Contemporary dance

In the 1980s, the approach to contemporary dance became more intentional and academically focused, often described as “interdisciplinary” and “collaborative.” This period marked a shift from spontaneous and experimental methods to choreographies grounded in intellectual concepts, such as mathematical structures and repetitive patterns.

This dissolution between previously rigid distinctions parallels broader cultural shifts from what scholar Gabrielle Klein calls the "linguistic turn," which treated dance as a form of text and choreography as a structured linguistic system, to the subsequent "performative turn" which critiques representational practices and introduces new themes central to contemporary choreography.

As a result, contemporary dance works have become platforms for exploring complex themes, such as the unrepresentable and intangible aspects of human existence, which are difficult to represent using traditional and classical movement forms.

As in abstract painting, it is assumed that an element (a movement, a sound, a change of light) is in and of itself expressive; what it communicates is in large part determined by the observer themselves."

[7] Cunningham's key ideas include- Other pioneers of contemporary dance (the offspring of modern and postmodern) include Ruth St. Denis, Doris Humphrey, Mary Wigman, Pina Bausch, Francois Delsarte, Émile Jaques-Dalcroze, Paul Taylor, Rudolph von Laban, Loie Fuller, José Limón, Marie Rambert, and Trisha Brown.

This influence has led to a deeper exploration of the dancer’s primary medium, the body, which sparked the development and integration of innovative movement techniques.

[7] According to the International Encyclopedia of Dance, William Forsythe has established a framework for his conceptual ballets which do not conform to a fixed style but instead integrate elements from various trends in contemporary art and thought.

William Forsythe has cited Rudolf Laban and his Space Harmony movement as an artistic influence, although his ballet technique is significantly shaped by George Balanchine.

[12] Robotics engineer/dancer Amy LaViers, for example, has incorporated cell phones in a contemporary dance piece calling attention to the issues surrounding our ever-increasing dependence on technology.