CASTLE DANCE FORCE Beginning/Intermediate Creative Dance JAZZ VOCABULARY CASTLE DANCE FORCE Beginning/Intermediate Creative Dance
Jazz Dance: A broad term for American social and stage dance using jazz or jazz-influenced music.
Lyrical jazz: An expressive yet dynamic style of jazz focused on conveying musicality and emotion through movement.
Street dance: Dance styles that evolved outside of dance studios that are often improvisational and social in nature.
Hip-hop dance: Street dance styles primarily performed to hip-hop music or that have evolved as part of hip-hop culture.
Parallel: Stance where the hips, knees and toes face forward.
Ball change: A syncopated weight transfer from one foot to the other.
Box Step: A movement where 4 steps form a square.
Jazz Hands: Open hands where all 5 fingers are spread out as much as possible.
Jazz Walks: Stylized walks of many varieties.
Lindy: A pattern of movement that connects a chassé with a ball change.
Pivot Turn: Half turn on two legs with weight transfer from one leg to the other. Feet stay stationary but swivel.
Contraction: Position or movement in which the center of the torso retreats.
Forced arch: Weight bearing position on the ball of the foot with the heel lifted and the knee bent.
Lunge: Position in either 2nd or 4th where one knee is bent and the other is straight.
On the walk: A starting position for locomotor movements where the back foot rests on the ball of the foot.
Cut: Quick displacement of one standing leg by the other while remaining on the same spot.
Grapevine: A series of steps that move sideways with a side, back, side, front pattern.
Isolations: Movement of only one part of the body.
Touch: A placement of the working foot on the floor without shifting weight to it.
UPSTAGE STAGE CENTER STAGE RIGHT STAGE LEFT DOWNSTAGE Stage Directions: UPSTAGE STAGE CENTER STAGE RIGHT STAGE LEFT DOWNSTAGE AUDIENCE
Intermediate Vocabulary
Fan Kick: Kick like a high rond de jambe to the front that resembles a fan.
Hitch Kick: A flicking kik initiated from a passe on the opposite leg.
Barrel Turn: Can be done like a pirouette or jump. The body leans forward and the spot is the floor or the front.
Pencil Turn Like a pirouette with the working leg extended either front or side.
Tilt A high leg extension to one side with the body tilting in the opposite direction.
Paddle Turns Several small pivots that make a full turn.
Calypso A turning leap with the front leg extended, the back leg in attitude and the back arched.
Stag Leap A grande jeté with the front leg in plié.
Layout A dramatic movement with one leg extended and the back arched.