Split Sides an Analysis of Modern Dance

“Who knows only his own generation remains always a child.” This quote from George Norlin echoes the edification that cultural exposure can offer. How does African dance relate to do modern dance? The two are so heterogeneous in their make-up that one would not think of them as having similarities. The truth, however, is that all dance forms are linked in some way or another; they all strengthen and sharpen each other. Modern dance has its roots in African dance with the emphasis placed on the connection of weight and gravity. Brenda Dixon Gottschild names five aesthetics that are present in African dance. A particular piece that draws attention to the relation of the five aesthetics to modern dance is “Split Sides”, choreographed by Merce Cunningham.
In the piece the dancer is very distinctive and powerful in his movements. He often holds positions in an asymmetry stance which is a quality that comes from balancing ephebism. Ephebism is one of the five African aesthetics that applies vitality, power, flexibility, drive, and attack in its movements. The holding of the various positions requires great strength and demonstrates a stamina that is similar to the strength and stamina needed for the long hours that African dances are held for. Granted, the stamina and strength for African dances requires a much longer building period, however, training one’s body to hold and sustain an unnatural position is no small feat. In addition to this one characteristic of ephebism, the dancer’s arm movements throughout the piece adhere to an attack like jolting or sharp movement and further enhance the component of ephebism by creating the youthful movements that word ephebism correlates to. The flexibility in this dance piece is seen dramati...

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...re of different dance cultures within the vocabulary of their scope, then the results would be so astounding as to give that dancer an unspoken quality distinguishing them from among their peers. Movement knowledge is cultural knowledge and remembering that each culture is beautiful and different in its own way can help create a dancer that will resonate with any audience member.

Works Cited

"Split Sides." dancecapsules.mercecunningham.org. Dance Capsules. Web. 15 Nov 2013.
Cunningham, Merce, dir. Merce Cunningham Dance Company at BAM: Split Sides. Perf. Silas Riener. BAM Organization, 2003. Web. 15 Nov 2013.
Smith, Sophia. "The Africanist Aesthetic in American Dance Forms." sophia.smith.edu. N.p., 13 Apr 2012. Web. 15 Nov 2013.
"George Norlin (1871-1942)." ucblibraries.colorado.edu. University Libraries, University of Colorado Boulder. Web. 15 Nov 2013.