Modern Dance Moves

Danielle Sonnenberg

	Martha Graham, Dance Pioneer

Modern dance arose in the beginning of the twentieth century, affording dancers the opportunity to rebel against the constraints of the classical techniques of ballet.

At this time, pioneers such as New York City-based choreographers Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey and Isadora Duncan explored this emerging art, introducing college students and small communities to their innovative, groundbreaking performances.

Now a century later, modern dance is much more widespread and appreciated.

Defined as anything from free dance to expressionist dance, this remarkable art form is based on techniques by famous dancers such as Jose Limon and Merce Cunningham, and explores the limits of the human body's expression through movement.

Dancing Together

Ann Ludwig, 70, founder of the modern-dance company A Ludwig Dance Theatre, believes in the vast possibilities of modern dance. "I think there's a billion ways to do things," she says.

The Arizona-based company, which was formed in 1977, originally began in California with three dancers, three musicians and one mime. They have since performed all over the U.S. and in Europe.

Ludwig has been on the dance faculty for many institutions, including the University of Kansas, San Diego State University and the University of Iowa, where she led the dance program.

She finds inspiration from all over, such as from the techniques of Martha Graham and the perseverance of New York City chorographer Merce Cunningham.

For her latest piece, dubbed "The Project," she is collaborating with chorographer Babs Case, artistic director of Dancers' Workshop; Kelly Roth, artistic director of Kelly Roth & Dancers; and composer Robert Kaplan.

Ludwig compares the collaboration process to creating a "hunk of clay with three sculptors." There is no central theme to the piece; rather, "'The Project' involves trying to open our eyes to accepting movement and overall expression," says Ludwig.

Collaboration can be an arduous process. "I won't throw anything out until everything has been worked through. Sometimes I think, 'What in the world am I going to do with this?'" Ludwig says. "We'll have to wait and see. You can't comprise anyone's ideas, which can prove to be quite difficult," she continues.

Ludwig admits touring uses a lot of energy; still, the dancers in her company tend to be older side -- the current youngest dancer is 29.

Her dancers are compensated for their efforts -- $12 an hour for rehearsals, which is significant considering most companies don't pay for rehearsals at all. "They also receive performance pay, which is a minimum of $100 per concert," Ludwig notes.

Modern dancers' careers can last into their sixties. Ludwig herself just performed at the University of California at Long Beach in a master's concert sponsored by The National Dance Education Organization.

Let the Music Play

If you're looking for a modern dance company with live and original music scores, check out Boston-based Anna Myer and Dancers.

Her newest piece, "Penumbra," includes a group of strings players on stage with the dancers, of which ten are children. The work will be performed at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston in May.

Myer's well-received piece "All At Once," which was reviewed in The New York Times in October 2004, featured nine dancers, as well as a conductor and 12 musicians (six violins, five cellos and one bass), all of whom were on stage together.

The work highlighted music by Russian-born composer Jakov Jakoulov, and was conducted by Susan Davenny Wyner and performed by the New England String Ensemble. The piece will be performed at the ICA in May as well.

Myer's background is in classical dance, but she has also done modern and postmodern work, which can also be defined as more pedestrian dance, in that it uses everyday gesture movements and brings a sense of "real life" onto the stage.

"My choreography is a fusion of my background in modern, postmodern and classical dance that makes it unique. My dancers have been both trained in classical and modern dance," says Myer, who founded the company in 1992.

Myer enjoys working with original music scores and is a big fan of collaboration.

However, running a dance company is not easy.

"It takes 90% of your time," says Myer. "The problem with dance is that it's an expensive art form, because you're dealing with human beings. You have to costume them, rent a theater, etc.," she explains.

It takes a lot of time and energy to make it all happen. But it's worth it for Myer -- she works for herself, calls all the shots and gets to "do what I want to do," Myer explains.

A Celebrated Tradition

To experience several different takes on modern dance, check out the American Dance Festival.

This festival began in Bennington, Vt., in 1934. Four of its leaders -- Martha Graham, Hanya Holm, Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman -- were relatively unknown at the time but later proved to become stars of the stage.

The festival moved to North Carolina in 1978, as its rapid growth demanded a bigger space.

The mission of the American Dance Festival is to encourage and support the creation of new modern-dance work by established and new chorographers, and it certainly succeeds in this regard.

The annual celebration has produced more than 570 notable works by several modern-dance chorographers, including Jose Limon and Merce Cunningham, and recently produced works by Twyla Tharp, Tatiana Baganova and Doug Varone.

The 2007 season, which takes place from June 7 to July 21, will mark the 74th anniversary of the festival.

The festival also offers many programs, such as a four- and six-week school, an advanced professional workshop, a nine-day intensive workshop in New York City and a dance professional workshop.

If you want to be inspired by people who express themselves through movement, check out some modern dance. You might just be inspired take a class yourself.

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