Modern dance - Institutional Growth Radical Praxis and Future Directions

Institutionalization, Education, and Popularization of Modern Dance Dance Enters Academic Life Modern dance's legitimacy as a serious art form was cemented when it entered college curricula during the early-to-mid 20th century. However, this academic integration happened in stages. Modern dance initially entered universities as part of physical education programs, where it was often taught alongside sports and fitness. This placement sometimes caused friction—some viewed dance primarily as exercise rather than art. The turning point came when colleges began to recognize modern dance as a performing art worthy of dedicated study, not merely as a physical activity. This shift meant that modern dance students could now pursue serious artistic training and professional performance careers within an academic setting, rather than having to learn primarily through private studios or touring companies. The Bennington Summer School of the Dance, established in 1934, played a crucial role in this professionalization. This institution became a training ground for college dance teachers, helping to standardize modern dance education across universities. By creating a pipeline of trained educators, Bennington ensured that modern dance would be taught with artistic rigor rather than as a secondary fitness activity. Radical and Socially Engaged Dance in the 20th Century Dance as Social Commentary During the Great Depression and the rise of fascism in the 1930s and 1940s, some dancers viewed their art not as entertainment but as a tool for social change. Radical dancers used choreography to dramatize economic hardship, social injustice, ethnic discrimination, and political conflict. Rather than escaping into abstraction, these choreographers created works that audiences could recognize as responses to real suffering and injustice. This movement reflected a broader belief among artists that dance could educate the public about social conditions and inspire action—a commitment that distinguished this era from earlier modern dance, which had often focused on exploring movement for its own sake. Key Figures in Radical Modern Dance Hanya Holm served as a bridge between European and American modern dance traditions. She introduced American audiences to the Wigman technique (developed by German expressionist dancer Mary Wigman) and to Laban's spatial dynamics, a systematic approach to understanding movement in space. Holm's own choreographic methods synthesized these influences with her unique insights, enriching the vocabulary available to American modern dancers. Her influence was particularly significant because she trained many dancers who went on to teach at universities, spreading her integrated approach throughout dance education. Anna Sokolow created abstract works that expressed deeply human emotions—particularly tension, alienation, and inner conflict. Rather than telling literal stories about social problems, Sokolow's dances embodied the psychological experience of living through crisis. Her work demonstrated that abstract choreography could still communicate social and emotional meaning. Merce Cunningham took a radically different approach that would reshape modern dance's future. Cunningham developed non-linear, non-climactic, abstract choreography—dances that abandoned traditional narrative structure and emotional buildup. In Cunningham's works, movement did not build toward a dramatic climax or convey a specific story or feeling. Instead, he treated choreography more like music treated by contemporary composers: as an exploration of pure form and possibility. Though Cunningham's work was less overtly political than his contemporaries', his structural innovations created the foundation upon which postmodern dance would be built. The Evolution: Postmodern and Contemporary Dance Postmodern Dance Emerges Postmodern dance emerged in the 1960s in the United States during a period of broad social and cultural experimentation. The 1960s counterculture encouraged artists to question established traditions, and dance choreographers were no exception. A defining characteristic of postmodern dance was that choreographers abandoned allegiance to specific schools or styles. Earlier modern dancers typically worked within identifiable frameworks—Cunningham's method, Graham technique, Horton technique, or others. Postmodern choreographers, by contrast, drew eclectically from diverse influences, mixing elements from earlier periods without committing to a single coherent style. This fragmentation of influences reflected the era's broader cultural pluralism and rejection of singular authorities. Contemporary Dance: A Parallel Development While postmodern dance was fragmenting and experimenting, contemporary dance arose during the 1950s with a different goal: to synthesize. Contemporary dance combined elements of modern dance with classical ballet, drawing on the strengths of both traditions. Contemporary dance also embraced non-Western dance cultures in ways that earlier modern dance had not systematically explored. Choreographers incorporated African bent-knee movement (a fundamental posture in many African dance traditions that contrasts with ballet's upright alignment) and Japanese Butoh (an avant-garde form emphasizing slow, controlled movement and stark emotional expression). This intercultural borrowing reflected both greater global awareness and a conviction that dance could be enriched by learning from diverse traditions. The distinction between postmodern and contemporary dance is important: postmodern dance was experimental and fragmentary, while contemporary dance was synthetic and inclusive of classical elements. Both movements, however, represented departures from the earlier era of modern dance, each in their own direction.