如果以「現代舞在臺灣如何生成？」為題，有許多論者都曾將解答指向六○年代「美國現代舞蹈的引進與影響」，本文以此為基礎，但試圖跳脫影響／被影響的敘述模式，翻轉回到臺灣自身來探詢本地在當時是如何回應與理解現代舞、從而讓它能在臺灣得以生根延續？本文發現，現代舞在臺灣的生成，是不能同樣類比六○年代其他藝術領域的現代主義運動，並且應該是要放置到鄉土文學運動中來進行討論，也就是在美援文化及風雨飄搖的國際情勢背景下，當時的編舞家和觀眾是很自然的用發現「中國」的方式來理解、詮釋這種新的舞蹈類型，如此，消除了跳起西方現代舞而可能有民族存亡的危機感，同時，也讓現代舞在臺灣有了生成的可能，也讓「中國」的內涵發生了質變，呈現出臺灣文化的重層與多元性。

Since the 1960s, Taiwan has embraced modernism. Many researchers have highlighted how dance in Taiwan has been influenced by American modern dance, but how can we understand more deeply what was happening in the art form in Taiwan at that time? How did modern dance come to be rooted so firmly and then develop on the island? The development of modernism in Taiwan's dance is not analogous with that in the visual arts, but rather must be discussed alongside developments in local literature. Taiwan at that time was politically and culturally uncertain. The island was in receipt of much support from the US government. Even so, choreographers and audiences constantly drew on Chinese ideas to interpret and understand the new modern dance. They were aware of Chinese culture being diluted. The strength of belief led to the development of a specifically multi-layered Taiwanese modern dance.