Historic Figures of Modern

Question 1

Rudolf von Laban – (Hungary, 1879-1958)

FORERUNNER

Answer 1

• Dancer, choreographer, and theoretician
• develop community dance
• belief; dance available to everyone
• 25 Laban schools for children education
• believe; to advocate freedom, mirror it in dance

Question 2

Alvin Ailey – (U.S. 1931-1989)

FOUNDER

Answer 2

• Dancer, chroegrapher, and director
• Horton protegee

-formed company
—blending tribal, jazz, and modern
—reflect the black experience

-most famous dance is Revelations
—study of religious spirit

• study under Martha Graham in NYC
• 80 ballets

Question 3

Paul Taylor – (U.S. b. 1930).

FREEDOM/FORMALIST

Answer 3

• Dancer, choreographer, and director
• performed with and joined Martha Graham Company 1955
• formed co. to present lyrical.

-139 dances since 1954
—life and death
—natural world
—love and sex

Question 4

Pina Bausch (Germany 1940)

POST-MODERNISM

Answer 4

-Director of the Wuppertal Dance
Theater
—examining human relationships.

-Improvisation
—memory of dancer’s experiences
-questions: parents, childhood, feelings, dislikes, injuries, aspirations.

• develop gestures for feelings
• dances are short units of dialogue and action