💃History of Dance Unit 7 – Postmodern Dance and Beyond

Key Concepts and Characteristics

• Postmodern dance emerged in the 1960s and 1970s as a reaction against the formalism and expressionism of modern dance
• Emphasized the process of creation over the final product, often incorporating improvisation and chance elements into performances
• Rejected the notion of dance as a means of storytelling or conveying specific emotions, instead focusing on the pure movement itself
• Explored the relationship between the body and space, often using pedestrian movements and everyday gestures as choreographic material
  • Trisha Brown's "Man Walking Down the Side of a Building" (1970) exemplified this concept by having a performer walk down the facade of a building
• Challenged traditional notions of dance technique and virtuosity, embracing a more democratic approach to movement
• Incorporated elements of other art forms, such as visual art, music, and theater, into dance performances
• Questioned the role of the audience and the performer-audience relationship, often blurring the lines between the two
  • Yvonne Rainer's "Trio A" (1966) was performed with the dancers facing away from the audience, challenging traditional expectations of performance

Pioneers and Influential Figures

• Merce Cunningham, a former dancer with Martha Graham, was a key figure in the development of postmodern dance
  • His use of chance procedures and separation of dance from music revolutionized choreographic processes
• Trisha Brown explored the relationship between the body and gravity, often using equipment like harnesses and ropes in her work
• Yvonne Rainer, a founding member of the Judson Dance Theater, rejected virtuosity and embraced pedestrian movements in her choreography
• Steve Paxton developed the practice of Contact Improvisation, which emphasized the exchange of weight and touch between dancers
• Lucinda Childs collaborated with composers like Philip Glass and visual artists like Sol LeWitt, creating minimalist works that explored repetition and patterns
• Twyla Tharp incorporated elements of ballet, jazz, and modern dance into her eclectic choreographic style
• Pina Bausch, although often associated with German Tanztheater, influenced postmodern dance through her use of repetition and exploration of human emotions
• Anna Halprin, a pioneer of dance improvisation, emphasized the therapeutic and transformative potential of movement

Breaking from Modern Dance

• Postmodern dance rejected the expressionism and narrative focus of modern dance, instead emphasizing the pure movement itself
• Challenged the hierarchical structure of dance companies, with choreographers often performing alongside their dancers
• Embraced a more democratic approach to movement, valuing pedestrian and everyday gestures as much as virtuosic technique
  • Yvonne Rainer's "No Manifesto" (1965) encapsulated this shift, rejecting elements like spectacle, virtuosity, and style in favor of more minimalist approaches
• Questioned the role of music in dance, with choreographers like Merce Cunningham often creating movement independently of musical accompaniment
• Explored the use of unconventional performance spaces, such as galleries, lofts, and outdoor sites, breaking away from the proscenium stage
• Rejected the idea of dance as a means of conveying specific emotions or narratives, instead focusing on the formal elements of movement itself
• Incorporated elements of chance and indeterminacy into the choreographic process, challenging the notion of the choreographer as the sole author of a work

Experimental Techniques and Approaches

• Postmodern dance embraced a wide range of experimental techniques and approaches, often borrowing from other art forms and disciplines
• Improvisation played a central role in many postmodern works, with dancers creating movement in real-time based on a set of rules or prompts
  • Steve Paxton's development of Contact Improvisation in the 1970s exemplified this approach, emphasizing the exchange of weight and touch between dancers
• Chance procedures, such as the use of dice or coin tosses, were employed by choreographers like Merce Cunningham to determine the sequence or arrangement of movements
• Task-based choreography, in which dancers were given specific actions or tasks to perform, became a common strategy for generating movement material
  • Trisha Brown's "Accumulation" (1971) was built around the simple task of accumulating gestures, creating a complex and layered choreographic structure
• Repetition and patterning were often used as compositional tools, creating works that explored the subtle variations and permutations of movement phrases
• The use of text, spoken word, and vocalizations became more prevalent in postmodern dance, with dancers often speaking or reciting text during performances
• Site-specific works, created in response to a particular location or environment, emerged as a means of exploring the relationship between dance and its context
  • Trisha Brown's "Roof Piece" (1971) was performed by dancers on the rooftops of buildings in New York City's SoHo neighborhood
• The incorporation of pedestrian movements and everyday gestures challenged traditional notions of dance vocabulary and technique

Interdisciplinary Collaborations

• Postmodern dance often involved collaborations with artists from other disciplines, such as visual art, music, and theater
• Merce Cunningham frequently collaborated with composer John Cage and visual artist Robert Rauschenberg, creating works that explored the relationship between dance, music, and visual design
  • "Variations V" (1965) featured Cunningham's choreography, Cage's electronic music, and Rauschenberg's set design, which included interactive sound-producing objects
• Trisha Brown collaborated with artists like Donald Judd and Nancy Graves, incorporating sculptural elements and visual art concepts into her choreography
• Lucinda Childs worked closely with composer Philip Glass and visual artist Sol LeWitt, creating minimalist works that explored the interplay between movement, music, and visual patterns
  • "Dance" (1979), a collaboration between Childs, Glass, and LeWitt, featured a film of the dance projected onto a scrim in front of the live performers
• Twyla Tharp collaborated with musicians like David Byrne and Billy Joel, creating works that blended dance with popular music and culture
• The Judson Dance Theater, a collective of artists that formed in the early 1960s, fostered interdisciplinary experimentation and collaboration
  • Members included dancers, choreographers, composers, visual artists, and poets, who worked together to create innovative and boundary-pushing works
• These collaborations helped to expand the possibilities of dance and challenge traditional notions of what constituted a dance performance

Cultural and Social Influences

• Postmodern dance emerged in the context of the broader cultural and social upheavals of the 1960s and 1970s
• The civil rights movement, women's liberation, and the anti-war movement all influenced the development of postmodern dance
  • Yvonne Rainer's "Trio A" (1966) was seen as a feminist statement, rejecting the male gaze and traditional notions of female representation in dance
• The Judson Dance Theater, a key incubator for postmodern dance, was closely tied to the experimental art scene in New York City's Greenwich Village
• The rise of minimalism in visual art and music had a significant impact on postmodern dance, with choreographers exploring similar concepts of reduction, repetition, and simplicity
• The countercultural ethos of the 1960s, with its emphasis on individual expression and rejection of authority, informed the democratic and collaborative spirit of postmodern dance
• The growing interest in Eastern philosophy and spirituality, particularly Zen Buddhism, influenced the use of chance procedures and the embrace of indeterminacy in postmodern dance
• The advent of video technology and the increasing accessibility of film equipment allowed dancers and choreographers to experiment with new forms of documentation and representation
• The AIDS crisis of the 1980s had a profound impact on the dance community, leading to a renewed sense of activism and political engagement in postmodern dance
  • Bill T. Jones's "Still/Here" (1994) addressed the impact of AIDS and terminal illness on the body and the community

Notable Works and Performances

• Merce Cunningham's "Variations V" (1965) featured interactive sound-producing objects and the use of chance procedures to determine the sequence of movements
• Yvonne Rainer's "Trio A" (1966) rejected virtuosity and expressionism in favor of a more pedestrian and minimalist approach to movement
• Trisha Brown's "Man Walking Down the Side of a Building" (1970) explored the relationship between the body and gravity, with a performer walking down the facade of a building
• Lucinda Childs's "Dance" (1979), a collaboration with Philip Glass and Sol LeWitt, featured a film of the dance projected onto a scrim in front of the live performers
• Twyla Tharp's "Push Comes to Shove" (1976) incorporated elements of ballet, jazz, and modern dance into a playful and eclectic choreographic style
• Steve Paxton's "Magnesium" (1972) was an early example of Contact Improvisation, emphasizing the exchange of weight and touch between dancers
• Pina Bausch's "Café Müller" (1978) explored themes of alienation and longing through the use of repetition and pedestrian movements
• Bill T. Jones's "Last Supper at Uncle Tom's Cabin/The Promised Land" (1990) addressed issues of race, identity, and social justice through a mix of dance, text, and visual imagery
• Elizabeth Streb's "Breakthrough" (1991) incorporated elements of gymnastics and circus arts into a high-energy and risk-taking approach to movement
• Mark Morris's "L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato" (1988) showcased his musicality and ability to blend classical and contemporary dance styles

Legacy and Impact on Contemporary Dance

• Postmodern dance laid the groundwork for the development of contemporary dance in the late 20th and early 21st centuries
• The emphasis on process over product, improvisation, and collaboration continues to inform the work of many contemporary choreographers
• The use of pedestrian movements and everyday gestures has become a common element in contemporary dance vocabulary
• The incorporation of multimedia elements, such as video projection and interactive technology, owes much to the interdisciplinary experiments of postmodern dance
• The site-specific works of postmodern dance have inspired a growing interest in dance performances that engage with public spaces and non-traditional venues
• The democratic and inclusive spirit of postmodern dance has led to a greater diversity of voices and perspectives in the contemporary dance world
  • This includes a greater representation of women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ artists in leadership roles and choreographic positions
• The emphasis on individual expression and the rejection of strict technical standards has allowed for a wider range of body types and movement styles in contemporary dance
• The legacy of postmodern dance can be seen in the work of contemporary choreographers like William Forsythe, Ohad Naharin, and Crystal Pite, who continue to push the boundaries of what dance can be and do
• The influence of postmodern dance extends beyond the dance world, with its ideas and approaches informing fields like performance art, visual art, and theater
• Postmodern dance's challenge to traditional notions of dance and its place in society continues to inspire new generations of artists and thinkers