How to Find Modern Dance Music

Modern dance evolved out of a dissatisfaction with the constraints of classical ballet. One of the pioneers of modern dance, Isadora Duncan, rebelled against ballet and developed a style she called "free dance." The music that accompanies modern dancing can represent any genre.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Consider certain factors before setting out to find modern dance music. What is the mood you are striving for, slow and romantic or fast and aggressive? Do you have a certain theme in mind, like modern dancing with a Latin flavor? Answering these questions will help narrow down your search for modern dance music.
2. Go to the iTunes or Amazon websites to sample different kinds of music. Try songs from the CD "Original Music for the Modern Dance Class" by Michael Roberts. Consider music with only percussion or other instrumental arrangements.
3. Visit your local library to explore its CD and DVD collections. Check to see if there are any DVDs featuring famous modern dancers such as Alvin Ailey, Martha Graham and Merce Cunningham. Cross reference the music used in the DVDs with the library's CD collection.
4. Shop at a music store. Some stores have headphones you can use to listen to a CD before you purchase it. Imagine a modern dance being performed as you are listening to the music with moves like a pique turn, pirouette and a plie.
5. Contact a local dance studio that offers modern dance lessons. Ask the instructor for modern dance music recommendations and where to find the music.