Lyrical
Lyrical & Contemporary Dance
Dance is one of the oldest forms of human expression and the dance forms which are of modern times are called lyrical or contemporary dance forms. There are many dance forms and every part of the world has their own form of dance. Some call the 20th century dance forms as contemporary dance. Australia, America, Canada, Europe and Africa, all have different forms of thes dance styles. Lyrical and Contemporary dance forms are based on alignment, centering, gravity, release, contraction, breath, off-balance and balance, relaxation and tension.
The technique involved in these dance forms uses body strength combined with sheer flexibility The versatility of the performer and the choreography are the most important factors of contemporary dance. The mind also plays an important part in any form of dance. The idea was introduced to come out of the rigidity involved in ballet dance. The pioneers of contemporary dance are Isadora Duncan and Martha Graham who wanted to use the body’s natural movements into a dance form. Lyrical dance involves body’s natural movements and none of the styles are as physically demanding. It is easy for beginners to master the styles of lyrical dance easily. The contemporary dance forms have become popular because of the innovative nature of contemporary dance.
There are many contemporary dance form techniques named after their creators. These dancers took the initiative to create new styles of contemporary dance and music. Cunningham technique is a technique of contemporary dance and is named after its creator Cunningham. It mainly focuses on the architecture of the body and the main body parts along with its subtle movements. The human body has its own energy line and contemporary dance uses this energy into subtle body movements and swings.
The graham technique in lyrical and contemporary dance involves falls, contraction, release and recovery. This technique has been named after Graham and is followed extensively in contemporary dance. The Graham technique involves the extensive use of abdominal and pelvic region. It involves tremendous floor work and the participants display their vigor through body movements.
The contemporary dance forms also make use of gravity and the participants use weights during their movements. The effect of heavy weight on the body is illustrated in Limon technique. The movements in Limon technique need proper breath control to control the maneuvers of the body.
Release is the relaxation phase of any lyrical dance performance. It focuses on release of tension and increasing concentration to improve the overall performance.
Contemporary and lyrical dance are forms which are constantly changing and to master this dance form one needs constant practice. Many workshops are held on both lyrical and contemporary dance which can be attended by people who have an avid interest in these dance forms.
Contact improvisation is a form of contemporary dance which involves physical contact and improvisation. It is a particular form of post modern dance. It can be practiced as social dance and this form of dance is cultivated in jams. A musical jamming session is a place where various musicians meet to discuss and practice new forms of music. The main contact is made with the ground and in some training classes the coaches say that it is the ground which is your partner. This type of dance can be practiced in groups or as a solo performance.
The contemporary and lyrical dance forms have brought about a sea change in the stereotype form of dance presentations. They are easier simpler and more realistic using the body as the medium. The use of natural movements of the body makes these dance form very beautiful. This form of dance is constantly undergoing modification and every time one sees a performance, he witnesses something different. Contemporary and lyrical dance combines physical fitness and science with an art form.