DANCE 100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Modern Dance, Alvin Ailey, Lester Horton
Document Summary
Dance 100 lecture 14 first generation. Together founded denishawn: dance school and company in los angele. Later started her own school and developed her own technique. Graham technique: contract and release, floor work, reshaped american dance and is still taught worldwide. Continued to choreograph and teach until her death at age 96. Themes of her work included human emotion, american pioneer experiences, religious dance, greek tragedies, and biblical stories. Started partnership with charles weidman: humphrey-weidman school and dance company. Explored body"s relationship with gravity: fall and recovery. Choreography explored: pure movement (water study, drama of motion, human relationships (day on earth, new dance, my red fires, current events (lament for ignacio sanchez mejias) Characterization and pantomime within formal dance structure. Promoted modern dance movement on the west coast. Started his own technique that focused on: strong torso but fluid movement, dramatic theater pieces, blending cultural references. Choreographed protest pieces: dictator, prude to militancy.
