Around 1980s, the world "contemporary dance" referred to the movement of new dancers who did not want to follow strict classical ballet and lyrical dance forms, but instead wanted to explore the area of revolutionary unconventional movements that were gathered from all dance styles of the world. Pioneers in modern dance were and are bold, experimental, initially shocking and obsessively concerned with exploring the language of the body and all its possibilities. You may want to pursue a degree in Contemporary Art. Only dancers who take the time to learn where modern dance came from with have what it takes to give it a serious future. Modern dance is one of the hardest genres to define by technique. Contemporary Dance - Ballet and Dance. “Contemporary dance is a popular form of dance which developed during the middle portion of the twentieth century and has since grown to become one of the dominating performance genres for formally trained dancers throughout the world, with particularly strong popularity in the U.S. and Europe” Modern dance has become a huge genre in the dance world today and is typically listed as a class offered on the schedules of most dance studios. The freedom of movement that contemporary allows affords dancers with less training or technique to still enjoy dance without the need for perfect turnout or nice feet. Many people who feel pulled in such a direction, face barriers from friends and family who ask them “Why study contemporary art?” Sometimes families struggle to see the valuable role of art in society and the ways that an aspiring artist can contribute to that role. Modern Dance is very diverse and generally cannot be categorized as any specific dance style, although many dance styles influence much of the movement. One important and unique aspect of contemporary dance is that it rejects the importance of the legs that many traditional dance styles stress. Contemporary Dance Music. In regard to music selection though, while picking out a musical track it is important to have a dance … Instead, contemporary dance focuses on movement of the torso, which enables much more fluid, languid movement, rather than sharp and pointed movements. Contemporary was evolved because dancers wanted to get away from the rigid formations. Dance teaches the importance of movement and fitness in a variety of ways through a variety of disciplines. Modern Dance Routines Today . Modern dance, although defined in many dictionaries as “a form of contemporary theatrical and concert dance employing a special technique for developing the use of the entire body in movements expressive of abstract ideas,” is a label that has begun to feel outdated for describing works created in the 21st century.. Contemporary dance continues to grow in popularity due, in part, to its accessibility to dancers. Modern dance is an American contribution to choreography, much as jazz is a product of American culture. Since contemporary dance is all about versatility and innovation, it does not have a specific genre that it can actually identify with specifically. The more we understand about the purpose of modern dance at its origin, through its developing years and now the better we will be able to say what modern dance is and what it is not. Dancing is a great activity to pursue at almost any age provided you are … Some dancers feel that modern dance gives them a chance to enjoy ballet dancing without the strict focus on their technique and turnout. As well, dancers learn to coordinate muscles to move through proper positions.