^{Use of space: While ballet dancers typically face the audience directly, modern dancers use all directions, even completely turning their back on the audience.}

Relationship to music: In ballet, the dancer's movements correspond harmoniously with the music, but in modern dance, dancers may dance off-beat or in contrast to the music, ignore the music completely, or dance on a silent stage.

Performers: They may work alone or with smaller dance troupes. Women also gained recognition and influence as choreographers.

Movement: Ballet has a very strictly defined set of movements that get pieced together to create different dances. In modern dance, however, dancers create a new language of movement with every piece, experimenting with how they can manipulate the body.