Modern Dance Research Articles

Does body appreciation and eating awareness change in artists who perform different dance styles: a cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT Dancers’ dissatisfaction with body appreciation leads to a change in their awareness of eating and an increase in health risks associated with malnutrition. Identifying the causes of these problems can help improve performance and general well-being levels in dancers. The aim of this study is to evaluate the body appreciation levels of the dancers and analyse their eating awareness. In addition, it is intended to reveal whether there is difference between dance styles. A total of 791 dancers at 18–40 age range participated in the study. There were 252 break dancers, 304 folk dancers, 235 modern dancers. They were evaluated by the cross-sectional method. Eating awareness of the dancers was at a moderate level. Although eating control was high, eating disciplines were low. It was found that they were affected by interference. Their body appreciation level was high. According to the results obtained from Body appreciation scale, levels of participants who performed modern dance were higher than those who performed folk dance and break dance. These results show that there are useful determinations in dancers to explore more about eating awareness and body appreciation. The study can guide the development of more effective intervention strategies.

Tórtola Valencia, José Zamora, and the art of queer collaboration

ABSTRACT This article assembles and analyzes an archive of texts and images that attest to the interactions of the modern dancer Carmen Tórtola Valencia and the illustrator José (Pepito) Zamora between 1914 and 1917. Their relationship emerges from the archive as a collaboration whose queerness hinges on their performances of non-normative gender, rumors concerning their homosexual inclinations, and their joint efforts to increase their celebrity and nourish their creative work. Tórtola and Zamora cultivated their queer personas and drew attention to their art by associating with one another. Their queerness and creativity were a shared endeavor that issued from and fed into a series of public performances, dances, costume designs, illustrations, and novels. Studying this collaboration requires a methodological shift in relation to previous scholarship on early twentieth-century Spain, which has tended to segregate research on male homosexuality from work on female homosexuality or lesbianism. Today there is a growing need to recognize the rich interactions between individuals who occupied different positions on spectra of sex, gender, and sexuality in modern Spain. Tórtola and Zamora have been largely overlooked in existing studies of male or female homosexuality; they are more at home in an examination of queer culture.

The Application of Ethnic Folk Dance Elements in Choreographic Techniques from a Contemporary Perspective - Exploring the Fusion of Dai Ethnic Folk Dance and Modernity

Chinese dance, rooted in a diverse cultural heritage, encompasses various styles reflecting the traditions of different ethnic groups in China. Among these, Dai Ethnic Folk Dance, originating from the Dai people of southwestern China, is notable for its intricate movements, vibrant costumes, and rhythmic music. As a means of preserving cultural identity and fostering community cohesion, Dai Ethnic Folk Dance plays a significant role in Dai cultural expression, particularly during festive occasions and traditional ceremonies. With China's modernization and globalization, there is a growing interest in blending traditional dance forms with contemporary artistic expressions, presenting an opportunity to revitalize ethnic dance traditions while stimulating creativity in Chinese dance. This research investigates the integration of Dai Ethnic Folk Dance into contemporary choreography, focusing on practitioners' perceptions and approaches to this fusion. Through qualitative interviews with students and teachers from Chinese dance programs at prominent universities, this study explores the implications of incorporating Dai Ethnic Folk Dance into modern dance practices. Findings reveal a shared belief in the potential for blending traditional Dai dance elements with modern choreographic techniques, enriching the Chinese dance landscape and promoting intercultural dialogue. Recommendations include incorporating Dai Ethnic Folk Dance into dance curriculum, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations, and promoting awareness of Dai culture and dance traditions.

Folk-stage dance of the Carpathian region as a folklore basis of contemporary choreographic art

The article analyzes the history of the development and popularization of folk-stage dance in Prykarpattia. The study of folk art in general and folk dance in particular in the context of the full-scale russian invasion of Ukraine is becoming more relevant than ever, because «the identity of a nation is its civilizational brand, the country’s socio-cultural niche, and the defining principle of the state’s foreign and domestic policy» [8, p. 4]. Folk dance is the cultural code of a nation. As a part of theatrical art, it is able to raise the patriotic spirit in the viewer, to foster a sense of pride in own nation and culture. The intangible cultural heritage, including folk dance as a national cultural product, must meet the demands of the present. One of the contemporary forms of dance art is the choreographic show performance. The lexeme «show» indicates the mass nature of the product, its entertainment character. In addition, shows use the latest digital technologies, software, laser art and musical infrasound techniques. The show is a kind of synthesis of different genres and art forms. Vasyl Vovkun’s mytho-dance opera Ole (Oleksa Dovbush) performed by the National Academic Hutsul Song and Dance Ensemble Hutsuliya as a modern form of popularizing traditional Hutsul dance culture and as a cultural national product meets all the requirements of the show. The performance combines different genres and art forms. It harmoniously intertwines drama, dance, and song. This unusual combination increased the interest of the cultural product consumer in the dramatic action of the show and added to its popularity. The scenery, costumes, and lighting meet the needs of the present. The choreographer created modern dances and choreographic compositions based on authentic Hutsul folklore. Folk-stage dances are organically combined with modern choreography, they are full of sophisticated technique and complex choreographic text, which demonstrates the skill of the author and ballet dancers. Based on the analysis of the peculiarities of folk dance staging, we have formulated and characterized the main criteria that should ensure the relevance of a contemporary choreographic work.

Does the direction of shapes and bodies influence the aesthetic perception of stage setups in dance?

PurposePerceiving aesthetics in watching dance is a complex field of research, yet the component of space in general and stage setups, in particular in dance, is rarely studied. This study investigates the space on stage through the stage setups used in dance competitions. The main goal was to explore the aesthetic preferences of symmetry and the front-facing direction of shapes in a dance presentation. The investigation tries to determine how observers with differing dance experiences perceive the aesthetics of V-setups, diagonal lines, and their involved dancers by mirroring and turning shapes and bodies.MethodsCategorised into three groups (modern dancers, other dancers, non-dancers), 72 active female participants from dance studios and college sports courses evaluated the perceived aesthetics of eight arranged stage setups through a video ranking. Nine motion-captured avatars performed the hip-hop bounce movement in each setup. The participant’s task was to rank the presented stage setups based on their aesthetic perception. The ranking was illustrated with the means values, and the 5% significance criterion was tested with the Friedman-ANOVA.ResultsThe stage setups are perceived differently by the observers. The V-setups reached higher aesthetic scores than the diagonal lines. Only the group of modern dancers showed no preference for the V versus the diagonals. There was a significant difference between the direction of the arranged dancers on stage. The setups with all dancers’ bodies front-facing are aesthetically preferred. Furthermore, the regular V-setup with its top to the front and with all dancers’ bodies facing the front achieved the highest score in the aesthetic evaluation.ConclusionsThe results provide evidence that the feature of symmetry is a driving factor in perceiving aesthetics in dance. The V-setup can be suggested for use in dance choreographies to improve the aesthetic value of observers. Also, the direction of the dancers facing the front is recommended and should be used in dance stage setups.

„Mitu nie zdradzajcie”. Modernistyczna koncepcja tańca w eksperymentach studia „Heptachor”

The Heptachor (Гептахор) studio was a leading early 20 th-century Russian modern dance school committed to a revival of the art of dance and the development of new forms of musical movement and new concepts of artistic creation. In the years 1914–1934, it was the centre of the Musical Movement dance school, experimenting with a wide range of artistic, educational and therapeutic practices. The aim of the article is, first, to present the history of the Heptachor studio on the basis of the recollections and memoirs of its co-founder Stephanida Rudneva, contemporary documents and archive materials, and, second, to analyze the typical creative process narratives included in those sources.

The Value and Approaches to Enhancing Dance Performance and Teaching Skills in Preschool Education Major Students

Dance education, as a unique form of artistic instruction, is garnering increased attention in the realm of preschool education. For students majoring in early childhood education, mastering dance teaching methodologies not only diversifi es their pedagogical tools, boosting their employability, but also invigorates the curriculum. Especially through the study and practice of classical, folk, and modern dance, their educational profi ciency is significantly enhanced. Dance education has profound implications for preschool education, presenting both children and educators with novel opportunities and challenges.

“Can I really be authentic?” A co-created critical autoethnography on whiteness in dance/movement therapy education

As a cultural force, Whiteness is insidious in dance/movement therapy (DMT) education. In the process of learning, East Asian international students and educators may aspire to White, middle-class, able-bodied, heteropatriarchal norms of what constitutes healthy movement and relational styles while excluding others, particularly within a group dynamic that privileges modern dance technique and overt emotional and verbal expression. The reach of educational neocolonialism in East Asian countries further perpetuates this force. As the foundational form of the discipline of DMT, “modern dance” is the standard of the expressive practice. And although “other” dance forms are starting to be welcomed, there is still a gap regarding how these are included into DMT education and applied in practice. This co-created critical autoethnography emerged from an embodied reflexive dialogue between two East Asian former international students on their experience of Whiteness in DMT education. Through counternarratives, we illustrate ways towards a decolonizing praxis of DMT that is situated within the educational environment and with the students with whom we work as educators and supervisors.

시대적 제약 속에 문화적 기업가정신(Cultural Entrepreneurship)

This study explores the founding and development process of Cloud Gate Dance Theatre, the first professional modern dance company in Taiwan, established in 1973 by Lin Hwai-min(1947. 02. 19.~ ). This research has two main focuses. First, it analyzes the lasting imprint of the historical and social context of Taiwan in the 1970s on the development of the dance company. Second, it examines the role played by Lin Hwai-min as a cultural entrepreneur in the formation of Cloud Gate amidst the challenges of the era. Based on existing literature and prior research, this study analyzes how Lin Hwai-min integrated Taiwan's unique historical experiences and collective emotions with modern dance to establish the unique aesthetic identity of the dance company. Applying the theory of organizational imprinting and the concept of cultural entrepreneurship, the research deeply investigates how the socio-political climate of Taiwan in the 1970s influenced the establishment and early growth of Cloud Gate. It examines the impact of Taiwan's complex socio-political environment and the changes of that period on the organizational imprint, and highlights the significance of Lin Hwai-min's entrepreneurial approach in forming the aesthetic identity of Cloud Gate. The findings of this study provide sophisticated insights into understanding the identity formation of cultural and artistic organizations within a broader socio-historical context and emphasize the interaction between external environments and entrepreneurial spirit in shaping cultural institutions.

Prevalence and risk factors of musculoskeletal injuries in modern and contemporary dancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

A large number of studies have found that the musculoskeletal injury of modern and contemporary dancers has a high incidence. Previous publications have indicated that there are many potential factors that are related to dancing injury; however, they have not been proven, and even some data are conflicting in different research. The search yielded 18 prospective studies reporting on professional and pre-professional modern or contemporary dancers from companies and schools. The prevalence of modern and contemporary dancers was 0.82 (95% CI: 0.74~0.90). The injury proportion of trauma, overuse, ankle and foot, lower extremity, joint and ligaments, muscle and tendons, and time-loss were 0.40, 0.26, 0.49, 0.34, 0.33, and 0.29 in the total number of injuries. There was no evidence of a significant difference in sex, age, and education program. The factors of BMI and injury history achieved statistical significance, and the p-values were less than 0.01. Based on the results of this article, BMI and injury history may be risk factors for injury in contemporary and modern dancers. Modern and contemporary dancers have a high prevalence of musculoskeletal injuries. Lower extremity injuries are the most common in the whole body, with injuries to the foot and ankle being more frequent. The mechanism of injury is mostly overuse injury, and the injured tissues are mostly muscle tendons and joint ligaments.

“All things coexist and all things love” – research on the creation of the original dance drama “Gangong Bird”

The dance drama “Gangong Bird” is based on an ancient traditional folk narrative ballad widely circulated in the Li ethnic area of Hainan. The origins of the 2017 and 2021 versions of the dance drama “Gangong Bird” tell the story of Gan Gongniao from different angles. The whole story has the appearance of a Chinese mythological story. It mainly uses typical Li nationality Sandaowan and modern dance movement elements and breathing force methods . Revealing the ugly image of bullies and expressing love that pursues freedom without being restrained .

Reconsidering the Black Archive: It’s About Time and Black Dance in Canada

It’s About Time: Dancing Black in Canada 1900–1970 serves as an expository reflection on the history of Black dance and performance in Canada. As a scholar, writer, educator, and professional modern and postmodern dance artist, Seika Boye features the Black archive as a central component for understanding the experiences of Black populations in Canada. The exhibition rejects assumptions about Black invisibility and instead offers a way to view Black presence in plain sight. As such, It’s About Time brilliantly features the Black archive through images, artifacts, and public viewings of Black dancers across Canada to highlight the multiplicity of their experiences and contributions to the nation.

The footsteps of my foremothers. Feminist notes on the study and writingof the history of Mexican modern dance

This article discusses the history of modern dance in Mexico by questioning the ways in which it has been written and understood based on patriarchal and colonial parameters. Despite the efforts to recover it from academic research, Mexican dance has been a neglected expression in the history of art in the country. The text focuses on a specific period known as "the golden age of Mexican modern dance", which spans from 1939 to the late 1950s, and has been thought of as an extension of artistic nationalism.
 The text raises the importance of analyzing the history of Mexican modern dance from a feminist perspective and within the context of art history. Although women were, for the most part, the creators of the great symbols of national unity in terms of dance, they have rarely been recognized as creators, although dance has been mostly conceived and executed from female bodies, which has led it to be considered as a "feminine art", limiting its study from the predominantly male academies of art history.
 A methodological proposal is proposed to study the history of modern Mexican dance from the perspective of Latin American feminisms. Urging to recognize the work of women creators and to analyze their creations in their historical and cultural contexts. This article proposes to reevaluate the work of women in Mexican modern dance, overcoming the patriarchal canons that have limited their visibility in academia and society. Through a feminist approach and an intersection of knowledge, it seeks to broaden the study of dance as an artistic expression in Mexico, recognizing and rewriting its history from a more inclusive and enriching perspective.

Classical dance and Mediterranean imaginaries: Jia Ruskaja in Fascist Italy

Abstract Russian dancer and film actress Jia Ruskaja (Evgeniya Borisenko, 1902–70) forged a rapidly rising career in Italy as a dancer, teacher and company director during the thirties. The author of La danza come un modo di essere (1927) was a female education reformer, whose Milan dance schools were subsidized by the Fascist Regime. In 1940, she was entrusted with the directorship of the newly founded Royal School for Classical Dance. Though inspired by Isadora Duncan, in the early thirties, Ruskaja added ballet to her modern dance since she considered it crucial for the sound training of the body. According to her, the century-old codified system of ballet, once mingled with the ability to make artfully crafted movements inspired by classical imagery (‘plastique’) and rhythmic gymnastics, could transform into a new and organic physical practice, able to create a new beginning in dance. Was this so? Could her modernized ballet, imbued with the Mediterranean myth that inspired a number of artists in the twenties and thirties, convey such a modernist futural thrust, or was it rather held captive by centuries-old balletic values and culture?

Ground reaction force as a factor responsible for the topography of injuries in professional dance. An analysis of three dance styles: classical dance, modern dance, and folk dance.

The study aimed to identify the effects of ground reaction forces (GRF) recorded during landing in typical elements of three dance styles, including classical, modern, and folk dance, on injuries` topography. The research involved a survey and measurements of GRF generated during landing after the jump. The survey involved a group of 90 professional dancers. In the questionnaire, the dancers marked areas of the human body that were affected at least once by injuries. Biomechanical tests of the GRF recording were conducted on a group of 15 professional dancers. The analysis focused on the following parameters: a maximum value of the vertical variable of the GRF relative to body weight (maxGRFz), the time between the moment from first foot contact with the ground to the moment of reaching the maxGRFz (tmaxGRFz), and the loading rate of the GRF relative to body weight (LRGRFz). Regardless of dance style and sex, the lower spine, knee joints, ankle joints and feet were the areas most affected by injuries among professional dancers. The level of maxGRFz, tmaxGRFz and LRGRFz during typical jumps in classical, modern, and folk dance was statistically significantly different (P<0.01*). The highest mean maxGRFz values were recorded for jumps performed by classical dancers. Furthermore, the sum of injury-affected areas differed significantly across various dance styles and was connected with the impact forces transferred by the dancer's musculoskeletal system. The level of GRF is one of the decisive factors affecting the topography of professional dance injuries.

THE SPECIFICS OF THE ARTISTIC IMAGERY OF DANCING IN CHOREOGRAPHIC ART

The folk stage dance within the framework of choreographic education stands out as one of the most crucial and foundational components of training, alongside classical, duet, historical, everyday, and modern dance disciplines. Beyond being solely an academic subject, folk stage dance embodies a living tradition of stage interpretations of dances from diverse cultures. This facet of choreographic art encompasses a myriad of artistic and pedagogical techniques, manners, and dance styles. Consequently, the cultivation of folk stage dance emerges as one of the most intricate and multifaceted tasks confronting aspiring performers and choreographers. The enduring beauty and cultural significance of this discipline render folk stage dance a perennial focal point in the realm of choreographic education in Kazakhstan. In the contemporary landscape of domestic education, the imperative to enhance the organizational and pedagogical conditions for teaching folk stage dance introduces new challenges to the educational sector. Given the nature of choreographic activity, artistry, and creativity in dance, maintaining professional consistency becomes paramount. The qualitative selection of students becomes indispensable, fostering the cultivation of a genuine vocation for choreography. Essential characteristics such as artistic skill, professionalism, expressiveness, and acting prowess have consistently been demanded from ballet dancers, constituting prerequisites that must be fully nurtured within choreographic schools. In optimal organizational and pedagogical environments, these qualities should be thoroughly developed. The specificity of choreographic imagery lies in the utilization of a system of expressive means, uniquely refracted in the plastic language of dance at every stage of cultural and historical development. Plasticity serves as the primary means of expression when crafting a choreographic image

The Fusion of Traditional and Modern Dance: Embracing Cultural Diversity

The Fusion of Traditional and Modern Dance: Embracing Cultural Diversity

Research on Dynamic Tracking and Choreographic Techniques of Modern Dance Based on Computer 3D Modeling Technology

Abstract In this paper, we propose an improved 3D modeling method based on RecurDyn dynamics Theory to address the poor efficiency of traditional modeling techniques in dance dynamics tracking. Solid manipulation of the virtual scene is realized by geometric transformation, and singular value decomposition is applied to solve the transformation. Simulation experiments were designed to explore the tracking effect. When the MS moves at a more significant speed, the larger the Doppler frequency corresponding to the dynamic tracking and choreography technique of modern dance, the more rapidly the channel changes, and the more quickly the channel correlation decreases, such as when the MS moves at a speed of 13m/s and the correlation coefficient drops to 0.1, which corresponds to the number of sampling points within 6. From the Analysis of the ablation experiments, the errors of the three models are reduced by 9.6%, 11.2%, and 5.9%, respectively. From the first qualitative test analysis, frames 1-13 should be less spatial and 14-24 should be more spatial. From the Analysis of the first qualitative test, according to the numerical value, the average moving speed of the arm in the 53rd-68th frames is the largest, and the average moving speed of the arm in the 87th-100th frames is the smallest. Therefore, the improved algorithm can be accurately applied to modern dance dynamic tracking and choreography techniques.

An Analysis of the Application of Motion Capture Technology in the Creation of Contemporary Dance with the Integration of Fibonacci Sequences

Abstract This paper combines the existing development of Fibonacci sequence aesthetics in art creation for the aesthetic planning of the Fibonacci sequence on music rhythm, proposes to design a new modern dance creation method by combining the diversified rotation methods of the Fibonacci sequence, and builds a process framework for generating Fibonacci sequence dance score based on motion capture. The wavelet transform is employed to determine the start of the dance movement, and the gradient descent algorithm is utilized to analyze the time coordinates and refine the dance movement. Recognize the segmented elemental action sequences using the DTW method, propose three basic actions from the dataset, and test the recognition rate of the DTW algorithm for each action. Generate a Fibonacci sequence dance score by combining human gestures. Combined with the research scoring, analyze the artistic talent of the Fibonacci sequence-generated dance. According to the data results, it can be seen that the action feature vector of the two-handed waving image is P=[0.8968, 0.9925, 0.9124, 1.0243, 1.0198, 1.2438, 1.4596, 1.3698, 1.5868, 1.6596, 1.5029] with 98.67% of the two-handed waving recognition rate (with a standard deviation of 0.25). The evaluation of Fibonacci sequence generation dance by research users tends to be moderate.

Modern dance choreography and the exploration of body language

Modern dance choreography and the exploration of body language