I need help... (General info about contemporary dance)

by Britney Belanger
(Ontario)

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?
For what occasion is it danced for?

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I need help... (General info about contemporary dance)

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May 10, 2011
 Answer from Maria
by: Maria

Dear Britney,

Contemporary dance is practiced mainly by middle class young people, from the so called 'western culture' (Europe, the U.S., and the countries they have colonized). Though, there are exceptions and as it has gained a lot of followers over the years, you can find all kind of people into the practice nowadays.

It is an artistic trend that arose both in the U.S. (New York mainly) and in Europe around the 1950s and it has become progressively trendy since then. So, it is maybe now that contemporary dance is most popular than ever.

In general, this is a concert dance form, which means that it is danced as a show (an artist or a group of artists prepare an event that will be attended by an audience). But, as this is a very free form of art, it can be danced for any occasion that the artists' creativity proposes. Contemporary dance produces 'jams' as well, which are more like a gathering of dancers in which everybody improvises freely and it's just an occasion to have fun and meet.

If you wish to widen your knowledge about contemporary dance, here are two options:

1. The handy e-book of contemporary dance history.

2. Our selection of content at the page for contemporary dance history.

I wish you all the best for your project. Remember that you can come back and let us know how you get on with it through the comments forms. Or... don't hesitate to ask again if you have other questions!

Kindly,

Maria

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