What is jazz dance?

the origin of jazz dance

jazz dance is an extension of African dance, which was brought to the United States by slaves and gradually evolved into a localized and popular dance in the United States. African blacks were dismissed in the United States and around the world because of the slave trade that lasted for about 3 years. In the new environment and new life, I lived a bleak and miserable slave life. Although in this painful situation, I still haven't forgotten their music and dance. No matter in life's happiness, anger, sadness, joy or worship, whenever there is an opportunity, they will sing songs of their hometown and dance their national dances. Because of their constant innovation and invention of new dance steps, Americans are gradually interested in these rhythmic black dances. So over time, it gradually turned into jubilant and urban music and dance.

The word "Jazz" was originally the name of a kind of music, but the word "jazz" in music terms was not used until after 19, and it seemed to be called "Jass" before that. Jazz dance evolved naturally with jazz in the early 2th century, and because jazz has always been quite lively in performance, "jazz up" has a noisy, manic and lively meaning. The earliest jazz dance was performed by black social dance and jazz music, which was popular in the rural areas of the southern United States, especially some amateur dancers in New Orleans. They would perform jazz dance at parties or clubs. In 1917, the popular dancers at that time performed according to the meaning of the lyrics, and there was a man named Banton Orstroy (W. Benton Overstreet wrote a song called "The Jazz Dance", and the "Jazz Dance" in this song became a permanent synonym for jazz dance, and the name of jazz dance came into being.

When jazz dance appeared in the form of "dance music" accompanied by improvisation and lively jazz, those black and white dancers improved and changed their basic pace, and in addition, they inspired the innovative inspiration of the latecomers and increased the swing of hips, the jitter of shoulders and the independent movements of other parts of the body.

Since the black people in New Orleans began to play their jazz music in 192, many rock dances with mixed styles have been popular, such as Charleston, Shimmy and Lindy. Later, due to the birth of Boogie-Woogie and Jitterbug, they are dancing.

from the second half of 193s to the forties, jazz dance evolved into three types of expression: the first is modern jazz dance with strong classical ballet flavor, the second is jazz dance influenced by black and Latin dances, and the last is mixed jazz dance with humorous music and tap. Although jazz dance was so popular at that time, it began to decline in the late 194s, because the new jazz music replaced the big jazz band in the past, and its music rhythm was too complicated to match the dance steps. In addition, the invention of the phonograph and the heavy taxes imposed by the government (the United States) on the dance floor made many dance clubs that had been in the limelight close down one after another.

Although it is the decline of old-fashioned jazz dance, it just represents a ceremony that connects the past with the future. Based on the fact that the United States is a melting pot of a nation, the new jazz dance also has a very high degree of integration; It mixed the jazz dance steps of the older generation with the new dance steps that were popular in the 195 s, 196 s and 197 s, and also inherited the rise of mass media, which promoted the prosperity of jazz dance.

Today, the jazz dance we see retains the melody of syncopated music (* see note), the throwing of limbs or the characteristics of independent operation, but it is not only performed by jazz music, it can also be performed with pop music, blues music, rock music or disco music. Today's jazz dance has great inclusiveness and plasticity, and can absorb the characteristics of the most popular music and dance at any time. It is precisely because of this that jazz dance is extremely entertaining and popular with the public.

* note: Syncopation)-- usually, the order of intensity in a bar is clearly defined by the beat marks, but in order to change the beat, the position of the strong sound can be changed, that is, the stress position in a regular bar can be temporarily moved to other beats. When the rhythm changes from a normal strong beat to a weak beat or a pause or no beat, the rhythm is syncopated, and this method of changing the beat is called "syncopated method". When the strong beat falls on the unexpected syncopation rhythm, the action becomes very exciting and exciting; It is also the transformation of stress, and it is also the basis of jazz.

the characteristics of jazz dance

the essence of jazz dance is a free and simple expression, which directly expresses the inner feelings with the body shaking, shaking and twisting. Just like when we hear our favorite music, we can naturally express our feelings from our hearts, and our bodies can't help but move with the rhythm of the music, such as snapping our fingers, swinging our first feet, sometimes excited and intense, and sometimes slowly and gently dissolving into the music.

Jazz dance is a fast and dynamic rhythmic dance, which belongs to an extroverted dance, unlike an introverted dance shown by classical ballet or modern dance. Jazz dance is mainly a performance in action and melody. Its main purpose is to entertain others as well as yourself, and it can bring you a good time with others. This is why its performance is not ostentatious at all. The joyful atmosphere and the happy spirit exuded during the dance are very infectious. Although you must have very good skills to become a successful jazz dancer, almost everyone can master its basic dance steps, and the performance space of jazz dance is very wide. Personal color and unique style are the most striking places when dancing.

Jazz dance is mainly a dance that pursues pleasure, liveliness and liveliness. Its characteristic is that it can dance freely, unlike the traditional classical ballet, which must be confined to one form and follow the inherent posture, but it is different from the disco dance, which is completely self-enjoying, and it still has a modern law in freedom. For example, it will express feelings with jazz music, and also use or imitate other dance techniques; For example, in footwork and movement, the position and principle of ballet, the sensitivity of tap dancing skills, the contraction and relaxation of modern dance body, the steps and hips of Latin dance and the moving position of the upper body of oriental dance are applied.

The elements and characteristics of jazz dance movements can be summarized as follows:

Bend your knees to make your body center of gravity closer to the ground. Keep the center of gravity low, so that the lower limbs are elastic, while the joints of the upper body can be kept in a relaxed state, and the movements required in rhythm can be quickly made, so that the movements can be diversified.

The rapid movement of the center of gravity, especially the horizontal movement posture, is the expression of jazz dancing skills.

Let all parts of the body, such as head, shoulders, waist, buttocks and trunk, do independent movements.

emphasize angular and linear movements.

use rhythmic and complex segmentation actions to show the rhythm in the action. For example, in an action, we put the remake on the head or hand, and cut the action of the hand and head from our own action during the action, instead of acting at the same time. That is to say, an action can be completed in one beat, but now we divide it into four beats, and the action is also divided into four parts.

Multiple rhythms quickly show two or three rhythms with the body at the same time.

Different types of jazz dance

There are many types of jazz dance, especially in American dance circles. Mainstream can be divided into Tap Dance, stage jazz dance, Modern Jazz Dance and Street Jazz Dance.

tap dancing can be said to be the ancestor of jazz dance. As early as the mid-18' s, tap dance appeared, which inherited the characteristics of complex and divided rhythm in African dance. In the prime time of jazz dance from 192s to 194s, jazz dance was basically equivalent to tap dance, and tap dance was jazz dance. Professional kickers often perform with large jazz bands at this time. Later, due to the change of the trend and the development of jazz dance genre, tap dance was gradually regarded as a dance other than jazz dance.

Theatrical Jazz Dance

Top hat and walking stick are commonly used props in previous stage jazz dance, but stage jazz dance is not limited to this. Stage jazz dance has a flamboyant style, which is characterized by swaying with the accompaniment of syncopated jazz music. Stage jazz followed the evolution of Broadway musicals. They developed from dazzling and relaxed entertainment in the 192 s to carefully managed and closely structured musical dramas in the 194 s and 195 s In the 192s and 193s, jazz dance and tap dance were often just episodes outside the opera plot.

In the 192s, many "dance directors" knew nothing about dancing. They only knew how to choose women with sweet faces as performers. But in the mid-193s, "choreographers" began to ban these "dance directors". George Balanchine was the first person to use the name "choreographer" on Broadway; He is also the founder and choreographer of new york City Ballet. Ballet is the first kind of artistic dance that has an important influence on Broadway, and its success encourages the later attempt to make use of jazz dance elements seriously. Blanche's classic works include "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue" compiled with the tap dancer Herbie Harper in 1936.

Since the mid-193s, Broadway is no longer a simple jazz dance, a tap dance and a chorus line entertainment program, but requires dancers who have been formally trained in dance skills. The prosperity of this new stage jazz dance can be attributed to three outstanding choreographers: Katherine Dunham, Jerome Robbins and Jack Cole (he is known as "the father of American jazz dance"). Jia Fulian Duanxian majored in anthropology in college and won a scholarship to study the folk dances of West Indian and Africa. She is good at bringing the dance colors of primitive tribes to the audience with her unique costumes, lighting and choreography. Her dance lessons are often mixed with primitive dance movements in typical dance basic training exercises. Duan Xian even worked with George Blanchard to choreograph the musical "Cabin in the Sky". Ji Gaoer is an important figure in the development of stage jazz dance; In 1942, he first appeared to the audience with the swing rhythm of jazz, which mixed the East Indian dance with the American Harlem social dance. There are countless choreographed works by Jagger on Broadway and movies, such as "Magdalena," "A funny thing happened on the way to the forum," "Cover Girl," "The Merry Widow," "Gentleman Preferblonds, ""there's no business like show business, ""Les Girls "and so on. Gore has cultivated several dancing stars, such as Mitzi Gaynor, Rita Hayworth, Gwen Verdon, etc. He also designed dance steps for actresses Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell. Even dance celebrities Gene Kelly and Matt Mattox have skipped Goyle's works.

Michael Bennett's "A Chorus Line" in 1975 was very popular and won the Pulitzer Prize, which is one of the long-lasting musicals on Broadway. " A Chorus Line "praises other Broadway dancers and dance styles-strong jazz dance, tap dance, dazzling ballet and performance skills and skills. Other Broadway musicals such as Bob Fosse's "Cabaret" in 1972, "Chicago" in 1975 and "Dancin'" in 1978 also contributed to the popularity of jazz dance. Excellent musical dramas in the 198s, such as "Cats", "Miss Saigon" and "Song and Dance", also gave Broadway jazz some opportunities to perform. However, since these plays are mainly composed of songs, there has been no significant breakthrough in stage jazz dance since then.

Modern Jazz

The shadow and action characteristics of common ballet and modern dance movements in modern jazz dance. In addition to the typical jazz-style angular movements and lively limb and trunk movements, smooth and continuous movements are also used to emphasize slender lines and curves. Pressing the wrist, having style and posture are equally important in stage jazz dance and modern jazz dance. There are several obvious differences between modern jazz dance and street jazz dance.

Modern jazz dance

Street jazz dance

The action remake is downward, and it is synchronized with the music remake.

the action's remake is upward, and the half beat before the music's remake is plié.

the independent movements of the body (trunk, upper limbs, etc.) are opposite to the movements of the feet (for example, tandem).

the independent movements of the body (trunk, upper limbs, etc.) are the same as those of the feet (for example, moving forward at the same time).

the action is clear and accurate ("in place") and there is emphasis on remake.

The movements are more free and slightly less exaggerated.

head movements emphasize clear and neat direction changes.

the head moves in a swing or pendulum rhythm.

The swing of pelvis has a clear direction target.

the pelvis swings in a released posture.

Modern jazz dancers always have a ballet training background, which enables them to freely combine one-legged turn, leg bending balance with jazz walking and sliding steps. Dancers can highly coordinate the accurate swinging and twisting of the head, shoulders, trunk and buttocks, which makes this jazz style very ornamental.

street jazz