Contemporary ballet

When this program had success in Russia, Diaghilev was inspired to bring it to a European audience by creating a new spin on classical ballet.

[1] During this period, other choreographers such as John Butler and Glen Tetley began to consciously combine ballet and modern techniques in experimentation.

Following Baryshnikov's appointment as artistic director of the American Ballet Theatre in 1980, he worked with various modern choreographers, most notably Twyla Tharp.

Both of these pieces were considered innovative for their use of distinctly modern movements melded with the use of pointe shoes and classically trained dancers—for their use of contemporary ballet.

The Joffrey Ballet continued to perform numerous contemporary pieces, many choreographed by co-founder Gerald Arpino.

[7] Other notable contemporary choreographers include Jorma Elo, William Forsythe, Mark Morris, Jiri Kylian, Alonzo King, and Trey McIntyre.

Since the late 1920s, Pilates has been a popular form of cross training to help prevent injury,[8] but increasingly, the Gyrotonic Expansion System is being utilized.

This is in contrast to classical and neoclassical ballet where the dancers are required to "pull up" and the upper body is held.

They are required to have impeccable ballet technique with a mastery of pointe technique for women, but at the same time, are being asked to be just as comfortable in ballet slippers or bare feet performing the work of modern choreographers such as Paul Taylor or embracing Gaga in the work of Ohad Naharin.

For example, Dwight Rhoden serves as both Artistic Director and the primary choreographer for Complexions Contemporary Ballet.