The Creative Dance Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing the enjoyment of dance to young people between the ages of 3 and 18 years.   C.D.A. is designed for and dedicated to teaching the concepts of dance.  Children spend their time dancing, learning the concepts and techniques of dance and creating their own routines, not learning A dance piece to be performed at a recital or festival.  The Creative Dance Association is a place where students can develop their creative potential in a friendly and non-competitive atmosphere. We offer classes for a variety of ages & instruction in a variety of dance styles.  Dancers also have the opportunity to perform at our annual Spring Concert.  For the more serious dancer we have our own modern repertory performing company - Dance Imagination.

MODERN DANCE IS. . .

Modern dance developed in the early part of the twentieth century as a revolt against the stylized formality of ballet.  Modern dance is often concerned with the communication of emotions or ideas through movement; sometimes it is concerned simply with movement itself.

Modern dance is a living, growing, changing art form.  There are no established steps or patterns.  Modern dancers search for a way of using natural movement as a means of expressing themselves.

Some of the early pioneers in modern dance were Isadora Duncan, Ruth St. Denis, Ted Shawn, Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman.  Well known modern dancers today include Karen Jamieson, Judith Marcuse and Anna Wyman.

The vocabulary of modern dance is not as standardized as the classical ballet vocabulary.  However, the basic elements of movement are space, time and force.  These elements are defined below.  It is this vocabulary, when understood and explored, that students use to create and enjoy dance! *

                                            DANCE ELEMENTS

THE CONCEPT OF SPACE                THE CONCEPT OF MOVEMENT

Place -  self, general, positive, negative empty                Locomotor  

Levels -  high, medium, low                            walk, run, jump, hop, leap, gallop, slide,

Size -  big, medium, small, near reach, far reach                skip, crawl, roll, etc.

Direction -  forwards, backwards, left, right, up down                combined - step-hop, waltz run, jop,

Pathway  -  straight, curved, zig zag                schottische, two-step, grapevine, creep,

Focus -  single focus, multi focus                            prance, slither, etc.

                    Non locomotor

THE CONCEPT OF TIME                            bend, twist, stretch, swing, push, pull, Speed  -  fast, slow, medium                fall, melt, sway, turn, spin, dodge, kick,

Rhythm  -  even, uneven, pulse, pattern,breath     poke, lift, carve, curl, lunge, slash, dab,

                            punch, flick, float, glide, press, wring,

THE CONCEPT OF FORCE                shake, rise, sink, burst, wiggle, etc.

Weight-  strong, light

Quality-  sharp (sudden), smooth (sustained)    THE CONCEPT OF FORM

Flow -  free, bound                           Recurring Theme - canon, round, theme    ABA - a = one phrase, b = different

THE CONCEPT OF BODY                           Abstract - a geometric form

Parts-  head, neck, arms, wrists, elbows, fingers, spine,     Narrative - in the form of a story

trunk,  legs, knees, feet, toes, ankles, heels, shoulders            Broken Form - unrelated ideas

Shape- curvy, straight, angular, twisted, wide, narrow                Suite - 3 parts, medium, slow, fast

Relationships  -  over/under, on/off, in/out, left/right,

near/far, above/below, around/through, unison/contrast

body parts to body parts, individuals to groups,

body parts to objects, alone/connected, beside/ 

between, individuals or groups to objects, etc. 

Balance  -  on balance, off balance

  

*  References - Modern Dance - An Adult Beginners Guide,   by Natalie Willman Duffy

                                 - Creative Dance For All Ages, by Anne Green Gilbert