What is Jazz Dance? history, technique, and everything you need to know

Summary

In this engaging video, Margaret explores the rich history and evolution of jazz dance, from its African American roots in the late 1800s to its golden age in Hollywood. She distinguishes jazz from other dance styles, highlighting its unique qualities and techniques. The video delves into various subgenres of jazz dance, including classical, street, and commercial styles, and discusses the influence of jazz on modern choreography, offering viewers a comprehensive understanding of this dynamic art form.

Takeaways

• 🎉 Welcome: The video is a warm welcome to new subscribers interested in dance discussions.
• 💃 Jazz Dance Origins: Jazz dance originated in the late 1800s by African Americans as a social dance and gained popularity in the 1920s.
• 🎷 Influence of Jazz Music: Jazz dance was heavily influenced by jazz music and the social scene of the 1920s, including flapper styles like the Charleston.
• 🌐 Cultural Blend: Jazz dance combines African dance traditions with Western styles, emphasizing rhythm and intensity compared to the grace of ballet.
• 🎭 Vaudeville Impact: Vaudeville shows were pivotal in transforming jazz dance from social to performative and theatrical art forms.
• 🎬 Hollywood's Golden Age: Jazz dance flourished during Hollywood's Golden Age, with choreographed group performances and soloists.
• 📉 Post-Golden Age Decline: Jazz dance declined as jazz music fell out of favor, with other dance styles gaining popularity in the 1980s.
• 🔁 MTV Resurgence: The 1980s saw a resurgence of jazz dance in music videos, adapting to new music styles while retaining its recognizable moves.
• 👯‍♀️ Technique Comparison: Jazz dance shares technical elements with ballet but differs in aesthetic, such as straight lines and lower plies.
• 💃‍♂️ Subgenres: Jazz dance encompasses various subgenres, including classical jazz, jazz funk, street jazz, and lyrical jazz, each with unique characteristics.
• 🌟 Commercial Jazz: Commercial jazz focuses on performance energy and personality, often associated with professional dance jobs in media and entertainment.

Q & A

What is the origin of jazz dance?

Jazz dance originated in the late 1800s by African Americans as a social dance and gained popularity in the 1920s during the Roaring Twenties era in jazz clubs.

How did the Harlem Renaissance influence jazz dance?

The Harlem Renaissance created an environment where jazz dance really took off, as people were interested in creating it and it became a significant part of the cultural movement.

What was the role of vaudeville in the evolution of jazz dance?

Vaudeville was a moment when jazz dance transitioned from being purely social to being performative and theatrical, with performances in vaudeville shows exposing a larger audience to jazz dance.

How did classical ballet dancers influence jazz dance?

Classically trained dancers, particularly ballet dancers, were inspired by jazz dance after seeing it in vaudeville shows. They incorporated elements of jazz dance into their own performances, blending the styles.

What characterizes the jazz dance during the Golden Age of Hollywood?

During the Golden Age of Hollywood, jazz dance was characterized by large choruses performing synchronized choreography and a focus on group work, often as accompaniment to a jazz soloist.

Why did jazz dance begin to decline after the Golden Age of Hollywood?

Jazz dance began to decline because jazz music was going out of style, with people shifting their interests to rock and disco, leading to other dance styles becoming more popular.

What contributed to the resurgence of jazz dance in the 1980s?

The resurgence of jazz dance in the 1980s was largely due to MTV, where jazz-style dancers were featured in many music videos, even if the music was not strictly jazz.

How is jazz dance different from modern dance?

While both jazz and modern dance have roots in African and Native American movement styles and are more grounded than ballet, jazz dance is its own entity, not a continuation of ballet, and has its own distinct path and aesthetic.

What are the similarities and differences between jazz dance and lyrical dance?

Jazz and lyrical dance are similar in technique, especially in the competition sphere, but lyrical dance tends to have more of a ballet aesthetic, focusing on lines and fluidity, whereas jazz dance is more grounded and has a sharper aesthetic.

What are some sub-genres of jazz dance mentioned in the script?

Some sub-genres of jazz dance mentioned include classical jazz, Fosse, Broadway jazz, jazz funk, street jazz, lyrical jazz, competition jazz, precision jazz, and fusion jazz styles such as Latin jazz and contemporary jazz.

What is commercial jazz and how does it differ from other jazz dance styles?

Commercial jazz often refers to jazz dance performed professionally for media such as music videos and commercials. It tends to focus less on technique and more on energy, personality, and performance quality.