MODERN DANCE At the beginning of the 20th century, a revolutionary new form of dance developed. The early pioneers of Modern dance rebelled against what they believed to be the restrictions Ballet. Prior to the 20th century, dance was not considered a form of personal expression. This new revolution in dance was led by choreographers- individuals who chose to push back against tradition and forge ahead with their own ideas for artistic and personal expression. For this reason, we will trace the development and history of Modern dance through individual choreographers.

Loie Fuller b.1862-d.1928 Also known as “La Loie” she is best known for her visual effects utilizing lighting techniques and voluminous fabrics. She was not much of a technical dancer but a real innovator on dance and technology. She contributed to the use of theatrical elements such as electrical lighting(still very new at the time), use of color gels, and slide projections. She began her career in US but found her stardom in Paris at Folies Bergeré.

Isadora Duncan- b.1877-d.1927 She is considered the “Mother of Modern Dance” She rebelled against society’s restrictions upon women and danced barefoot in loose fitting tunics. She based her movements on natural movements such as running, hopping, skipping, etc. and drew her inspiration from Greek history and art as well as the natural world. Had two children out of wedlock, both drowned in Paris. She died tragically when riding in a convertible auto. She was strangled to death when her scarf became tangled in the wheels. She developed a technique (Dunham technique) that is still being taught and performed today.

Mary Wigman- b.1886- d.1973 This German artist sometimes danced in silence, utilized mask work, and sometimes created dances without music then created the music later. Her work is often associated with German Expressionist painters who utilized exaggeration and distortion to convey strong and often unpleasant emotions. She was working during the time between the first and second world war and her work was halted the second world war.

Ruth St. Denis- b.1877- d.1968 She was greatly influenced by other cultures but only superficially. In fact, most of her work was appropriation of other cultural dance forms. She met and married Ted Shawn and they created a school called Denishawn in California, one of the first of its kind. The Denishawn students were also their company members and Densihawn performed throughout the U.S. on the vaudeville circuit. Eventually they toured several Asian countries where they began studying the dances of those cultures. The Denishawn school is credited for developing one of the first Modern dance training curriculums. It incorporated techniques to develop the mind, body and spirit of the dancer.

Martha Graham- b. 1894-d. 1990 Highly recognized as one of the most influential choreographers in Modern dance, she created a technique based on “contraction and release.” Her early training started at the Denishawn school. Her works were highly theatrical and she was influenced by the psychological theories of Freud and Jung The themes of her work varied from American life to Greek mythology. She developed a technique (Graham) that is still widely taught and performed today.

Doris Humphrey- b.1895-d. 1958 She studied at Denishawn School. With Charles Weidman, she developed a technique based on “fall and recovery.” She wrote the first textbook about Modern dance choreography called “The Art of Making Dances.” Her technique (Humphrey technique) is still in use today.

Edna Guy- b.1907-d. 1982 She studied at Denishawn and although she was a star pupil, she was not allowed to perform professionally due to discrimination (she was African- American). After leaving Denishawn she returned to her home in New York City and began creating her own works that she called ‘Dance Spirituals’ set to Negro Spirituals. Along with Helmsley Winfield, she produced the “First Negro Dance Recital in America” in 1931. This concert provided many other African-American Modern dance artists a venue to perform their works for the first time on stage. She went on to produce other dances but stopped dancing at an early age because of a heart condition.

José Limón –b. 1908-d. 1972 Limon was a student of Doris Humphrey. He further developed her techniques based on fall and recovery, emphasizing the use of breath. He was born in Mexico, studied Art at UCLA, and later moved to NYC where he fell in love with dance. He created a technique and company that is still in existence today.

Lester Horton- b. 1906- d. 1953 He founded his company in Los Angeles and it was one of the first racially integrated companies in the United States. He created a technique form based on Native American dances, anatomical studies and other movement influences. This technique is still in use today. Two of his students that went on to become famous dancers in their own right were Alvin Ailey and Carmen De Lavallade .

Katherine Dunham- b.1909-d.2006 This dancer and choreographer studied Anthropology and Dance. She travelled extensively throughout the Caribbean studying the African based dance forms. She developed her own technique (Dunham technique) combining African and European dance characteristics that utilizes the articulated torso. She was a social activist and contributed in many ways to the development of dance studies and performance in African American communities throughout the US.

Pearl Primus-b. 1919-d. 1994 Also a dancer/ anthropologist, this dance artist was also a social activist. She created dances of protest and performed them at political rallies as well as on the concert stage. She is well known for her work in the New York Public schools as a dance educator and contributed to the curriculum development and implementation of African dance for NYC’s students.

Alvin Ailey-b. 1931-d. 1989 Born in Texas to a single mother, he studied with Lester Horton in CA. He founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1958 to provide as space for African American dancers and choreographers to showcase their work. His choreographic works were based on themes of the African American experience which he referred to as “blood memories.” Unlike many other choreographers of his time who also created dance companies, he was unique in that he encouraged and invited other African American choreographers to work with his company, developing a wide repertory. Alvin Ailey Dance is one of the most internationally renowned dance companies in the world. The repertoire consists of Modern, Jazz and Contemporary Ballet.