What is Contemporary Dance?

Contemporary dance is a genre of concert dance that employs systems and methods found in modern dance and postmodern dance, as well as classical ballet.

Contemporary dance draws on modern dance techniques as well as newer philosophies of movement that depart from classical dance techniques by altogether omitting structured form and movement.

Pioneers of contemporary dance include Isadora Duncan, Ruth St. Denis, Doris Humphrey, Mary Wigman, Francois Delsarte, Emilie Jaques-Dalcroze, Merce Cunningham, Martha Graham, Rudolph von Laban, Loie Fuller, Jose Limon and Marie Rambert. Dance techniques and movement philosophies employed in contemporary dance include: