The Post Modern Dance Movement

American dance is defined by the manifestations of central and Western Africa and European aesthetic. It is built on the idea that dance is a platform for self-expression thus it is bound to change and develop based on the needs, interests, personalities and desires of the dancers. Likewise, the social and political issues rampant in society play a significant role in its evolution. It began as a revolt against the confining rules of the society and over the years, rebellion has become one of its main features. During the 19th century, Isadora Duncan pioneer of modern dance, used dance to liberate women from the restrictive norms of the Victorian era, to protest against the atrocities in society, both socially and politically, to rebel against the vocabulary of ballet as well as promote individualism. In the same way, George Balanchine invented neoclassical ballet from …show more content…
These dancers trained in the second generation modern dance schools where they realized the thematic feature of modern dance was limiting. So they instead opted to create abstract dance movements which employed contact improvisation, pedestrian, improvisation, accumulation, retrograde, chance and determinacy and game structure techniques. For example, Steve Paxton one of the pioneers of the postmodern dance movement extensively explored contact improvisation to create movement. The Postmodern dance movement, lasted for a decade and the new choreographers and dancers that came after, brought with them new ideas and innovations. The non restrictive and never-ending evolution of American dance is what defines it. Dance in the United States continues to be a medium for self-expression ranging from personal stories to political and social issues. This together with the manifestations of both European and African aesthetic make up American