of dancers criticized the principles that regulated ancient dance. According to the modern dancers, the ancient movements incapacitated originality in art. Therefore, they implemented a new technique that would enhance human fecundity, and that would be freer. Their implementation invented the movements in contemporary ballet. Isadora Duncan and Mary Wigman were amongst the spearheads of the new enactments (Foulkes, 1). This feature is evident in the performances of the song My Immortal. Upon performance of this song, dancers manifest a freer maneuver on stage. Additionally, creativity manifests in the occupation of the stage. In this case, the artiste is not limited to a rigid routine. The performer takes abrupt, but congruent maneuvers in different spots of the stage. This feature amounts to an ideal stage occupation procedure. Consequently, the artiste captivates the audience to the movements on stage (Horosko, 12). Evidently, this exemplifies a modification from the ancient patterns of regular routines and movements on stage. Gestures are an indispensable aspect in dance. Contemporary ballet pronounced emphasis on the use of gestures in the movements (Brown, 22). This would also be an immense platform for the exploration of creativity in dancing art. The gestures contribute to the conveyance of the performances’ message to the audience. Francois Delsarte was the key protagonist on this feature in ballet. He was a protuberant philosopher in French who contributed to the essentiality of gestures in dance. According to him, gestures would make dance sprightly and it would attach concrete meaning to the performances. He made this proposition in the course of the nineteenth century, and many choreographers adopted it (Hutchinson, 32). In the performance My Immortal, gestures are a key constituent. Through the gestures of the performance, the audience attains the key implications of the entire performance. The dancing movements of the song engross gestures that convey specific messages to the audience. For instance, the aggressive and abrupt movements show the protagonist’s urge to experience emotional liberty after a haunt by the spirit of a beloved person. The gentle gestures manifest affection that exists for the late beloved one. Evidently, gestures are key requirements in modern dance movements. This is a vital feature in the contemporary dance (Jonas, 43). It did not majorly dictate the performance of ancient dancing routines. Literacy is a key component in contemporary ballet that demonstrates significant development. In ancient times, the formal curriculum was limited to specific fields such as chemistry, physics, amongst others. Literate curriculums promote the knowhow of individuals venturing in specific fields. It therefore amounts to immense fulfillment and competence amongst individuals in a certain field. Therefore, the fields benefit with elevated resilience in diverse professional accomplishments. Literacy is a distinguishing factor amongst ancient and contemporary dance. Eurhythmics is an intact set of scholarly principles to produce fulfilled and competent performers (Lewis, 21). This involves tutoring rhythms via body movements. Contemporary ballet involves intense training of entertainers for outstanding performances. My Immortal performance exemplifies understanding and application of key concepts in art. For instance, the performers relate the tempo of the song with congruent movements. Emile Jaques brought the scholarly implementation in contemporary ballet. Evidently, the emphasis of literacy marks a development in the art of dance. It is a distinguishing factor amongst the antique and contemporary movements. Communicability is a key development that manifests in contemporary ballet. Through this development, choreographers have that capacity to bestow meaning to dancing movements (Mazo, 56). Therefore, movements have the magnitude to convey a message to the audience. This feature was secondary in ancient ballet. It did not have a key priority, and it was mostly ambiguous. Critiques to the ancient dancing routine observed peripheral foundations for the communicability of dance. For instance, Isadora derived maneuvers from a Greek figurine. After her observation, she denounced ballet slippers, and implemented bare feet movements (Mazo, 57). She also preferred a modest tunic to a corseted ballet outfit which was a customary western trend. Through her preferences and implementations, her moves took a new course. She formulated moves that would alternate between resistance and acquiescent enormity. Her choreography would respond to romantic and sentimental songs. My Immortal is a modern performance that derives the course of movements from her principle. The performer responds to the relaxed tempo in bare feet and simple tunic. She also articulates the yield and resistance of magnitude to communicate the urge for freedom as well as the emotional attachment with the departed loved one revealed in the song. Evidently, communicability trends in contemporary ballet differ from the ancient trends. Despite of the pronounced development in contemporary ballet, some factors in movement remained unchanged (Roseman, 36). Contemporary choreography still retains antique dance patterns. As choreographers observed external trends, they preserved internal patterns of ballet as well. The trends have subsisted antiquity to date. This is evident in Martha Graham’s emphasis on walking and breathing. She is a contemporary choreographer who advocates for this olden trend. Therefore, contemporary performances capitalize on inhalation and exhalation for contraction and release. This amounts to ample flexibility in contemporary ballet. My Immortal performance manifests contraction and release in the movements. The performer manifests contraction when approaching the ground, and release when they are off the ground. Nevertheless, the contract and release may coincide throughout the negotiation of the movements. Conclusion Modern ballet exemplifies much development through history. This is evident through the implementations of prominent choreographers. They criticized ancient ways and implemented exclusive trends in dance. Nevertheless, some trends in dance remained intact through history. These trends marked a significant development of contemporary ballet since the antiquity. Work cited Adshead, Lansdale. Dance History: An Introduction. London: Routledge, 1994. Print. Brown, Woodford. The Vision of Modern Dance: In the Words of Its Creators. London: Independent Publishers Group, 1998. Print. Dunning, Jennifer. “Eleanor King, a modern dancer and choreographer, dies at 85.” New York Times, 1991. Dunning, Jennifer. “Review/Dance; Recalling the Spirit of Doris Humphrey.” The New York Times, 1991. Foulkes, Julia. Modern Bodies: Dance and American Modernism from Martha Graham to Alvin Ailey. North Carolina: The University of North Carolina Press, 2002. Print. Horosko, Marian. Martha Graham: The Evolution of Her Dance Theory and Training. Florida: University Press of Florida, 2002. Print. Hutchinson, Guest. Shawn's Fundamentals of Dance (Language of Dance). London: Routledge, 1998. Print. Jonas, Gerald. Dancing: The pleasure, power, and art of movement. Indiana: Indiana University, 1998. Print. Lewis, Daniel. The Illustrated Dance Technique of Jose Limon. London: Princeton Book Co., 1999. Print. Mazo, Joseph. Prime Movers: The Makers of Modern Dance in America. London: Independent Publishers Group, 2000. Print. Roseman, Janet. Dance Was Her Religion: The Spiritual Choreography of Isadora Duncan, Ruth St. Denis and Martha Graham. New York: Hohm Press, 2004. Print. Read More