ABSTRACT
I began this exploration at the end of the first chapter by posing several initial points of sociological interest concerning the development of American modern dance which proposed that the focus of analysis be conducted from two different frameworks: an extrinsic and an intrinsic perspective. The first point directed the focus of attention towards considering why nineteenth-century America did not establish a sustained art dance tradition. The second led to an examination of the sociohistorical processes that helped to generate the appropriate conditions that made possible the emergence of a serious theatrical dance in America and its relationship to the other arts. The third directed the analysis towards an examination of the intrinsic features of modern dance that enabled it to generate a new relation between performance dance and American culture. Thus, the study proceeded by asking ‘why’ questions on the one hand and ‘how’ questions on the other.
