+ Jazz Dance

+ Beginning of Jazz Dance Jazz Dance’s roots can be found in the sacred and practical dances of African tribal cultures. These dances were used as a fundamental way to communicate, celebrate, and often symbolized the dancers’ relationship to nature. The dances relied on rhythmic interdependency between dancers and musicians. Drum patterns were often mirrored by feet movements of dancers which would also influence the movements of the torso and limbs.

+ Beginning of Jazz Dance When Africans arrived in America as slaves during the sixteenth century they brought their dances with them Though their dances were influenced by the Euro-American culture they were forced to live in, they still retained their style of moving. European style of dance was not used to communicate or symbolize any relationship, instead it was purely for celebration and entertainment. As time and generations went on African-American dance began to be performed for entertainment and celebrations but kept it’s unique style of movement

+ Development of Jazz Dance Different dance types continued to influence the African- American dances through the decades. As the population of America became more diverse so did Jazz Dance. The term “jazz” was coined to refer to African-American theatrical dancers who blended their ethnic body isolations and rhythm step patterns to European and Caribbean movements. Jazz Music greatly influenced the dance world and helped Jazz Dance become more well known to the general population

+ Jazz Dance Today It is a blend of different dance styles to create something totally new. Jazz music is characterized by strong yet flexible rhythms, it is the Jazz dancer’s job is to bring out or accentuate those rhythms through movement. Jazz dance is usually set to current music and continues to change with time. It is always evolving and growing. Jazz dance comes in many different forms from razzmatazz, street funk, cool or heavy syncopation, these are all considered jazz dance.

+ Jazz Dance vs. Jazz Music Jazz Dance developed at a slower rate than Jazz Music. Jazz Music was recorded, sold, and played on the radio to boost popularity but Jazz Dance had no way of being broadcast or sold. Because of this Jazz Dance had to keep up with the trends to always be relevant. It is not a codified technique because of its ever changing style

+ Jack Cole Starting his career in the 1930’s, Cole is considered the “Father of Jazz Choreography” and is noted with developing the basic vocabulary of jazz dance. His style is noted as being acrobatic and angular, utilizing small groups of dancers instead of the large company style. Jack Cole is well known for choreographing Marilyn Monroe’s “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” dance number.

+ Jerome Robbins During his long career as a dancer and choreographer he alternated between choreographing ballets for ABT and Broadway muscials. Jerome Robbins had a long and great career and is best known for choreographing and directing West Side Story, a contemporary take on Romeo and Juliet. Robbins was a ballet dancers with American Ballet Theatre from 1941 to 1944 and was even a soloist for some time.

+ Bob Fosse Bob Fosse brought jazz dance from the stage to film in a way that no one had ever done before. After being noticed by Jerome Robbins for a small role in the musical “Kiss Me, Kate.” Fosse began working on his first choreographed show “The Pajama Game.” Fosse’s style is known for it’s forward hip- thrust, hunched shoulders, turned-in feet, and mime like articulation of hands. Through the 50’s to 70’s Bob Fosse received many awards for his work on stage and in film. He is best know for his stage productions “Chicago” and “Pippin,” as well as the films “Sweet Charity” and “All That Jazz.”

+ Katherine Dunham Although she went to school for anthropology Katherine Dunham was one of the most popular jazz dancers of the 30’s and 40’s Her style was profoundly influenced by the dances of several cultures including; Spanish, East Indian, and many Caribbean islands. Dunham opened her own dance school, the Negro Dance Group, in She wanted to teach young black dancers about their African heritage. The company performed shows in thirty-three countries during over twenty years of shows