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DANCE PERSPECTIVES AND APPRECIATION

SECTION IVJazz dance beginnings, Jazz dance pioneers,

trailblazers and jazz dance styles

JAZZ DANCE BEGINNINGSAllthatJazzdirectedbyBobFosse,1979

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JAZZDANCEORIGINS

Merriam-Webster defines VERNACULAR as…a : usinga languageordialectnativetoaregionorcountryratherthanaliterary,cultured,orforeignlanguage

•Whenonethinksabout“vernacular”referencingeverydaylanguage,onecanalsorelate“VernacularDance”tobethedancingofeverydaypeople.

JAZZDANCEORIGINScontinued…

• JAZZDANCEoriginatedfromthevernaculardancesofAfricanAmericansbroughttoAmericaonslaveships.• Influencedbythechangesinsocialdance,popularmusicandethnicdanceforms,JazzdancehasparalleledthesocialhistoryoftheAmericanpeople.

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AFRICANINFLUENCEOFJAZZDANCEHISTORY• AfricanslaveswerefirstbroughttoLatinAmericaasearlyas1510.• Astheslavetradeexpanded,Africanswereshipped onwardtothe…

• Arrivingslaveswereoftencutofffromtheirartisticconventionsandceremonies.• Isolatedfromfamilies,languagesandtribaltraditions

WestIndies SouthandCentralAmerica

UnitedStatesofAmerica

AFRICANINFLUENCEOFJAZZDANCEHISTORYcontinued...• Althoughcraftsandceremonieswerenotallowedbyslaveowners,musicanddancewereoftenpermitted.• TherhythmsandmovementsofAfricandanceincludedfootstamping,tapping,handclappingandrhythmicvoicesounds.

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MINSTRELSHOWS• Inthenineteenthcentury,Americanwhitesdiscoveredtheyenjoyedthemusicanddancetheslaveshadcreated.• Inminstrelshows,whiteentertainersreenactedtheirconceptionofslaves’livesandpopularizedthestyleofdanceandmusic.

MINSTRELSHOWScontinued…

• Theearliest minstrelshowswereperformedbywhitemaleminstrels(travelingmusicians)who,withtheirfacespaintedblack, parodiedthesinginganddancingofslaves.

• Theformwasoftensoloandimprovised.

• TherepealoftheFugitiveSlaveActsin1864,allowedmanyslavestofreelymovenorthwheretheyreplacedblack-facedwhiteminstrelperformers.

1931:MinstrelshowperformersAlexanderandMose.

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THECAKEWALK• TheCakewalkwasadancecreatedbyAfricanAmericans.

• Couples paradedinacircle,performingintricatestepsincompetitionforaprizeofacake.

• MinstrelshowsbegantoalsoincorporatethetheatricalformoftheCakewalkintheirgrandfinale.

THEBUCK-AND-WING1. TheBuck-and-wingwasinfluencedbytheIrish

jigandtheEnglishclog– withfastfootandlegworkandlimitedarmmovement.

2. Thedancersstressedthemusicalupbeat.3. Thismetricalpatternwascommon inAfrican

music.Insteadofemphasizingone-two,themusicalemphasiswasone-two.

4. Thepopularity oftheBuck-and-wing encouragedmusicians toexperimentwithnewaccompanimentsthatemployed thisunusualrhythmofthetime,syncopation.

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VAUDEVILLE- VoixdeVille“voicesofthetown”

• VaudevillefirstappearedinAmericainthe1870’s andbythe1900’s hadreplacedminstrelshows.

• VaudevillewasthemostpopularformofentertainmentinAmericauntil1932.

• Inthe1920’s therewereover20,000vaudeville actsinthecountry.• Atypicalshowhadanywherefromninetotwentyacts.

VAUDEVILLECONTINUED…• VaudevillewasthetraininggroundformanyperformerswholaterbecamestarsonBroadwayandinfilm.• FredAstaire(1887-1987)andBill“Bojangles”Robinson(1878-1949)

• VaudevillealsohelptospreadNewOrleansragtimemusic– thefirstmusictobeconsidered“jazzmusic”.

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NEWORLEANSRAGTIME/DIXIELANDJAZZ• VaudevilleshowsspreadnewinnovationsofmusiccomingoutofNewOrleans–ragtime.

• Ragtime, alsoreferredtoas“DixielandJazz”usesbothsyncopationandpolyrhythms.

• Therhythmsof“DixielandJazz”canbetracedbacktoAfricandrumming.

• Thechangesinmusicpopularitychangedthefaceofbothsocialdanceandtheaterdance.

HARLEMRENNAISSANCEANDTHE1920’sJAZZDANCESCENE

• Inthe1920smanyAfricanAmericanartistsandperformersweredrawntoNewYorkinsearchofabetterlifeandtotakepartinHarlem’sdynamicjazzandbluesmusicscene.• Limitedhousing andjobs, lowpayingwagesandovercrowding

• Socialdancewasanescapefromtheharsheconomicrealityanddailydrudgeryoflowpayingjobs.ImagefromArtsedge,DropMeOffinHarlem–

KennedyCenter

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HARLEMRENNAISSANCEANDTHE1920’sJAZZDANCESCENEcontinued…

• AfterWWI,American’swereinsearchofaperiodofprosperity.Thedancesthatemergedduringthisperiodreflectedthepublic’s needforfreedomandjoy.• Charleston,BigApple,BlackBottom

• Wellknownperformersduringthistimeperiod:• JosephineBakerandBill“Bojangles”Robinson

JosephineBaker– Biography.com

THESAVOYBALLROOM– “TheHomeoftheHappyFeet”Harlemexperiencedasocialandartisticexplosion intheyearsbetween1920and1935.• TheSavoyBallroom,thelargestinHarlem,openedMarch12,1926.• Unlikemanyballrooms, theSavoyhadano-discriminationpolicy fromthebeginning.• ThemainattractionattheSavoywasthedancing.

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1930’sJAZZDANCESCENE• The1930’sweretheyearsoftheDepressionwherepeople lookedforanescapefromthelowsintheirlives.• Escapewasfoundindancemarathonsandthemusic ofbigbands.• Jazzmusicmovedawayfrom”DixielandJazz”andanewsound emerged,“symphonic jazz”- fullorchestration.

ImagefromNorthwestPublicRadio:DanceMarathonscouldlastformonthsatatime,andendedwithcontestantsbarelyabletowalk.

1930’sJAZZDANCESCENEcontinued…

• DukeEllingtonandLouisArmstronggavebirthtoswingdance.• ”Itdon’tmeanathingifitain’t gotthatswing.”– DukeEllington

• Highenergydancingmirroredtheintensityofthemusic.• Wellknowndancesduringthistimeperiodwerethejitterbugandboogie-woogie.

DukeEllington,left,standswithhisbigbandinHollywood,California.

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BUSBYBERKELEY(1895-1976)• BusbyBerkeleywasanAmericanmotion-picturedirectorandchoreographer.• Knownforhisinnovativecameratechniquesandelaboratedancing-girlextravaganzas.• In1933,twofilms pavedthewayforthefollowing20yearsofmusicals(theGoldenEra):• 42nd StreetandFlyingDowntoRio,bothofwhichincluded thecinematicchoreographyanddirectionofBusbyBerkeley

Berkeley’s contributionstocinematographychangedthe faceofmusicalmusicals.

FREDASTAIRE(1899– 1987)

• FredAstairehasbeenacknowledgedasoneofthemostgracefuldancersmovieshaveeverknown.•WhenmusicalscametoHollywoodin1933,Astairewastheleadingman.• Astairecreatedauniquedancestyleblendingelementsofballet,jazzandtap.• Hewasthefirststagedancer todanceeverymusicalnote– mirroringthemusicalpatterninthestepsofthechoreography.

FredAstaire:Biography.com

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FREDASTAIREcontinued…

• Hewasthefirststagedancer todanceeverymusicalnote–mirroring themusicalpatterninthestepsofthechoreography.• Someofhiswell-knowndancingpartnersinclude:• GingerRogers,LeslieCaron,Cyd CharisseandJudyGarlandFredAstaireandGingerRodggrs (purplecover.com)

1940’sJAZZDANCESCENE•Withthedemiseofsocialjazzdancing,thegrowthofjazzdanceasaprofessionaldanceformbegan.• Inthe1940’sjazzdancewasinfluencedbyballetandmodern(modernjazzdance).• Unlikeearlyjazzdance,whichwasperformedbytalentedentertainerswithout formaltraining,modernjazzdancewasperformedbydanceprofessionalstrainedinballetandmoderndance.

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JAZZDANCEPIONEERSandTRAILBLAZERS

JACKCOLE(1914– 1974)Knownasthe“FatherofJazzDance” JackColebeganhisdancetrainingattheDenishawnschool.

ColestudiedandmasteredIndianBharatanatyam,influencinghispersonaljazzstyle.HealsostudiedAfro-Caribbean,Spanish,andSouthAmericandance forms.Cole’sstyleincludedisolations,quickdirectionalchanges,andlongkneeslides.

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JACKCOLEcontinued…TwoofJackCole’smostnotableBroadwayproductions include:• Kismet(1953)andManofLaMancha(1966)

EstablishedadancestudioonthelotofColumbia pictures.Itwasherehetrainedthenextgenerationofjazzdancers. Imageabove:GentlemenPreferBlondes

Someofhisprotégésduringhis40yearcareerinclude:

GwenVerdonandMattMattox

KATHERINEDUNHAM(1909– 2006)

• KatherineDunham wasfromSt.Louisandwasadancer,activist,anthropologistand• ShegreatlycontributedtotheAfricanAmericanandAfro-Caribbeandanceinfluencesonjazzdance.• Atraineddancer,Dunhamwasalsodriventoformulateadancestylethatwouldconnectwiththerootsoftheblackexperience intheAmericas.

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KATHERINEDUNHAMcontinued…

In1935,DunhamobtainedagrantfromtheUniversityofChicagotostudytherootsofAfricandanceinHaiti.

WhileintheCaribbean,DunhamstudiedandfilmedthedancesandritualsofVoudon, anAfricanbasedreligion.

Basedonherresearchoftherhythmsandmovementsduringherstudy,Dunhamdeveloped agroundbreakingnewstyleofmovementandtechnique.

WorldAtlasImageofHaiti

KATHERINEDUNHAMcontinued…In1938,Dunham’sdescribedherlongrangeartisticgoalstoestablishawell-trainedballetgroupthatwouldbeequallyasimportant”tothewhitemanastotheNegro”.SheformedtheKatherineDunhamDanceCompanyinChicago.

In1940,SolHurokofferedDunhamtheopportunitytoreshapeherworkforthepopularstage.

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KATHERINEDUNHAMcontinued…

Between1943and1965theDunhamCompanytouredtheUnitedStatesand57othercountries.SheisbestnotedforherperformancesinCabinintheSky(1940),whichsheco-choreographedwithGeorgeBalanchine,andStormyWeather(1943).In1945,theDunhamSchoolofDanceandTheaterinNewYorkwasopened.

GENEKELLYGeneKellywasaAmerican filmactoranddirector,whowastrainedinballetandnotedforhishighlyathleticdancingstyle.

Inoneofhismostfamousfilms,Singin'intheRain (1952)Kelly sanganddancedintherain,cleverlyusinganumbrellaasaprop.

Kellycombineddance,animationandspecialeffectsintohisfilmchoreography.• AnchorsAweighandInvitationtotheDance

AnchorsAweighwithGeneKelly

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MATTMATTOX(1921– 2013)Attheageof11,MattoxmovedfromOklahomatoLosAngeleswherehebeganstudyingballet,tapandballroomdance.JackColebecameamentortoMattoxafterhiringhimasadancerfor“Magdalena”onBroadway.CarryingtheworkonJackCole,Mattoxalsodevelopedacodifiedjazztechniqueinvolvingisolationofbodyparts,strongangularmovements,sharpaccents,reboundsandturns.Fromthemid-1950son,Mattoxtaughthisarttocountlessstudents.Hecalledhisdancestyle“Freestyle Jazz”.

JEROMEROBBINS(1918-1998)• Hewasahighlycelebratedandacclaimedchoreographerforboththetheatricalstageandalsoinmovies andtelevision.• SomeofhisBroadwayshowsinclude:• TheKingandI,WestSideStory, Gypsyand FiddlerontheRoof

Hecollaboratedwithanupandcomingcomposer, LenardBernstein,tocreatehisfirstdanceforaballetcompany, titledFancyFree(1944).ThisballetfeaturedthreeAmericansailorswhoareonshoreleaveduringWorldWarII.

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JEROMEROBBINScontinued…• Hedanced,choreographedandeventuallybecameanAssociateArtisticDirectoroftheNewYorkCityBalletunderGeorgeBalanchine.• Robbins spentagoodportion ofhiscareerbetweenballetsandmusicals.• OneofhismostnotedBroadwaymusicalswasWestSideStoryin1957.

BOBFOSSE(1927– 1987)• BobFossestartedtapdancingatayoungage.• Inhighschool, Fosse dancedprofessionally innightclubsand“sleazy”vaudeville venues.• Thesexualatmosphereofthesevenues, andtheconstantcontactwithvenuestrippersheavilyinfluenced Fosse’s choreographicworkinlateryears.• Inthelate1940’s, Fosse caughttheattentionoftwoleadingBroadwaychoreographersanddirectors,GeorgeAbbottandJeromeRobbins inhis”bigbreak”KissMeKate(1953).

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BOBFOSSEcontinued…

• Fosse’strademarkchoreographicstyle:sexuallysuggestiveforwardhip-thrusts; thevaudevillehumorofhunchedshouldersandturned-infeet;theamazing,mime-likearticulationofhands.

BOBFOSSEcontinued…• Fosse’sfirstfullychoreographedshowwas1954’s,ThePajamaGame,forwhichFossewonthethefirstofmanyTonyawardsforbestchoreography.•DamnYankees broughtmoreawardsandestablishedhislife-longcreativecollaborationwithGwenVerdon,whohadthestarringrole.

SteamHeat,ChoreographedbyBobFosse(PajamaGame,1954).

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BOBFOSSEcontinued…

• Fromthelate1960s tothelate1970s, Fossecreatedanumberofground-breakingstagemusicals andfilms thatreflectedthesexualfreedomthatwasbeingexpressedacrossAmerica.

• SweetCharity (1966/1969)• CabaretandPippin’(1972)• ChicagoandDancin’(1978)

EUGENELOUIS“LUIGI”FACCUITO(1925-2015)

Luigiwasinatragiccaraccidentwhichlefttherightsideofhisbodyandtheleftsideofhisfaceparalyzed.

Duringrehabilitation,Luigibegancreatingaseriesofexercisesthatincludedstretching,balancing,andisolationofmusclestohelpenablehimtoachievefullmobilitytodanceonceagain.

The“Luigitechnique”tookoffafterhisstretchingregimencaughttheeyeofotherperformers.

LuigiestablisheddanceschoolsbothinLosAngelesandNewYork."TheFirstWorldJazzCentre."

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GUSGIORDANO(1923– 2008)• GusGiordanowasadancer,choreographer,masterteacher,companyfounder, authorand,ultimately,thepersonwholedjazztobecomearecognizedandrespectedartform.• Giordanoestablished theGusGiordanoDanceSchool (1953)andGusGiordanoDanceChicago(1962).• Founded theJazzDanceWorldCongress, adancegathering,whichincludes numerous jazzmasterteachersandcompanies.• Wrotethe“AnthologyofAmericanJazzDance.”(1976)

Jazz Dance Stylesof the 21st Century

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JAZZDANCESTYLES• LyricalJazz– StronglyinfluencedbyBallet,LyricalJazzuses theentirebody, extendingthroughbody lines.Thereisusually aflowingquality.Sometimes thereisastrongpulse toemphasizedynamics.• MusicalorTheaterJazz– Typically astyleofJazzdanceperformedonBroadwayTheaterjazzischaracterizedbymovements thatassistthestorylineoftheplayormusical.• WestCoastJazz– WestCoastJazzisoftenreferencedastheLosAngelesjazzdancestyle.WestCoastJazzisangularanddisjointed.Hipisolations, shoulder shrugsandheadrollsarecommonmovementideas.

JAZZDANCESTYLEScontinued…

• Contemporary/ModernJazz– Heavilyinfluencedbymoderndance,ModernJazzuses body contractions,flexedfeet,andoff-centerbodyshapes.• LatinJazz– LatinjazzisinfluencebyLatinMusicandLatinSocialDane.Thefootworkisfastandsyncopated,whiletheupperbody islooserandmorecontrolled.• AfroJazz– stemsfromAfricanmovements heavilyexploredbyKatherineDunhaminthe1940’s.Thestyleisprimitive,withmajorattentionofthemovementofthespine, neckandshoulders.