by Treva Bedinghaus Updated May 23, 2019 What is Contemporary Dance? Contemporary dance is a style of expressive dance that combines elements of several dance genres including modern , jazz , lyrical and classical ballet . Contemporary dancers strive to connect the mind and the body through fluid dance movements. The term "contemporary" is somewhat misleading: it describes a genre that developed during the mid-20th century and is still very popular today. Overview of Contemporary Dance Contemporary dance stresses versatility and improvisation, unlike the strict, structured nature of ballet. Contemporary dancers focus on floorwork, using gravity to pull them down to the floor. This dance genre is often done in bare feet. Contemporary dance can be performed to many different styles of music. Pioneers of contemporary dance include Isadora Duncan, Martha Graham , and Merce Cunningham because they broke the rules of the strict forms of ballet. T