How did postmodern dancers change where and how dance was performed?

Postmodern dancers in the 1960s and 1970s fundamentally shifted the landscape of Western dance by rejecting the traditional theatricality and virtuosity associated with earlier modern dance and ballet.12

Changing the Performance Space

To challenge the separation between the audience and the performer, postmodernists moved away from conventional proscenium stages—which create a marked distance—and began performing in nontheatrical venues. By staging works in lofts, galleries, museums, parks, and on the streets, they aimed to dispel the illusion of the performance and integrate dance into everyday life. These performances were often held without publicity or admission fees, allowing dance to "happen" among the public rather than within a specialized, exclusive context.23

Changing How Dance Was Performed

Postmodernists stripped away the "spectacle" of dance, focusing instead on the basic principles of movement, time, and space. Their approach included:2
* Simplification: They replaced complex, virtuosic choreography with ordinary movements like walking, running, skipping, and rolling.2
* Aesthetic Neutrality: Dancers often wore street clothes or simple practice attire, and performances frequently lacked traditional sets or lighting.23
* Structure: They abandoned narrative and emotional expression in favor of simple tasks, movement games, or repetitive, accumulative structures.2