Modern dance is in part, a rebellion against the structured rigors of traditional ballet. Anyone who has studied ballet will recall the striving for turnout and the need for dancers to adhere to controlled positions. True, a ballet dancer can fly through the air magnificently. But, anyone who recalls the pain of the toe shoes will understand the need of dancers to break free and dance barefoot.

Some dancers began to break away from ballet in the 1900s. Joyfully, they danced barefoot and scantily clad. Free expression and improvisation were employed. Rules were cast aside and the modern style of dance exploded onto the scene.

Two names are prominent in the movement. They are Isadora Duncan and Martha Graham. Duncan was a non-conformist in many more ways than the dance style she brought to the stage. She performed in Europe to accolades, returning to New York only in her later years.

Martha Graham developed a language of movement that expressed human emotions ranging from rage to ecstasy. Her style relied on a technique somewhat similar to classical ballet. But, her movements employed contractions and releases. She incorporated sharp movements into a performance rather than using long, flowing ones. Graham's innovations earned appreciation and awards.

Modern style dance differs from ballet in its use of gravity. Ballet dancers move upward in controlled arabesque and grand jete' movements. Modern dancers perform leaps, then allow their body weight to pull them to the floor in a deliberate crash.

The modern style performer is apt to bare her soul to the audience. She will make herself vulnerable by expressing whatever emotions move her the most. Some dancers express passion, others rage. Few choose happiness, perhaps because it's better suited to musical comedy.

Often a choreographed piece will tell a story. A male and female dancer could tell a story of love and love lost. They wear costumes that fit in with the concept of the story in dance form. At times, they opt to dance the story without music.

When Isadora Duncan taught dance, she did it barefoot. It isn't often that someone refers to classical ballet as ugly, but Isadora did. She rejected rules and structure both in dance and her personal life.

The movements developed in modern are unregulated. Strong leaps and split jumps are the norm. Falls to the floor and toes that are not gracefully pointed are also the norm. Just as the expressionist painters poured their feelings onto a canvas, the modern dancer spills her emotions onto the stage.