Difference between jazz, contemporary and modern?

[Lemongirl]

I must admit I don't know much about other dance styles!

 

Dd is starting an associate programme, there is a huge choice of classes and she's not sure whether to go for jazz, contemporary or modern in addition to ballet. She's also going to do a tap class.

[Katymac]

DD went "Jazz is like this (& danced), Contemporary like this (& danced) and Modern I never really understood why it wasn't Jazz"

 

So not much help there then

 

Sorry

[Billyelliott]

Here s my take on it - Modern is "modern theater dance " jazz has a more rythmical element and contemporary is usuall more lyrical and seems to have more emotional expression and for want of a better description throwing yourself on the floor ..... But there are overlaps between all these , and different genres and styles of each - hope that helps you !

[Lemongirl]

 

Katymac - your post made me laugh, I can just imagine your dd doing it!    s

 

So if my dd's done a little contemporary before but no modern or jazz, which would be easiest for her to pick up and would complement the ballet?

[Katymac]

Jazz would be most fun (I think)

Modern would be quite mixed - several styles (I think)

Contemporary would be most use if she is planning on a career in classical

 

But tbh I am not an expert at all.....I'm only 2 yrs into this game and the learning curve is steep and hard to climb (forum like this make it easier)

[Fiz]

My ex dds both loved jazz far more than they did modern. They said it was more danceable and rhythmic than modern. They both loathed contemporary and lyrical.

[2dancersmum]

My DDs did modern jazz alongside their ballet. For many years I assumed this was the 'modern' that other people talked about but when I looked at the ISTD and IDTA syllabus I realised that it was indeed jazz my DDs danced.

 

Both DDs thoroughly enjoy jazz and feel it complements the ballet. Their teacher chose jazz for its rhythms, timings and performance aspects. Elder DD felt her jazz left her well placed at 6th form auditions and into 6th form itself as elements from jazz overlap into contemporary, meaning she was comfortable with jazz and contemporary parts of the audition as well as ballet.

 

I think your DD would find jazz easy to pick up and would complement her ballet but I imagine to be honest that the same could be said for any of the styles she has a choice from.

[BankruptMum]

Our teacher always said "Jazz uses the skills taught in modern in a fun and more free way. 

 

Contemporary has many spectrums - it can be lyrical but the other end of the spectrum is very different using weight / control / relaxation.

 

Probably best ot look on You Tube.

 

It depends what you daughter is hoping to do with her training - I would suggest contemporary is the way to go but it very much depends on your daughters age and skill set at the moment.

[2dancersmum]

DD has found that it is in the exercises rather than the dance that she most notices the overlap between contemporary and jazz .I cannot comment on modern as their dance school only offered it at pre-primary, primary level before they started jazz.

 

In jazz exercises they do a lot about contractions and relaxation, isolations, breathing and control.

[LinMM]

I feel jazz is fun......dance for dance sake! Though these days it's too fast for me mostly!! The exercises are very good and do complement ballet......it's good to get the hips moving more.

 

Contemporary is more self expressive on the whole and less "routine" based.

 

Both are useful dance forms to have if contemplating any sort of career whether classical or musical theatre.

 

Perhaps she could eventually try both out to see which she has more feel for but the fact that you say she has done some contemporary but is not sure which to take suggests she is not super keen just at mo or would be keen to continue.....so perhaps the jazz which she hasn't tried yet could help her decide which of the two styles she might prefer........can she do both?

[Anna C]

Is it syllabus "Modern", i.e. ISTD Modern Theatre? As Bankruptmum says, it depends upon your dd's plans, skills, and dance style.

 

If it helps, the older and more emotionally mature my dd gets, the more she understands Contemporary and the better hers is. She is physically very long limbed and slim and graceful, so suits Ballet, Contemporary, and ISTD Modern (both the lyrical and "sharper" exercises), MUCH more than she suits tap and some styles of jazz.

But her aim is for a career in classical Ballet or Contemporary. Had she ambitions for a Commercial dance career, I would have definitely suggested Jazz.

 

You know your dd best in terms of talent, skills, physique and ambition, so what she chooses and thrives at will depend upon what suits her and what she wants to do in future.

 

Could she do a trial class in each style before making definite choices?

[Huddsballetmum]

This definition might be of use

 

contemporary dance tends to utilize both the strong and controlled legwork of ballet and modern dance's stress on the torso, and also employs contact-release, floor work, fall and recovery, and improvisation characteristic of modern dance.^[2] Unpredictable changes in rhythm, speed, and direction are often used, as well. It sometimes also incorporates elements of non-western dance cultures such as elements from African dance including bent knees, or movements from the Japanese contemporary dance Butoh.^[3][4]

[Lemongirl]

 

Thanks all, that's really helpful.

 

I don't think dd wants to be a professional dancer but she does love her ballet and wants to be as good as she can be.

 

I'll show her this thread and see if she can try some classes.

[LinMM]

I agree with S and P about contemporary......it probably suits once get to a teenager more as in a way as a dance style has more depth to it than jazz style in the end.

 

I think it would be great to do both styles if poss for time being.......sooner or later a preference will come to the fore!

[taxi4ballet]

Lemongirl, I think your dd is about 12 isn't she?

 

When we asked about contemporary classes, the teacher told us that lots of students don't start contemporary until 13/14 as it demands a lot of core strength, which comes with maturity, so leaving it till about that age is fine.

 

I'm inclined to agree with others who suggest trial classes to see which one she likes best. My dd would probably go for jazz, she says that's the most fun.