Modern Dance Research Articles

Modern dance choreography and the exploration of body language

Modern dance choreography and the exploration of body language

ИНФОРМАЦИОННО-ИССЛЕДОВАТЕЛЬСКИЙ ЦЕНТР «ТАНЦСОЮЗ» КАК ПРИМЕР ЦИФРОВИЗАЦИИ РОССИЙСКОГО СОВРЕМЕННОГО ТАНЦА

The aim of the article is to cover the activities of the first state digital archive of Russian contemporary dance, the Information and Research Centre “Dance Union”. The article describes the tasks, goals, and specifics of the modern digital archive, and gives a brief historical overview of it as a place where a society’s memory of its past is formed. IRC “Dance Union” collects, processes, stores and distributes information about the groups participating in the “Dance Union” festival, which is held at the Innovation Cultural Center of Kaluga since 2023, as well as about all Russian groups and dance projects that have submitted information about themselves to the IRC “Dance Union”. The IRC provides bibliographic, information, methodological services and carries out research, cultural and educational activities. Its permanent task is to collect, process, distribute, research and store information about Russian modern dance in the professional and media field. Its goal is to systematically work with the target audience of the Russian contemporary dance community, to observe the dynamics of the creative growth of the groups’ choreographers, and to create an archive of media data. <br> The article gives an example of the dance laboratory “Soviet Gesture” (1915 – present) as a project for the creation of new artistic practices based on the archives of the choreographic laboratory of the State Academy of Art Sciences (1921–1931), stored in the Russian State Archive of Literature and Art.

Basic Characteristics and Body Aesthetics Analysis of Modern Dance

Basic Characteristics and Body Aesthetics Analysis of Modern Dance

Historical Development and Cross-Cultural Influence of Dance Creation: Evolution of Body Language

This paper delves into the historical evolution of dance creation and its cross-cultural influences, with a particular focus on the transformation of corporeal language. Commencing from the dance traditions of ancient cultures, the article retraces the dances of Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece, as well as the religious and courtly dances of the medieval and Renaissance periods. Subsequently, it scrutinizes the emergence of modern dance, encompassing the American modern dance movement and European expressionist dance, along with the evolution of dance techniques and forms. The article delves into the varied manifestations of dance, including pure dance, narrative dance, and experimental dance compositions. It also analyzes the impact of cross-cultural influences and globalization on dance, encompassing dance's role as a medium for cultural dissemination, as well as the internationalization of dance education. Finally, by examining the evolution of corporeal language, it underscores the connection between dance and emotional expression and social corporeal language, including trends in dance creation and interdisciplinary research in the digital age. This article encapsulates the metamorphosis of dance as a form of corporeal language, emphasizing its significance and forthcoming challenges.

Влияние театра танца Пины Бауш на творчество современного китайского режиссера Тянь Циньсинь

Tian Qinxin remains one of the most active theater directors in China, and her works have always been categorized as mainstream productions that have had a great influence on the Chinese theater scene. Tian Qinxin also continues to make pioneering attempts within the mainstream of Chinese theater, constantly challenging new forms of expression. In this process, the master of German neo-expressionist dance, an iconic figure in the history of modern dance in the world — Pina Bausch's concept of dance theater has had a profound influence on Tian Qinxin's directorial language. This influence is not only individual, but also a concrete manifestation of the fusion of the spirit of traditional Oriental aesthetics with modern Western theater aesthetics, the fusion of nationalism and modernity.

‘I’ve Wondered Why Am I Here?’ Expectations of Old Age and the Ageing Body in a Longitudinal Study of a Dance Group

Mainstream expectations of older age place pressure on individuals––both negative discourses focused upon frailty and isolation and successful ageing narratives that emphasize physical and mental exercise. This article considers whether older people can challenge damaging narratives through participating in the practice of modern dance. Over the course of 4 years, action research and ethnographic-based methods were used as the author worked with a dance company of seven members aged 69 to 89 as they created a modern dance piece. Data included fieldnotes, transcripts of individual interviews and group discussions and a video of the performance. A thematic analysis was applied. Moving away from a health perspective, the literature on ageing and lifestyle is advanced by in examining how the group’s creativity should be understood and valued. Participants went from presenting as active agers to developing a more accepting attitude towards their ageing body. The performance refashioned the space as a site of intergenerational connectivity as the dancers and audience co-produced narratives around the artistry of the older body. An original contribution to the work on embodiment is made by revealing how older men and women use dance differently to negotiate the ageing body. Findings have wider implications for research on inclusion by showing how the embodied practice of dance helps subvert expectations of older age.

"Everyday Body" Model of Physicality in Theoretical and Practical Heritage of Merce Cunningham

The purpose of the article is to reveal the peculiarities of the formation of the "ordinary body" model of physicality in the postmodern dance system based on the analysis of the theoretical and practical legacy of Merce Cunningham. Research methodology. The analytical method, the methods of analysis and synthesis, the typological, dialectical and comparativist method were applied, which contributed to the clarification of the place and role of physicality in certain philosophical and cultural positions, to the study of the problem of physicality in general and the "everyday body" model in the concept of representatives of postmodern dance, consideration of theoretical – the practical legacy of M. Cunningham, the understanding of the internal relationship between the categories "body" and "physicality" in modern dance. Scientific novelty. The conceptual construct of corporeality, formulated within the framework of postmodern dance, is analysed; the cultural-historical model of physicality "everyday body" was characterised and the features of its representation in postmodern dance practices were revealed; changes in the perception of physicality in the context of the transformation of the sociocultural space of the 50s and 60s of the 20th century are analysed. The understanding of corporeality in the theoretical and practical discourse of postmodern dance by M. Cunningham is considered. Conclusions. At the core of the postmodern system is the principle of randomness, which is positioned as an artistic expression of the involvement of many bodies in the space of action of forces independent of them. In search of ways to free oneself from bodily canons that were formed in the sociocultural space, Merce Cunningham methodologically used randomness as the principle of creating a new dance corporeality, which lacks a coherent image and becomes a flow. In the process of constant experiments, the choreographer's own idea of what dance is (how it feels in the body and how it looks on stage) evolved. M. Cunningham's activities allowed him to overcome the limitations of his own taste and give priority to "movement for the sake of movement" – the dance no longer conveyed the story, emotions or characteristics of the characters. The choreographer completely departs from established dance lexicons, discovering innovative ways of organising and representing bodies in space and time by means of random operations. Taking into account these and numerous additional innovations, in the history of postmodern dance, M. Cunningham exerted the greatest influence on the formation of the "everyday body" model of physicality.
 Keywords: modern dance, postmodern dance, physicality, model of physicality "everyday body", M. Cunningham.

Qualitative Analysis of Modern Dancers’ Post-Injury Psychological Experiences

Athletic injuries often trigger psychological distress, including frustration, depression, and anger (e.g., Tracey, 2003). Like sport athletes, dancers face injury risks due to the physicality of dancing (e.g., Jacobs et al., 2017; Skvarla & Clement, 2019). There is limited research on psychological responses to dance-related injuries; particularly absent in the extant literature are the experiences of injured modern dancers (Thomas & Tarr, 2009). Studies are needed on this population, given differences in training, choreography, and culture in modern dance compared to other dance forms (Clabaugh & Morling, 2004). The purpose of the present study was to qualitatively explore post-injury psychological experiences of adult modern dancers. Participants included eight modern dancers (seven women, one man; Mage = 30.5 years; 75% White; M = 23.6 years of modern dance training) who suffered a recent serious injury (≥ 6 weeks recovery). Semi-structured, individual interviews were coded line-by-line using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Analysis resulted in six themes: Emotional Upheaval and Reactivity, Stress-Inducing External Factors, Challenges Presented by Physical Pain, Mental Disruptions and Eventual Cognitive Shifts, Coping through Redirection of Energy, and Buffering Effects of Positive Social Support. The dancers’ reported interpersonal trust/support, loss of independence, and growth were similar to previously studied sport athletes’ reports (e.g., Kampman et al., 2015). A novel theme in the current study was the influence of COVID-19 on reactions to injury. Overall, findings indicate that injuries are complex events that not only involve a mechanical disturbance to the physical body but also initiate profound psychological experiences.

Towards Designing Choreography Curriculum Template for African Contemporary Dance Using Dayo Liadi’s Olori-Oko Dance Performance

Modern dance techniques such as choreography gives the genre a unique language that can be used to expand the dance technique and dance composition as used by choreographers. Dayo Liadi as a choreographer and study in this article has used contemporary dance genre of body gestures to communicate his message through signs and cultural symbols, towards the appreciation from the audience. However, there are many thematic areas including space, shapes, images, body movement, and other paraphernalia employed in the style called contemporary dance type of choreography. Thus, all of these must be preserved and replicated as unique dance techniques. Therefore, the need to study and propose an indigenous choreography curriculum that emanates from Dayo Liadi’s creative work i.e. Olori Oko performance. The study is anchored on Michael Forkine’s Perspective of Adorno Theodor’s Philosophical Aesthetic theory. This is with the view to incorporate home-grown curriculum contents into dance studies in theatre schools in Nigeria and in Africa. The study adopted quantitative research method, involving participants’ observation, transcription and content analysis of lyrics and video using a checklist to conduct thorough video pre-view and review of the choreographic work. Major findings revealed a need for collaboration and performances to sharpen and widen the horizon of the artistic and creativity appreciation, with the view to incorporate new dance techniques into the Nigerian and African dance techniques such as incorporated in Dayo Liadi’s creative work. The study recommend direct implementation or adoption of the proposed curriculum template as part of choreography dance studies in theatre curriculum among departments in higher institutions Nigeria and Africa.

When Words Are Inadequate: Modern Dance and Transnationalism in China by Nan Ma (review)

When Words Are Inadequate: Modern Dance and Transnationalism in China by Nan Ma (review)

Mediating effect of physical self-efficacy in the relationship between self-resilience and psychological well-being: targeting college students majoring in modern dance

Mediating effect of physical self-efficacy in the relationship between self-resilience and psychological well-being: targeting college students majoring in modern dance

Finding Structure in Modern Dance.

Research has shown that both adults and children organize familiar activity into discrete units with consistent boundaries, despite the dynamic, continuous nature of everyday experiences. However, less is known about how observers segment unfamiliar event sequences. In the current study, we took advantage of the novelty that is inherent in modern dance. Modern dance features natural human motion but does not contain canonical goals-therefore, observers cannot recruit prior goal-related knowledge to segment it. Our main aims were to identify whether observers segment modern dance into the steps intended by the dancers, and what types of cues contribute to segmentation under these circumstances. Experiment 1 used a classic event segmentation task and found that adults were able to consistently identify only a few of the dancers' intended steps. Experiment 2 tested adults in an offline labeling task. Results showed that steps which could more easily be labeled offline in Experiment 2 were more likely to be segmented online in Experiment 1.

Instagram Sebagai Media Informasi untuk Memperkenlakan Keberadaan dan Kegiatan dalam Komunitas @Pf_Ent Palembang

PF Entertainment is a community of lovers of Korean-style modern dance or Korean Dance Cover which uses the mass media Instagram as an information medium for the public to introduce their existence and activities. However, as time goes by, this media competes with other media such as TikTok, which is currently very popular. The aim of this research is to utilize knowledge of Instagram media in introducing the existence and activities of PF Entertainment. This study uses a qualitative method. The theory used is Effective Communication Techniques. The result of this research is that by using Instagram, of course the admin always updates the activities carried out with 2 to 7 pieces of information in one month so that followers can follow and find out about developments in the PF Entertainment community.

VARIATIONS OF ELEMENTS OF THE NATIONAL MEN'S DANCE («ZHOLBARYS ZHUREK» BASED ON A DANCE PERFORMANCE)

Abstract. Men's dance in the Kazakh dance art requires special attention in modern choreography. The development of dances for men, the scientific formulation of its history, and development trends are among the most pressing problems in modern dance art. Therefore, this scientific article is devoted to discussing the essence of the national dances of the Kazakh people, including dances for men, ways of their formation and development. The article is based on Almat Shamshiev's dance «Zholbarys zhurek» changes in the national men's dance elements were scientifically differentiated, and various scientific methods and receivers were used in scientific research. In order to determine the essence of men's dance, methods of historical and chronological systematization, differentiation, comparison, and control were used. In comparison, he tried to reveal the features of the dance of the guys through the dance the «Balbirauyn», and gave specific examples of what dance elements were added and what movements and postures were transformed according to the dance «Zholbarys zhurek». He concluded that the development of human consciousness, and the transformation of society are standard with the passage of time, and in this regard, new views appear in the art of dance, the release of new works, and the transformation of existing dance elements is a natural phenomenon and a modern necessity. Today, men who are engaged in the art of dance pay attention to the ability to flex, flexibility. It shows that some dance moves used only in girls ' dances in the past are successfully used in men's dances today. However, he says, in performing movements, the guys dance flexibly in a manner that corresponds to their masculine nature. However, he emphasizes that in making changes, it is necessary to constantly pay attention to Kazakh dances' essence and central national nature. Several recommendations were given on further developing Kazakh men's dance, increasing interest in it in society.

Evaluation on the application of conjugate materials in the sound effect and stage effect of modern dance.

The emergence and application of conjugate materials provide a broader space for the performance of sound and presentation effects on the modern music stage. This article compared and analyzed the application of conjugated materials and traditional methods in modern dance sound effects and stage presentation effects through experiments, found that the application of conjugated materials on modern stages had the effect of enhancing visual effects. Its overall reflectivity, color saturation, brightness, transparency, etc. remain in the range of 78%-97%, which is better than traditional methods. In addition, the use of conjugated materials can also improve auditory performance, have greater penetration and durability, and reduce the impact of external noise; in terms of audience experience and dancer experience, the average proportions also reached 87.8893% and 89.3867% respectively. In addition, it also has high temperature resistance and antibacterial effects, with a maximum temperature resistance value of 314.28°C and an antibacterial effect of 95.86%, indicating that it can still maintain stability under high temperature conditions and has a good inhibitory effect on the proliferation of bacteria and viruses. These findings will lay the foundation for further expanding the application of conjugated materials on the modern dance stage.

Innovation and technology management: investigate how organizations manage innovation and stay competitive in the modern business landscape

The goal of this study is to emphasize growing sectors of management of innovation topics, and also to provide a summary on the most essential themes and objectives for academic investigation and managerial practice. It continually brings to fresh responses, fresh concepts, or novel forms of business. Each modern dance business's core competitive edge appears in its ability to create its own firm. The purpose of the piece is to emphasize the crucial role of innovation in the operation of today's corporations. Operations founded on innovations have an essential function for promoting affluence and developing and preserving a competitive advantage. The state to play of the Indian IT sector, with a strong focus on innovation-driven company models, indicates that the present time may be an ideal time to perform this investigation.

Historical Reflection on the Pro-Japanese Activities of Modern Dancer Jo Taek-won +

Historical Reflection on the Pro-Japanese Activities of Modern Dancer Jo Taek-won +

Problems of institutionalization of higher professional education in sports ballroom dancing in Ukraine

The purpose of the study is to identify and systematize the features of modern sports ballroom dance, which should be the basis for the development of higher professional education in this field and its further specialization. The following tasks have been set: to determine the specifics of sports ballroom dance as a type of choreography, sport, and socio-cultural phenomenon.
 The methodology is based on a system-synergistic approach. The article is an analysis of the author’s own many years’ experience — sports, coaching, organization and teaching — by generalizing and systematizing observations.
 The results. New circumstances force further institutionalization of sports ballroom dancing, namely the definition and consolidation of social norms, rules, statuses and roles in this area, bringing them into a functioning system capable of self-development and self-reproduction. Sports ballroom dance has not lost its relevance even in the regions of Ukraine most affected by the armed aggression, proving once again its right to develop in the national cultural space. Its mass appeal, its reliance on fundamental ideas and images of life, and its potentially wide target audience of students will contribute to the resumption of competitions and the growing need for higher professional education. The profession of dance teachers is a promising area of work for universities. At the same time, the training of specialists in this field requires further specialization and institutionalization. It should be accepted as a fact that the career of ballroom dancing specialists will be in club and competition activities, and the educational process should be organized accordingly.
 The scientific novelty of the article is to clarify the peculiarities of the concept of sports ballroom dance in the system of choreographic art, its socio-cultural role, as well as to analyze dance competitions as the main sphere of their modern existence.
 The practical significance. Some provisions of the article can be used in education and special courses in ballroom choreography, theory and methods of dance sports and ballroom dance practices.

Modern Dance and the Latest Technologies: Facets of Interaction

The purpose of the article is to study the peculiarities of the influence of the latest technologies on the development of contemporary dance. The research methodology is based on the integration of art historical and technological approaches, as well as the use of general scientific methods – analysis, comparison, and generalisation. The scientific novelty lies in a comprehensive analysis of the main trends in the introduction of innovative technologies in contemporary choreographic art, the identification of the latest approaches to contemporary dance under the influence of digital technologies. Conclusions. The latest technologies have a significant impact on the development of contemporary choreography as an art form. On the one hand, openness to innovative interaction with various forms of other arts – music, vocal, theatre and drama, and on the other hand, integration with innovative technologies "such an unusual synthesis turns contemporary dance into one of the most effective means not only choreographic, but also artistic and ideological expressiveness” [7, 107]. As an art form, contemporary dance, thanks to the active development of screen, information, and virtual technologies, also influences changes in the art itself, improving it. The organic combination of different dance forms, media, styles, and digital technologies, results in innovations that have a decisive influence on the development of the entire world choreography. Key words: modern dance, modern choreography, latest technologies, innovative technologies, digital technologies.

Sensual and Psychosomatic Benefits of Modern Dance: High Heels

The purpose of the article is to analyse the sensual, bodily, and psycho-emotional benefits of contemporary dance on the example of the High heels dance style. The research methodology is based on a comprehensive combination of a number of general scientific methods and approaches integrated from contemporary art history, psychology, and pedagogy. The scientific novelty is to draw attention to the study of contemporary dance in a broad interdisciplinary context, as well as to the study of the contemporary dance style – High heels. Conclusions. High heels dance is a real kind of choreographic art, and therefore it deserves more research attention, as it holds an important reference value that can significantly influence the further development of contemporary dance. It is about the ability to freely express your true feelings, both emotional and bodily. In addition, High heels are one of the styles that allow you to look at the body, physical practices, and, accordingly, at the physical advantages of this or that performer in a different way. Besides, this dance allows you to take a different look at other styles that are included in it and become an interesting practice of complementing them with a new accessory – high heels. The popularity and importance of the High heels dance for the correction of psycho-emotional and physical condition requires the development of a comprehensive teaching methodology, including the expansion of modern choreographic education. Key words: modern dance, High heels, choreography, sensuality, somatics, body, movement.