Contemporary

The name "Contemporary Dance" describes a range of styles including the 4 main techniques; Cunningham, Graham, Limon and Release. Contemporary dance was developed in the early 20th century as a reaction against the rigid techniques of ballet and is characterised by its versatility.
 

Contemporary can be danced to almost any style of music and seeks to work with the natural alignment of the body, making it safe and accessible for beginners. At the same time, the ease of movement promoted by contemporary dance technique allows experienced dancers to push new boundaries of body movement.

 
At ARTS, students from both classical and non-classical backgrounds join together for this creative dance style to explore in depth the range and fluidity of free movement which they would not otherwise experience in the more conventional dance techniques. Dancers follow the NATD syllabus where they can take graded exams up to and including teacher qualifications. The higher grades can also gain the candidate UCAS points for use on their University applications. The more senior classes also incorporate a creative class to their syllabus class to encourage individuality. Dancers can perform in shows and competitions both as a solo or a group.