CONTEMPORARY DANCE QUESTIONS 

ABOUT THEORY AND HISTORY

Some of the dance questions about theory and/or history I receive are from visitors that haven’t read our main pages about these subjects:

Dance terms. Definition of contemporary dance and other dance words

Dance theory

Contemporary dance history

Modern dance history

Ballet history

General concert dance history



If you haven’t read those pages, you might ask something that has already been answered within our website. Please, make sure of at least browsing over them before asking a new question here.

If you read those pages and still have a question, you can also follow a very simple process before asking. Please have a look at our right column, where you will find a Google search box. It is located near the top, just below the post for the e-book of contemporary dance history.

This search box works only within contemporary-dance.org (our website), and not within the rest of the Web. Just write some of the words that make your question, for example WHAT IS CONTEMPORARY DANCE?, and then click the search button. A new page will open with several results. Now you can read about what you are looking for. It is very possible that you will find the answer to your query.

If after reading the above information you still have a question, please feel free to ask. The only thing I ask in exchange is that you leave me your e-mail address. I will not use it to send you ads or spam. The reason for this is that I have too many submissions. Some of them are about already asked questions, some are out of topic, some need that I contact the submitter, some don’t. I need your e-mails to handle all this questions better, otherwise this is an endless work. So, I will not answer to you if you don’t leave your e-mail address, whether in the notification options or within your message.

ARE YOU READY TO SUBMIT A QUESTION?

Great!

Now just follow these steps:

1. PLEASE browse over the already asked questions (they are posted below the submission form), before submitting a new one. You might find that the answer is already here for you!

If your question has not been asked yet:

2. Fill in the form below and click on the ‘send my question’ button.

Make sure you always select one of the notification options when asked and provide your e-mail address. I will not answer to repeated questions but I will contact you to tell you where the answer can be found. By providing your e-mail you will also instantly know when my answer, or comments from other visitors, have been posted.

Feel free to ask as many questions as you like, but only one question per submission.

Just remember that this is a website about contemporary dance. If you ask a question about another type of dance, it might not be included on this page or take much longer to be answered.

And… this is the section for contemporary dance questions about theory and history. But don’t worry if you send a question about another category by mistake. I will place your submission in the right place and will let you know where to find it (leave your e-mail in the notification settings at the end of the submission process, if you want to allow me to contact you, for example in a case like this…)

You will find your questions with their respective answers and/or comments below the submission form.


Ask your question here:

Remember that this is a website about contemporary dance. Out of topic questions will not be replied.

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What Other Visitors Have Asked

Click below to read the questions and answers from other visitors to this page...

Writing dance, dance notation systems? 
i have been thinking lately about dance notation and its impact on, well, the works that are being written down. When musicians write music they do so …

How did politics effect the development of modern dance? 
This is for a school project about dance and I need to see how modern dance was affected through politics and how it has changed politics. I would …

Choreographic analysis from the perspective of aesthetics 
Namaste! I am from India and by profession I'm a classical dancer. I want to start my PhD on the above said topic. Can you please help me to understand …

Stage terminology: center center stage?  
Is the phrase center center stage a dance term? I am proofing a friend's paper for dance appreciation. FIRST REPLY: Dear Linda, Yes, you can …

Modern ballet with cycled (looped) moves of the dancers 
Hi! hope you will help me) About 10 years ago i saw some modern ballet on the tv here in Russia. It wasnt russian ballet for sure. The whole point of the …

Who was ballet first performed for? 
Who was ballet first performed for?

What's the exact period in which modern dance existed 
In your dance history section it says end of XIX century to 1950s, but all the other dance styles say until present day. Modern dance is still ongoing …

"Danse Sacree et Danse Profane"? 
Has anyone ever choreographed Debussy's "Danse Sacree et Danse Profane"?33

Teaching about dance (what is dance?) 
I am a high school teacher and this year I am teaching a class that covers the fine arts (music, dance, visual art, theatre) and I am approaching the unit …

Modern dance entitled "The Ghost"  
Does anyone know of a dance (I did it in college) where there are rules for entering and exiting the stage, you can either move thru or stop and wait …

Documents about how movement could be a mystical experience or a transcendental one. 
Dear Maria, First of all, thank you for the blog and all your texts. They're so useful and easy to read! (and I'm sorry about my english, I'm just learning …

What is the duration of an action according to Laban’s theory? 
Dear Maria, I read your very interesting article about Laban's effort qualities. I am new to the theory as I started reading it a few months ago and …

Architectural tips for designing a dance school 
Hello, this is Pooja from Mumbai, India. I am currently studying in 4th year from Sir J.J. College of Architecture, Mumbai. I am a classical dancer so …

What is dance criticism? 
Maria please, what is the definition for dance criticism, a dance critic and a critique. What is the purpose of a critique?

The ‘aesthetics of the cool’ 
What does ‘aesthetics of the cool’ mean?

How to write Feuillet Notation? 
Good morning! I hope your day is going incredibly! I am coming to you for some much-needed help! My dance teacher has recently assigned us a project. …

Dance notation and
how to write it?
 
Hello! My name is Sydni, and I have just begun my dance training as a 16 year old. I love it, and I know that I have truly found my passion in life. …

Ballet cultural values and ideas 
Hey there, I wanted to know what cultural values or ideas is ballet embodying? And the social/political reasons why it is the way it is, why it may …

Relationship between breath and expressivity in dance 
Hello, I would like to know more details about breath and expression and how Graham, Limón or Wigman used breath to make their work. How breathing translates …

What does UNITY in dance mean? 
What does UNITY in dance mean?? I really need the meaning as soon as possible..I'm a dance major and I'm going to report about UNITY and our dance teacher …

Use of space in Sabra and Neil So You Think You Can Dance choreographed by Mandy Moore 
Concerning Sabra and Neil So You Think You Can Dance choreographed by Mandy Moore, please give me some thoughts on the Rudolf Labans’ movement analysis,like …

How to define a question for a dance research? 
I'm doing a research paper in Language Arts and I can't come up with a question for dance. I want to do it on dance, but what is a dance research question …

How can I relate architecture to dance? 
Hello, I am currently in my senior year as an architecture student. I am also a contemporary dancer. I decided for my senior project to design a dance …

Choreographic structure of "Dance of the Blessed Spirits" by Pina Bausch.  
Concerning "Dance of the Blessed Spirits" by Pina Bausch. What structure did Pina Bausch use in this dance segment?

Click here to write your own.

The meaning of GESTURE for contemporary dance 
Hello, I came across your website while looking for definitions of Gesture. I am looking at the differences between the understanding of gesture in …

Is there a grammar for duo/group Dance? 
Hi, thanks for creating a very informative website. I'm most interested in duo or group dance, is there an established set of terms used to describe the …

What is the difference between the kinespheric space and the scenic space? 
I want to know more about the two basic things...Body, Space … it’s not very clear from the content in the website....I will be thankful if you just tell …

Theory concerning a hierarchy of muscle tension  
Hola Señora, Me llamo Noel. I am in Virginia, USA. I apologize for not being able to continue this request in Spanish. I hope for your assistance in …

Difference between modern dance and other dance forms  
What’s the difference between modern dance and other dance forms like ballet, jazz and hip hop?

What is the difference between contemporary dance
and modern ballet?
 
Hello, Maria! My name is Vladislav. I'm 23 years old. I'm from Russia, from Saint-Petersburg. I began to dance two years ago, but I decided that dancing …

How does Contemporary Dance affect societies? 
I have a school project, and would be appreciative if you could answer the following: -What type of people take part in Contemporary Dance? -How …

Pioneers of Modern Dance for Men 
I am currently researching the relationship between popular music and dance and want to discover the roots of more masculine dance styles for men. So far …

Lester Horton company  
I just want to know where they performed and what they did before Alvin Ailey became part of it. And after he joined, before Horton died, I just want …

Is yoga infused in ballet 
Some one who I know has studied ballet and yoga. She mentioned that in the history of ballet, yoga was infused in ballet. I am looking for documentation …

Kurt Jooss and Mary Wigman 
Are Kurt Jooss and Mary Wigman similar in dance technique?

British modern dance between 1965 and 1985 
British Modern Dance between 1965 and 1985?

Modern dancers 
Can you tell me some people that do modern dance ?

Topic for BA Honors about contemporary dance 
Hi Maria I felt grateful when I found this website. Currently I'm doing my BA Honors. I do really like contemporary dance as my previous work was …

Good dance literature 
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Do the dance movements have to have a meaning behind them? 
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DVD on Modern Dance History (Trailblazers of Modern Dance) 
Do you know where I could get a copy of Trailblazers of Modern Dance? (a PBS Documentary) I can't access libraries as mine can't do interlibrary loan …

Where did contemporary dance come from? 
Where did contemporary dance come from? What are its key features and how is it different from other styles of dance? FIRST ANSWER: Dear Lorraine, …

The function of contemporary dance 
What is the function of contemporary dance?

Environmental Choreography 
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Contemporary (what is contemporary dance?) 
1.What is contemporary? 2.What are the techniques of contemporary? 3.How can the contemporary dance form be choreographed? 4.What are the types of contemporary? …

Contemporary... (when did it start?) 
What year did contemporary dance start?

History of Modern Dance 
I would like to know, how has Modern Dance evolved within te last 50 years? (Around the 1950's)

I need help... (General info about contemporary dance) 
I have a project on contemporary dancing and I have some questions. What type of people dance this? Where was it made? What year was it most popular? …

The purpose of contemporary dance. 
What is the purpose for contemporary dance?

Click here to write your own.

What is revolutionary in its time? 
In relation to contemporary dance, what is revolutionary in its time?

Choreography and musical influences. 
My dissertation is about how music influences choreographic decisions and I am making a 12 minute performance based on this. I was wondering if you knew …

How influential is fashion and music to the development of social and theatrical dance? 
Hello. I am a year 10 student at Long Field School in Melton Mowbray, England. As part of my gcses, I am taking a course called Extended Project AS. For …

Lester Horton and cultural plurality. 
How did Lester Horton highlight a particular culture in dance history?

How to analyze a choreographic piece? 
Hello Maria, I am a student of a contemporary dance’s degree in Mazatlán, Sinalóa. I just started to work on my graduating project’s draft and I need …

The role of society in the evolution of Modern and Contemporary dance 
In what ways was the evolution of Modern, Post Modern and Contemporary dance affected by the social and political factors of every period? Or was it …

Click here to write your own.


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