Modern Dance Moves

Many dancers love dancing with modern dance moves. The reason is that modern dance moves allow them to show their emotions in a natural way. The same is not possible with rigid dance forms like ballet dancing. Modern dance is very popular and generally counted as one of the favorites among dance lovers. It owes its huge popularity to the work of Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham and Isadora Duncan, and various others. There are some basic moves that distinguishes a modern dance from other dancing forms. Such moves normally include feet kept parallel to each other and the arms making angles. Some of the names of modern dance moves are 'curl down and up', side twist' and 'Chasse'. They are usually taught to beginners in dance classes.

Modern Dance Moves for Beginners

Move 1
Stand straight with both the feet parallel to each other. Keep your arms at the sides. Look at your feet, and curl the spine over. Do it slowly, and be careful that you don't collapse at your waist. When you are halfway down to the ground, bend your knees. Continue curling your spine. A great tip for beginners here is to curl gradually and slowly. Also, come back upward to the original position slowly. This move is quite popular and known as 'curl down and up'.

Move 2
Sit on the floor. Move one leg toward the groin by bending at the knee. Place the other leg in 'crossed-over' with the foot kept flat on the floor. Bring both the arms at shoulder height, slightly elevated in front at the side. Lift your body at the waist. Twist the arm opposite to crossed-over knee towards it and turn your torso. Grasp the crossed-over knee on the outside. Use the arm opposite to it for grasping. Move the other arm flowing to your lower back. Pull the arm at front so as to twist it even further. Hold this position for about 4 seconds. Come back slowly to the starting position. This completes one move. You can perform one more by alternating the legs and arms.

Move 3
Chasse is another popular modern dance move. Dancers usually include it in their performances as it tends to add to the flow and grace. There is a simple way to perform it. Stand erect on one of your legs. Put all your weight on the foot of this leg. You are supposed to shift the weight while you are in the basic plie position. Jump at your place. Bring both the feet vertical together in the air. Come back to the starting stance. This completes one chasse move. You can travel across the room with this particular modern dance move. You may find it a bit tough to perform it in the beginning but regular practice is the key. You will be comfortable and confident doing chasses with time. If you wish, you can add height and spin to give your performance a more advanced look.

They are and can be derived from any movement happening in the nature. They can be an imitation of thunderstorm or simple water movement. Therefore, when you pursue modern dance, you should not restrict yourself in boundaries. Instead, you should observe everything around you with care and attention. You should try to use your observation, and experiment with modern dance moves. The key to become a fantastic dancer is to learn to express your emotions with the dance movements that convey yourself best.