Contempo is Contempo is modern dance

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Contempo became the dance that erased the generally accepted boundaries of movements. No wonder it is called a set of random movements in a non-random order. Those who stood at the origins of the birth of the contempo saw in it a part of the culture that could attract the masses.

History of occurrence

Contempo is a dance that is also called contemporary (“contemporary dance”). In translation from English it means "modern dance". This movement, which originated at the end of the 19th century, called for a break from generally accepted standards. The direction was created to merge life and dance. People were united by one worldview based on the idea of Nietzsche. The freedom of the dancer was to reveal his emancipation and creative spirit.

Those who stood at the birth of the direction wanted to attract as many people as possible to it. In their opinion, contemporary music is available to everyone who wants to master it. It will help you change your life. Improvisation is the main feature that will awaken creativity in a person, the creators assured.

At the same time (at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries), mankind actively showed interest in various sports activities. This was also taken into the idea of contempo.

Isadora Duncan is one of the founders of contempo

American dancer Isadora Duncan was one of those who stood at the origins of modern dance. She denied the school of classical ballet and preferred free plastic dance. Her goal was to connect music and movement into one whole. In her performances, the dancer used classical music and literally illustrated it with the help of dance. Duncan went on stage in loose clothes and barefoot, which was unusual and surprising for that time. The audience reacted very emotionally to such spectacular performances. She had a rich imagination and shocked the audience more than once with her half-naked dances.

Despite the fact that her school did not find followers, she made a huge contribution to the destruction of stereotypes.

Contemporary as a symbiosis of different cultures

Contempo is a dance that is now classified as a modern trend. The basics are taken from the dance movements of classical jazz-modern dance, qigong, tai chi quan, yoga, pilates. Because of this, it has so much diversity and there are no boundaries for the transfer of its internal state. The absence of any prohibitions gives rise to amazing creative solutions. Frames are set only in matters of perception of the spectacle by the viewer. It is difficult to keep track of certain styles and directions in dance. Contempo is a dance for the soul and pleasure. Academic culture hides the human, and free modern dances put it forward. No ideals of beauty and standards, everything is chaotic, unexpected and sincere.

In the classroom, great importance is given toworking with space, breathing, emotions, quality of movements, correct alignment of your body.

Development of various techniques

Modern dance is still evolving. Each choreographer and director expresses his own vision of the world in it. There are dance construction laws that masters develop in their own way.

At different times, various techniques appeared that were created by the "pioneers" of modern dance.

• Alexander's technique appeared in the 1920s. Emphasis is placed on correct posture and body structure.
• The Feldenkrais Method is based on a comprehensive bodywork system.
• Somatics. Designed by Thomas Hanna in the 1970s. Based on the concept of mindfulness and body-mind interaction.
• The system of Rudolf Laban. Built on understanding, observation, description and notation of all forms of movement.
• Martha Graham technique. Particular attention is paid to working with the abdominal cavity and pelvis.
• The Merce Cunningham technique. It is based on the architecture of the body in space, building a line of force that gives easy and natural movement.
• Technique release. It is built on using only those muscles that are needed at the moment. The rest must be released. This technique helps to feel your body, understand it and fill the dancer's choreographic vocabulary.
• Humprey-Wedman technique. Built on research on the use of strength and energy, on working with weight.
• Jose Limon's technique. Based on the teachings of Humprey-Wedman. The movement of the breath through the body is used,weight transfer from one part of the body to another.

The same dance will not be perceived equally if performed by two different people, as it is based on weight and balance.

Each lesson begins with a detailed disassembly of the anatomical, nervous, respiratory and muscular systems. Contempo is a dance, the study of which is based on three basic programs.

Modern dance programstsa

The following sections are subject to mandatory study in the learning process:

• Balance and articulation.
• Gravity.
• Floor technique – par terre.

Lessons are built on these three bases. Contempo begins with theory, with a discussion of the mood of the dance and the sensations it evokes. For pair dances, support, technique of their performance are discussed. At least a third of the session is devoted to warming up the body.

Contempo is a dance performed in three techniques:

- vertical - dance in a vertical position;

- parterre - dance on the floor;

- steam room - dance with a partner.

How are things today?

To modern dances include three directions. All of them have almost no differences.

- Free dance. Based on habitual and natural human movements.

- Musical movement. More attention is paid to music. The dance begins with the first notes of the composition and ends with the last sounds. The main task is to reflect the mood of the piece of music.

- Contempo-modern. Born in the USA and Germany. Until the end, he did not leave traditional ballet movements. At the same time, he also influenced classical choreography.

Meaning of music

In modern dance, the role of music is very strong. She is called upon to help the dancer, and not to impose her own theme. At the beginning of the origin of the style, classical music was chosen for the contempo. Now the rhythm set by the metronome is enough to perform the dance. With movements and dramaturgy, a person conveys the mood and character of his performance. Contempo is a dance that can be performed in any musical accompaniment: with natural acoustic sounds, to modern melodies and even in silence. Music for contemporary music can be with or without words, there are no rules and requirements.

Start learning

Experts emphasize that modern dance was created 100 years ago so that people could learn to listen to their body at any age. However, over time, the contemporary style has improved and become so complicated that there are compositions that not everyone can perform. Some productions are not inferior to acrobatic numbers in terms of the number of complex lifts and the level of preparation of the performers.

Now they begin to engage in this direction from the age of 4. Children are taught to feel music, master elementary movements and get acquainted with the culture of modern dance.

Contemporary can be started at any age. It is safe and affordable to start learning dance moves.

Clothes for classes should be loose andcomfortable. For convenience, it is recommended to use ballet flats or Czech shoes, you can jazz shoes, thick socks with non-slip soles. Very often they dance just barefoot. It has become a symbol of the contemporary.