140:. Each of these individuals developed their own methodology and technique behind modern dance and employed improvisation in numerous different ways that were key to the choreography and execution of their techniques. It is important to note that although Isadora Duncan is often cited as having improvised her performances, this may be based more on the free, natural quality of her movement rather than fact. While some of her material was definitely set, it is likely that other parts were in fact improvised.
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variety. This use of improvisation declined in the 16th century, as set, specific choreography came to be favored over more individual, improvised motions. Improvisation was still used in some sense to enhance choreography during this time; however, this improvisation also became much more regulated and structured. For the following several centuries in the west, improvisation became used primarily as a method of creating choreography and remedying mistakes and mishaps during a performance.
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A lot of improvisation is focused on finding a deeper way of comprehending otherwise concealed thoughts or feelings of an individual. Through the emphasis of instinctual, unpredictable, free movement that improvisation is centred upon the mover is able to explore authentic feelings and inspirations.
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It was not until the end of the 19th century, however, that dance improvisation in western dance became such a large part of performance and dance technique. Towards the end of the 19th and throughout the 20th century, with the beginning of what has become known as modern dance, dance improvisation
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relies on improvisation. Improvisation techniques are taught and improvisation is encouraged as necessary to reach high levels of competency in dance and performance environments. Closely knit crowds, varying rhythmic patterns in music, switching partners for each dance, and a large vocabulary of
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Improvisation is a free, seemingly unstructured, less technically strict and impulsive form that draws inspiration from everyday dance practices and influences. It is a movement technique that is capable of evoking dramatic and thought-provoking content just as well as more codified western dance
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used improvisational techniques intensely in training, and to varying degrees in performance in accordance with the director's preference and opinion on the subject. In the second half of the 20th century, improvisation in dance exploded once more and was explored even more deeply by creators
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exemplified an explicit improvisational performance method with her use of task-based and idiosyncratic movement that both allowed for and necessitated improvisation on the part of the dancer. Slightly later in the early 20th century, movement choruses, especially those under the direction of
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In
Renaissance Italy, improvisation was used and valued in performance and participatory dances. In performance-based settings in the 15th century, dancers used improvisation to alter or replace various steps or motions, particularly hand gestures, in choreography for the purpose of creating
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technique that serves as a framework for collective improvisation. It involves multiple dancers who explore movement together by supporting each other's weight, maintaining contact with each other, and bringing their attention to the point or points of contact between them. Unlike the
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features a heavily improvisational style based on cyclic movement patterns. Many styles of b-boying exist, and dance crews will often choreograph performances for specific songs. Individual performances are more commonly improvised due to the nature of the dance.
239:. Professional belly dancers may dance publicly 6 nights a week, up to three times a night, and simply do not have the time to choreograph for the 15–60 minutes a night that such performing requires. Even dancers with substantial
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repertoires often choose to improvise when performing to live music because they value the exchange of energy between the dancer, the musicians, and the audience, which is heightened by working "in the moment".
90:, improvisation was used very scarcely, however there remained a place for it in ballet performance. Primarily, improvisation was used in ballet at this time by certain exceptional principal dancers such as
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is the process of spontaneously creating movement. Development of movement material is facilitated through a variety of creative explorations including body mapping through levels, shape and dynamics schema.
283:, and relies mostly on the leader interpreting the music how he or she will; at the same time, the follower usually has some freedom to interpret the music and add in his or her own style as well.
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150:’s formation of the Grand Union in 1970. The Grand Union was an improvisational dance group that performed improvisation that was not prepared or rehearsed beforehand.
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are built entirely upon group improvisation, although the group will typically plan and rehearse individual combinations and their cues in advance.
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Furthermore, and in part thanks to theories on human development that were developed in the 19th century, improvisation started being used in
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in the 20th century as well. Improvisation became a key part in the educational methods of many dance educators including Bird Larson and
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Many other important tenets of dance improvisation come from and were innovated by the
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is one of the most commonly improvised dance forms, since often live music does not support the structured nature of
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combined improvisation in both of those definitions, insisting that he had an interest in performing a dance to
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flourished both as a choreographic tool as well as a method performance. In the late 19th century,
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Contact improvisation is sometimes used by post-modern choreographers to generate or develop
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who used improvisation to embellish their leading roles in ballets.
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movements encourage improvisational dance in
Argentine tango.
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who emphasized self-expression through dance improvisation.
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techniques such as ballet and non-western movement forms.
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Carter, Curtis (Spring 2000). "Improvisation in Dance".
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Posthuman
Performance: Dancing within Cognitive Systems
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275:connection, but the emphasis is even greater.
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61:only if he could do it a new way each time.
507:The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism
346:Post-modern dance and contact improvisation
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334:. Because of its improvisational nature,
219:is a dance form that despite the apparent
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318:moves, ranging from
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51:Judson Dance Theater
601:. Human Kinetics .
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