Difference b/w contemporary and freestyle?

Freestyle:

Simply put, it is a style of physical movement, done to a music that isn't choreographed or planned ahead in time.

It has various genres, including partner dances.

By definition, this dance can never be same from performance to performance because it is an unplanned self expression.

However, now it has come to be recognized more with the hip-hop genre – club or street dancing. But this is a recent phenomenon and has come more with the 1960's-70's dancing era..where many forms were explored..introduced in US.. it's a fascinating history of dance ( this era) .. or 40's -50's ( Chicago festivals).. read up on that if you can..

Technically, you can combine any genre in freestyle – belly, waltz, tango..but when it comes to performances one usually mixes similar kind of dance forms..

So, in context of dancing reality shows, essentially what the choreographer is telling you is.. "I can incorporate any step".. J

Contemprory:

Now dance forms are primarily considered under these forms: theatrical dances, dance sports (extremely high energy dances), and modern dance

Contemp. Is a modern dance. It comprises all techniques which work with ideas outside of ballet technique. The base is ballet, but you take liberty with the classical ballet and that has come to be recognized as contemp.

The main feature of contemp is the use of parallel in legs.. ( which is a starting/base upright position in ballet), grounded movements, and use of floor-work. ( Point to note, the steps as such..the basic training comes from ballet ..but like I said..the ideas executed is e.g. floor works is different from ballet's classical understanding).

Like I said it is a modern dance, modern dances take elements from various danceforms and adapt…contep is more to do with forms like jazz, lyrical, classical ballet..

Like someone else here said, it is a flowy dance..at the end of the day.. ( see the difference from a potential free style..and how it differes from strict style of ballet)

Another thing, usually danceforms are bounded by the music beats..for e.g you can't perform carribea dance to any number, you can't perform rock and roll to all songs..but contemp you can.. it suits almost all music forms.. ( Caution: do not confuse speed with the high energy bit I spoke of in freestyle)

And the most essential component..this dance form is driven by moods and emotions rather than by steps. So you see there is no structured technique to be adhered to here.. it varies..

Difference:

Since freestyle is an amalgamation, you would see variety – you might see isolations, real high energy boosts..which is not there in contemprory..contemprory is always soft…

Contemp gives dancers more freedom to express and that is its main DNA. Focusing on breath, use of gravitation, ease of muscular tension – characteristics of contemp.

In the end, if you call contep a type of freestyle you won't be wrong.

I think more confusion is abt the fact how do you differentiate lyrical from contep..

Hope this helps..

And once again, nice topic..