Modern

Matthew Rushing, an exceptional professional dancer that has taken the dance world by storm. Matthew began his professional career at age 17, and has continued to perform for 30 years with The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Through much hard work, and dedication Matthew also transitioned into leadership positions; first as Rehearsal Director/Guest Artist, and is presently the Associate Artistic Director. This amazing versatile dancer is a perfect fit for the high caliber repertoire company of The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Matthew is not only an amazing dancer, but also an outstanding humanitarian. Enjoy Matthew's journey as you turn the pages of his biographical story. The author Toni Lynn is a native of Pittsburgh, PA. She is a graduate of the University of California, Irvine, with a Masters of Fine Arts degree in Dance, and a Bachelor of Arts in dance from Point Park University, Pittsburgh, PA. Toni started dancing at the age of 11, and at 12 was awarded a summer scholarship to study dance at the University Of Pittsburgh. She danced with The Pittsburgh Black Theater Dance Ensemble, Barbara Sullivan's Atlanta Dance Theater, and Chester Whitmore's Central Avenue Dance Ensemble, Los Angeles. Toni was the featured dancer for actress Della Reese's 70th birthday party. She is also proud to be an original member of the WNBA Los Angeles Sparks 'Ole Skool' Dance Crew. She is presently a itinerant dance teacher for Los Angeles Unified School District. Toni is the proud mother of two adult sons, DeMarius and Scott

A visionary, a mystic, a lover, a leader, a dancer, an artist, a teacher, a theorist.Rudolf Laban (1879 - 1958) was all these things. Born in fin-de-siecle Austro-Hungary, Laban lived in Austria, France, and Germany. Though he began as a painter, architect and illustrator, it is in movement and dance that Laban made a lasting impact. He was a performer, a choreographer, and a mentor, but his ideas were always part of a broader vision of of movement - as theatre art, as community celebration, and as self-discovery. Through his research into movement he uncovered the interconnections of the body and the psyche, the individual and the group, and he devised a revolutionary system of movement notation that is till in use today.

Soloists ignited the modern dance movement and have been a source of its constant renewal. Pioneering dancers such as Loïe Fuller, Isadora Duncan, Ruth St. Denis, and Maud Allan embodied the abstraction and individuality of the larger modernist movement while making astounding contributions to their art. Nevertheless, solo dancers have received far less attention in the literature than have performers and choreographers associated with large companies.In On Stage Alone, editors Claudia Gitelman and Barbara Palfy take an international approach to the solo dance performance. The essays in this standout volume broaden the dance canon by bringing to light modern dance soloists from Europe, Asia, and the Americas who have shaped significant, sustained careers by performing full programs of their own choreography.Featuring in-depth examinations of the work of artists such as Michio Ito, Daniel Nagrin, Ann Carlson, and many others, On Stage Alone reveals the many contributions made by daring solo dancers from the dawn of the twentieth century through today. In doing so, it explores many important statements these soloists made regarding topics such as freedom, personal space, individuality, and gender in the modern era.