Modern and Traditional Dance

Name: Putri Fitriani Khairunnisa

NPM: 1910631060042

Class: 3D

Modern and Traditional Dance

A. Modern Dance

    Born in the early 20th century, modern dance is a dance style that focuses on a dancer's own interpretations instead of structured steps, as in traditional ballet dancing. Modern dancers reject the limitations of classical ballet and favor movements derived from the expression of their inner feelings.

    During the 1900's, European dancers began rebelling against the rigid rules of classical ballet. Turning against the structured techniques, costumes, and shoes of ballet, these dancers favored a more relaxed, freestyle form of dancing. For example, modern dance pioneers often danced in bare feet and revealing costumes. In the United States, several dance pioneers paved the way for American modern dance, including the legendary Martha Graham.

B. The Characteristics of Modern/Contemporary Dance

    Modern dance encourages dancers to use their emotions and moods to design their own steps and routines. It is not unusual for dancers to invent new steps for their routines, instead of following a structured code of technique, as in ballet.

    Another characteristic of modern dance, in opposition to ballet, is the deliberate use of gravity. Whereas classical ballet dancers strive to be light and airy on their feet, modern dancers often use their body weight to enhance movement. This type of dancer rejects the classical ballet stance of an upright, erect body, often opting instead for deliberate falls to the floor.

C. Modern Dance Type

Hip-hop dance refers to a style of street dance performed primarily with music that emerged in the 1970s and was popularized by the Breakin' Beat community in the United States. With this new dance style, a classical dancer choreographed a hip-hop dance performed on the streets to jazz-punk music. Along with the times, hip-hop dance is practiced in the studio or outside the room. The difference between hip-hop dance and other dances is that it uses freestyle improvisation seen in competitions called battles or in the community it is called battles. Hip-hop dance can be a form of entertainment or a hobby based on crew, freestyle, and crew battles.

D. Popular Styles of Modern Dance

    Modern dance from 1990 to the present has taken a very different approach. Some choreographers and dancers include in modern dance styles hip hop, lyrical, free style and fusion, a combination of dance forms like tap, jazz, modern and ballet.

    Since modern dance is usually performed in themed choreographic sequences, it projects a message. Choreography of hip hop, fusion and free style dance tends to be improvisational and without specific themes. Lyrical dance may have a choreographed theme. It leans more toward interpretative dance. Today, modern dance choreography may or may not be interpretative.

E. Characteristics of Modern Dance

- Use of space: While ballet dancers typically face the audience directly, modern dancers use all orientations, even completely turning their back on the audience.

- Relationship to music: In ballet, the dancer's movements correspond harmoniously with the music, but in modern dance, dancers may dance off-beat or in contrast to the music, ignore the music completely, or dance on a silent stage.

- Performers: Contrasting the large casts and strict hierarchy of ballet, modern dance choreographers often also perform. They may work alone or with smaller dance troupes. Women also gained recognition and influence as choreographers.

- Movement: Ballet has a very strictly defined set of movements that get pieced together to create different dances. In modern dance, however, dancers create a new language of movement with every piece, experimenting with how they can manipulate the body.

F. What is Traditional dancing?

    Traditional dancing can be another term for folk dance, or sometimes even for ceremonial dance. The term ‘Traditional’ is more frequently used when the emphasis is on the cultural roots of the dance. A Traditional dance will therefore have arisen from a people’s cultural traditions, for example, the folk dances of indigenous populations of Europe. However, dances that have a ritual origin or purpose are not usually considered to be Traditional dances. These are known as ‘Religious dances’ instead. Traditional dancing is generally more of a social activity rather than competitive, but it is normally choreographed. Depending on the dance type itself, Traditional dancing can be either partnered or solo, and are mainly danced in formation.

G. Three Indonesian Traditional Dance

1. Saman Dance, Aceh

Having originated in Aceh, from a plateau called Gayo, Saman dance is one of the most famous traditional dances in Indonesia. There are many values, principles, and philosophies of Acehnese imbued in the Saman dance, such as wisdom, faith, manners, heroism, and togetherness. The Saman dance was originally performed to celebrate important occasions of the Acehnese community, such as the celebration of the birth of the Prophet Muhammad.

Saman dance uses two basic movements, hand-clapping and shoulder-clapping, to make body percussion sounds, which are synchronized to create music and look fascinating at the same time. The Saman dance is performed by an odd number of people who have made their way to foreign countries. The uniqueness of this dance can be seen from the use of the dancer's hands to create solid sounds. If most of the other traditional dances, the dancers move freely, the Saman dance is performed by the dancers in a sitting manner. Apart from using hand movements, the dancers also share tasks, some roar, sing songs, and so on.

2. Kecak Dance, Bali

    Not only famous for its natural beauty, Bali is also known for its cultural diversity. One of them is the Kecak dance. This dance, which features dance dramas from the Ramayana story, is one of the attractions of tourists in Bali. Kecak dance is also called the Sang Hyang dance which is performed during religious ceremonies. Known internationally as the "Ramayana monkey song", the Kecak Dance is a form of Balinese Hindu dance and musical theater performed mainly by men in temples and villages throughout Bali. Developed during the 1930s in Bali, Indonesia, this dance is considered one of the most spectacular traditional performances in Indonesia as it is generally performed by 150 dancers consisting of 150 dancers wearing plaid around the waist while shouting "chak" in percussion while moving their hands and arms.

The uniqueness of this dance is that it does not use an artificial backdrop or stage and does not use any musical instruments. It has to be done at sunset, in the open air, usually on a cliff overlooking the sea, as the show relies entirely on the natural light of the day. As the sun sets, the story continues with the orange sky getting darker over time. This dance depicts a battle from the Ramayana, where monkey-like warriors known as Vanaras, led by Hanuman, assist Prince Rama in fighting the evil King Ravana.

3. Tor-Tor Dance, North Sumatera

Tor-Tor dance is an ancient traditional dance originating from North Sumatera which consists of the North Tapanuli, Humbang Hasundutan, and Toba Samosir areas. Initially this dance was usually performed at ritual events such as funerals, healing, and so on. Historically, the Tor-Tor dance was part of a ritual associated with spirits, who were summoned and "carried" into stone statues that symbolized ancestors.

Tor-Tor dances are of three types. The first type is the Tor-Tor Pangurason (cleansing dance) which is usually performed at large parties. The second type is Tor-Tor Sipitu Cawan (Seven Bowls Dance) which is usually performed at the inauguration of a king and depicts the story of seven heavenly daughters who bathe in a lake on the top of Mount Pusuk Buhit. . Finally, there is Tor-Tor Tunggal Panaluan, a cultural ritual dance that is usually performed when a disaster strikes a village.

The Tor-Tor dance movement follows the Margondang flow, the traditional music that accompanies the dance. Tor-Tor dance is no longer associated with religious ceremonies or mystical ceremonies. Currently, it is performed on certain occasions such as weddings and welcoming ceremonies for visitors.

H. Characteristics of traditional dance

Traditional dance has several characteristics that lead to the categorization of traditions. Some of these features include:

- Have a standard or basic movement rules that must be followed.

- Accompanied by traditional local music.

- Wearing traditional costumes typical of the local area.

- Taught and studied orally or by word of mouth directly from the old generation to the next generation.

 Sources:

http://www.dancecentral.co.uk/DanceNtral/Articles/traditional.htm

https://www.liveabout.com/what-is-modern-dance-1007279

https://study.com/academy/lesson/modern-dance-history-types.html