Dancing Forms
Contemporary
Developed during the mid 20th century
– The strong and controlled legwork of ballet
– Improvisation characteristic of modern dance
– Can incorporate elements from many dance styles
Example of Contemporary Dance
Runaway Music Video
What has become one of the dominant genres for formally trained dancers in the U.S. and Europe?
Contemporary
Jazz
Developed alongside jazz music in New Orleans in the early 1900s
– Evolved from a fusion of African rhythms, European folk dances and the American jazz music of the 1920s
– Utilizes syncopation to heighten the power and energy of the style
Isolation
movements of one body part while the other parts remain still
– A low center of gravity
– High level of energy
What is the theatrical form of jazz dance called?
Modern jazz
Katherine Dunham
American dancer, choreographer, author, and social activist
– One of the most successful dance careers in American and European theater of the 20th century
– Started the Katherine Dunham School of Dance and Theatre near Times Square in New York City
– She introduced isolations to jazz dance
Bob Fosse
American dancer, musical theatre choreographer, director, screenwriter, film director and actor
– Work was always provocative, entertaining, and quite unlike anything ever before seen
– Won eight Tony Awards for choreography, one for direction
What movie did Bob Fosse write and direct about himself called?
All That Jazz
Tap
Like Jazz, Tap evolved in the early 20th Century from late 19th Century influences
– Rhythm is generated by using the sounds of tap shoes striking or sliding on the floor as a form of percussion
– The sound is made by shoes that have a metal “tap” on the heel and toe
Soft-Shoe
a rhythm form of tap dancing that does not require special shoes
Rhythm tap
focuses on musicality
Broadway tap
focuses on dance; widely performed in musical theater
Sarah Reich
Performer, Choreographer, Instructor
One of the new leaders in Tap Dance
Hip-hop
Street dance styles mostly performed to hip-hop music or that have evolved as part of hip-hop culture
Created in the 1970s and made popular by dance crews in the United States
Break Dancing
first hip hop dance style
What does foundational dances are included in hip-hop breaking?
Toprock, Downrock, Freezes, Power moves, Drops
Toprock
footwork-oriented steps performed while standing up
Downrock
footwork performed with both hands and feet on the floor
Freezes
stylish poses done on your hands
Power moves
complex and impressive acrobatic moves
Drops
transitions from toprock to downrock
Pop and Lock
Largely improvisational – some basics apply
Contract and relax muscles in the arms, legs and torso. Do so in quick, pop-like motions
Flex the muscles arms, legs, or torso and grind shoulders, pause and remain in place for a specific amount of time, thereby “locking” it
Count to three (or other designated time) to the music, then pop into another position, locking it again
What is the basic staple of hip hop dancing?
pop and lock
New Style
Includes a wide range of styles
Studio hip-hop, sometimes called “new style”
What is studio hip-hop sometimes called?
New Style
– Short for New York Style – created by dancers outside the USA
What are some new styles of hip-hop?
New Style Dancing Battle in France
Hip-Hop ballet