What is Contemporary Dance?

Contemporary dance allows for the dancer to explore their feelings, emotions and thoughts through the widest variety of movement.

---

Photography by Vincent, Property of Modern Motion Dance School, 2015

---

Contemporary dance has become one of the most popular dance forms over the past century. However, there is a lot of confusion about what this new popular form of dance actually is. The roots of this technique come from many different styles of dance. This is what causes much of the confusion about the technique. Stemming from ballet, modern, jazz and even African dance techniques, contemporary is a fun fusion of different aspects of many styles of dance. Taking the control and strength of the body rooted in a classical ballet training and morphing it with the freedom and fluidity of other dance techniques allows the dancer to push the boundaries of their own movement.

The contemporary technique is often geared towards growing not only the physical capacities of the dancer but also the creative mind. The technique allows for a lot of variety in movement. Since the body is the artistic medium of the performer, there needs to be a heightened connection of the mind and body. This connection is often built through improvisation within the technique. Contemporary dance allows for the dancer to explore their feelings, emotions and thoughts through the widest variety of movement. This form of dance is one of very few techniques that really has no limitation within the exploration of movement. 

Typically set to modern music and often pushing the limits of the musical accompaniment, contemporary dance allows the artist to truly explore the possibility of the moving body. From endless turns seen in ballet to creative floor work of modern dance to intricate rhythmic patterns of African dance, the contemporary technique generates well rounded dancers. It fosters creative growth within the individuals mind and full capability to execute movement within the dancers body. 

Hannah Sego
Read Hannah's Bio Here