Modern Dance was born in America during the turn of the 20th century when a number of
choreographers and dancers rebelled against the two forms of dance that were prevalent at the time,
ballet and vaudeville. They rejected what they interpreted as the rigid and imperialistic nature of
ballet, and they wanted to be taken seriously as artists rather than be seen simply as entertainers. Loie
Fuller, Isadora Duncan, Ruth St. Denis, and Ted Shawn are considered to be the pioneers of modern
dance in America.