The History and Origins of the Contemporary and Lyrical Modern Dance Styles
Hello and welcome back to the blog here at DansationsWNY, the premier pre-professional dance studio in Depew, NY! Here, we aim to provide valuable resources to parents and dancers both, including our existing students and potential new students. Today, we wanted to go over a popular slice of our dance program, contemporary and lyrical modern dance!
Whether you’re a newcomer, looking over options, or a more experienced dancer, you might have heard of two closely related disciplines of dance that tickle your interest – contemporary and lyrical. These styles are rooted in the modern dance movement and are includes elements of ballet, jazz, and modern dance.
Lyrical Modern Dance
Lyrical dance is a bit tricky to pin down its origin point, but it came onto the scene in a major way in the 1960s and 70s. This dance style fuses jazz, contemporary, and classical ballet. It’s marked by its fluid movements that are expressive and emotionally interpret the lyrics of a piece of music. This dance style puts an emphasis on the connection the dancer has developed with music, and was perhaps at its most popular during Season 1 of So You Think You Can Dance when it was one of the named styles of the show. The movements of lyrical dance tend to be fluid and graceful, with dancers transitioning between moves seamlessly and holding their finishing steps for longer periods.
Contemporary Dance
Contemporary Dance is a little easier to pin down its origins. Dancer Isadora Duncan is widely considered the mother of modern dance, in the early 20th century. Another pioneer of this dance style was Merce Cunningham in the 1940s. Contemporary dance is a fluid, interpretive style that allows for a large range of freedom in movement and expression. Like an abstract painting, the contemporary dance style started without reliance on moving towards or away from a climax, with the dance itself being the expressive element. It often incorporates elements of classical ballet, modern dance, and jazz. It stresses versatility and improv, and dancers use their body and movements to tell a story.
Both of these dance styles offer unique forms of expression and a perfect way to get in touch with your emotions and creativity while providing an excellent workout. They train your control, strength, and mental dexterity! Whether you’re a complete newcomer or more experienced, these dances are a good way to challenge yourself and push your dancing boundaries.
Get Moving Today!
Here at Dansations, we don’t only have these dancing styles available, we also have the best acrobatics and gymnastics classes around! Our youth program is perfect for your child and can provide lifelong benefits. Check out some of our available resources to get started.
Contact DansationsWNY today by calling us at (716).694.5196 or filling out a contact form! No matter the age of your child, there’s a program for them to get started dancing in WNY today. You can also sign up right away! Make sure to check out our schedule so you don’t miss a thing.
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