Key Differences Between Modern and Contemporary Dance

KEY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN
MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY

DANCE
Ballet Arizona dancers Amber Lewis and Helio Lima in Nayon Iovino’s Threads. Photo by Alexander Iziliaev.
Modern dance. Contemporary dance. To the average dance enthusiast, these terms
might appear to be synonymous. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Since
there seems to be some confusion about what these terms actually mean, we’ve broken
down some of the key differences for you below!
Modern dance is codified. Just as classical ballet has many different techniques
(Vaganova, Cecchetti, Bournonville, Balanchine, French, etc.), so too does modern
dance. Some of the most notable modern dance techniques are Graham, Taylor,
Cunningham, Limón, Dunham, Duncan, and Horton. Named after the modern dance
pioneers who created them, these techniques all have specific rules that govern body
placement, movement qualities, and choreographic composition.
Contemporary dance is a little more vague and all-encompassing. Unlike modern
dance, contemporary dance is not codified. While definitions vary, one we like describes
contemporary dance as a style of expressive dance that combines several elements of
several dance genres including modern, jazz, lyrical, and classical ballet.
Contemporary, by definition, means happening or existing at the same time, and is often
used to describe dance works that are created in the present or recent past.
Contemporary dance choreographers sometimes aim to break away from the restraints
of traditional techniques and compositional styles and can use the contemporary dance
label as a way to experiment with new ideas and challenge convention.
Dance Magazine spoke with several dance professionals about their thoughts on the
topic. Here are a few descriptions that we found interesting:
Jean Freebury, reconstructor and former member of the Merce Cunningham Dance
Company, thinks that “modern [dance] is something older that comes from a certain
time and speaks about getting away from classical dance, as opposed to integrating it.”
She goes on to mention that “contemporary is more a term you would use for something
current, but it has a more integrated aspect, so you’d use a mixture of things—ballet
and modern. Different generations also have different styles.”
Ray Leeper, Director of NUVO Dance Convention, choreographer for So You Think You
Can Dance and many others say “contemporary is anything current. It’s more of a style,
but rooted in technique, because it’s a fusion of several techniques—ballet, jazz,
modern.”
Mia Michaels, choreographer for So You Think You Can Dance and various pop stars and
dance companies admits that she is “a little responsible for So You Think You Can
Dance co-opting the term ‘contemporary.’” She continues on by saying, “when we first
started the show, Nigel [Lythgoe] was calling it lyrical. I said, ‘It’s not lyrical, it’s
contemporary.’ We’ve created a monster. Contemporary is an easy way out—it’s when
you don’t know what to call it, you call it contemporary.”
Because of the vagueness and (sometimes) avant-garde aesthetic that is associated
with contemporary dance, a stigma exists that prevents people from attending shows
that feature contemporary work. We’re here to tell you that you needn’t be afraid of
contemporary dance! Although the lines, forms, and compositions may look different,
they are still firmly rooted in the classical techniques we all know and love.
If you’d like to come and discover some of Arizona’s best contemporary works, consider
joining us for New Moves September 27-30 at Orpheum Theatre in Downtown Phoenix.
Who knows? You might even find contemporary work to be the “new way” to enjoy
classicism!
If you’re someone who likes to experience dance for yourself, check out our Adult
Classes at The School of Ballet Arizona. We offer many different styles of dance
including Ballet, Horton, Flamenco, and Belly Dance!
Truth is, they are the same in many ways. Both forms of dance stemmed from modern dance pioneers
during the turn of the 19th Century like Isadora Duncan and Martha Graham. Modern Dance is a specific
style of dance that is free form and stems from the core, or torso, of the body and uses elements
like contact-release, floor work, fall and recovery, and improvisation. Just like a Picasso is different than
a Monet, modern dance is different than ballet. Contemporary Dance is a collaborative style that
includes modern, jazz, ballet, and hip hop elements.

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KEY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN

MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY

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