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What is
Contemporary Dance? 
Contemporary
dance is an all-encompassing term referring to a broad culture of
dance that can be anything from the fusion of known dance forms to
an extrapolation of cultural dance. Contemporary dance is the
dance of the times, with themes related to what is socially,
culturally and emotionally relevant—right now.
Historically, contemporary dance rose out
of the late 1960s as a way of expressing what could not be said
through more traditional dance forms like ballet, for example. Contemporary dance took
traditional dance forms and bent the rules, unleashing a previously
unseen freedom in movement and form.
Contemporary dance has since become the dance of the
human experience, rich in its emotionally-driven storytelling. By nature,
contemporary dance has a unique power—it inspires artists to
explore uncharted territory and choreograph unspoken truths. The Center for Contemporary
Dance uses this aspect of the art to share unique
perspectives in the human condition. The result is compelling
work that is both thought-provoking and
entertaining. (Visit our
Events Page)
Why We
Dance
For the dancer, movement begins where words leave
off. Every dance of
substance is born of deep intention and tells a story that cannot be
told with words alone.
The choreographer who creates a dance is expressing
something—an idea, a feeling, a moment in time—that must be
witnessed through movement in order to be understood. Beyond the beauty and
technique of the dance, lies the true essence of the
piece.
Dance artists develop work because it is their most
authentic form of communication. As is true of all art, dance
is an abstraction of something more concrete and sometimes leads to
frustration because, by nature, we want to understand what it is we
are being told. But our
artists want you to define your own interpretation of their
work. The most accurate
way to interpret, understand and appreciate the art of dance is to
explore your personal relationship to a given performance.
More than a visual product, art is a
relationship—it is the time, space and feeling that exists
between an audience and the work. As you watch
our performances, allow yourself to feel your way through the
movement by asking: How
does the dance affect me emotionally, and what does it remind me of
from my own life experiences?
By feeling your way through a performance, you will
discover the truest meaning of the story. Enjoy the
dance!
 
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