Although very few people understand the essence of jazz as a form of music, very few people still understand the essence of jazz as a form of dance. Jazz is a fatherless child. More than that, however, many mothers are seen in jazz-like music and dance even though they have no father. By that, I mean that there are many effects of this colorful form of music and dance, although none of the influences in the new creation is so significant as to be considered 'father' or 'mother' for this matter of jazz.
Although Jazz has many birthplaces, it has only one real home, and that home will be New Orleans. New Orleans is a city without a father, just as the city is famous for its music. New Orleans was a melting pot before we had any real clues as to what it meant to be a melting pot. With influences from French, Spanish, German, English, and of course the population of former slaves and black free men and women, New Orleans was the perfect place to call home this mixed and mixed style of music and dance.
It is not surprising that jazz dance emerged as a result of jazz music. As a jazz, there are no dance moves for the delightful music we have known over the years. Because of this, there was a need to move away from the mainstream with something new and up-to-date to keep up with the new music.
As a form of dance, jazz was more 'awkward' than any other dance in the past, and in some quarters it was considered inappropriate on its own. The humble society certainly had no interest in this particular form of dance. The good news for those who enjoy this style of dance is that there were many places where jazz, as a form of dance and music, was easily adopted. You had to go a little way to find it, but for many, it was worth the effort.
Jazz music and dance were popular for a long time and then went underground in cities like Memphis, New Orleans, Kansas City, and St. Louis, where it was an integral part of history and culture. We've seen the resurgence of this one-time popular style of music and dance in recent years, but some notable musicians have brought back the swing and 'big band' sound, which is both a form of music and a style of dance. Hand in hand with jazz.
However, you should understand that when it comes to jazz dance, like music, you don't have to follow certain rules to become jazz. There are no strict dance steps for the 'jazz' effect that must be followed. Jazz dance is often confused with 'tap dance' because tap music was often set to jazz music. However, it is important to know that jazz is not limited to tape dance, and other dance forms come under the big umbrella instead of 'jazz dance'.
Some of the more common jazz dances include Black Bottom, Boogie Woogie, Cake Walk, Charleston, Jitterbug, Landy Hop, and Swing Dance. It seems that each of these dance styles has been making an extraordinary return to popularity over the last two decades and it is very interesting to see, as well as what you will ever get a chance to participate in.
You must be logged in to post a comment.