Modern dance, Molly Schneider explains, was developed as a paradox to traditional ballet in the early 20th century. Since then, aspects of jazz, tap, and ballet have been incorporated into choreography, as is demonstrated in Car Ride, a dance Schneider developed and performed last fall.

Set to the tune of musician David Bowie’s song “This is Not America,” Car Ride was a five-minute display of emotional variety, which is the essence of modern dance, says Schneider, who choreographed the piece as part of her senior thesis at Ohio University.

The dance major began work on her project her freshman year, adding to it as she learned more about the art form.

“Instructors give you the tools, and what you do with them becomes your style,” she explains. Schneider has discovered these tools throughout her life, first as a child in dance class, then as a college student, and, most recently, as a participant at the American Dance Festival at Duke University, an experience that was funded by an award from the Provost’s Undergraduate Research Fund.

From composition courses taken at the festival, Schneider incorporated the basics of modern dance — choreography structure, form, and content — into her own open-gestured style.

Beginning at center stage during her performance, body upright, gestures close, her initial movements were rhythmic. They built to a frenzy, however, with steps like the one she calls “kung fu kick.” As she swept her body across the wooden floor, her focus was on the audience.

“When you’re in a position where the audience is watching you,” she explains, “you can go a little bit further than what you think you can when you’re by yourself. I think my performance goes up 10 notches when there are people watching.”

This spring Schneider is choreographing a group piece, which will serve as the second part of her senior thesis. She’s done this before and says the difference between choreographing for a solo and a group piece is like night and day. Choreographing for others is much more of a giving process, she explains.

“I have no control over how they perform my piece, so it makes me sort of vulnerable. I just sit and watch others watch it and watch their reactions,” she says.

Schneider, who will graduate in June, plans to move to a large city after graduation, dance with a professional company, and eventually teach and choreograph for pre-professional dance students.

“I think I’ll be dancing when I’m in my 50s and 60s,” Schneider says, “I’m not a whole person when I’m not doing it.”

For more information visit the school of dance at http://www.dance.ohiou.edu/.