Key Features of Jazz Dance

What is jazz dance?

Jazz is a dance style that became popular in the 1930's. It combines traditional African dances with more modern European movements to create a high energy but technical style of dancing that would develop into multiple sub genres over the years. 

Where it originated?

Jazz dance originates in African heritage. After being introduced with the slave trade, workers could be seen performing traditional tribal dances on plantations; these dances would later develop into the modern jazz that is popular today. The dances would be imitated by travelling musicians who would use the movements with music with heavy emphasis on rhythm and drums, many of these musicians would travel to large cities such as New Orleans where jazz dance would grow in popularity and style alongside music genres such as The Blues. 

Key characteristics 

Jazz dance has an incredibly heavy emphasis on rhythm, with movements often accompanying the upbeat music in something similar to a call and response pattern to combine the two into a single art form. Jazz dance also has an emphasis on isolated body movements, with many jumps and twists within routines; some pieces may also rely on improvisation in certain sections to create the fast paced movements that mirror the music. 

Key movements - e.g.s

Movements in Jazz dance are often derived from other types of dance, typically ballet amongst others. Some of the most common movements include: 

Chaîné - A Chaîné when translated into English means a "line" or a "string". This is a sequence of fast turns that move from one foot to the other in a straight line.  

Piques - A Pique when translated into English means "prick" or "pricking". This is a movement in which the right leg steps out and pricks the floor like a needle while the left leg is turned out to the side,

Grande Jetes - A Grande Jete is a high leap with one leg stretched forward and the other stretched back with arms stretched out high into the air. 

The Jazz Walk - A form of walking that is similar in appearance to a strut, this is often used to transition from one movement to another but can also be used as a standalone dance move on it's own. 

Jazz Practitioner: Jack Cole 

Jack Cole, born John Ewing Richter, was an american dancer and choreographer often being named as "The Father Of Theatrical Jazz Dance". 

Background and Style 

He was born in 1911 but wouldn't make his professional dance debut until 1930 where he would perform at the Lewisohn Stadium in New York; beginning training in modern dance only six weeks earlier. Cole would soon begin working in nightclubs and would end up on Broadway only 4 years later. Over his career, Cole would become known for his development in multicultural dance; steering away from the stereotypical dance moves and routines that were often used in musical comedic acts of the time and incorporated more complex and in depth elements that were more true to the traditional foreign dance forms. Certain elements would become popular in widely known dances such as the Charleston where many movements can be traced back to traditional African tribal dancing. 

Examples Of His Work and Movements

One of Cole's most commonly recognised movements is the Acrobatic Knee Slide, this is a movement where you slide along the floor on a single knee using the opposite hand to balance yourself; this movement is synonymous with Cole's work and is used in multiple theatrical jazz pieces. Later in his career, Cole would work on multiple Hollywood titles, with actors such as Marilyn Monroe and Rita Hayworth; his most famous work is with Marilyn Monroe with the song "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best friend" from the film "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" where he choreographed the entire sequence which would later become one of the most recognisable scenes in movie history.