Traditional and modern dances
Subashini PATHMANATHAN
Traditional dance forms in any society must have certain norms and
defined links with cultural, linguistic, regional, and religious
factors. These traditional dance forms generally have certain
longstanding historical background and developments in different
periods.
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No proper clarified, defined,
categorized steps are followed in these modern dance forms |
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Choreographers adopt their own
designed costumes |
Almost every traditional cultural dance form is systematically
categorised into different steps, hand gestures, eye movements, neck
movements and different names for different foot positions and
movements. Each traditional dance form has a deep meaning. Traditional
dancers vehemently stick to a limited framework.
Even some traditional dance forms like Russian Ballet, western dance
forms, Eastern dance forms, South American dances, Far East Asian dance
forms and South East Asian dance forms are systematically confined and
defined dance techniques. Each traditional form has its own distinguish
makeup and stage decorations, distinguish costumes and selective
ornaments. Most ornaments have certain names as well as certain
significance for the purpose of usefulness. Some traditional dance forms
are performed only by solo dancers, some only by female dancers, and
some by female and male together.
At the end of the last quarter of the 20th century, a new trend of
dance form has developed by the modern choreographers. They insert
numerous ideas of their own creativity into these dances and also borrow
techniques from numerous other traditional dance forms.
They mainly borrow the nuances, techniques, steps, costumes,
ornaments and makeup from various different traditional dances. Along
with these dances they also combine their own creativity dances and name
these as modern dances. The choreographers borrow techniques from
Russian Ballet, Gymnastics, circus and body movement exercises.
No proper clarified, defined, categorized steps are followed in these
modern dance forms. Besides they add jumps, hops, twists and sudden
turns to these dances.
The choreographers adopt their own designed costumes. Most
choreographers adopt their own idealistic music and select their own
musical instruments. The musical instruments used for these dances are
admixture of Western and Eastern instruments.
Even the choreographers adopt numerous modern technologies, for the
stage decorations and also for the lighting and sound system.
The main aim of the choreographers is to attract the audience for
mere amusement, for enjoyment and for entertainment purposes. These so
called modern dances are generally performed and practised by female and
male dancers.
Generally these male and female dancers participate together in
groups.
The younger generation is mainly attracted and encouraged by these
baseless art forms. Even some of the schools in the metropolitan areas
encourage these modern dances to attract the younger generation for
fashion shows and extra activities.
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