As social dance jazz dance originated in black social dances of the 19th century and earlier. Around 1910, beginning with the cakewalk and the turkey trot, diluted forms of black social dances were adopted into white social dance. Some social jazz dances, such as the Charleston, jitterbug, and twist, have movements traceable to African and early slave dances. Other, such as the fox trot, can be seen as European couple dancing adapted to jazz rhythms.
As stage dance, jazz dance is rooted in these social dances and also in 19th and early 20th century theatrical dance. After about 1940 American theatrical dance underwent a major development, and in the 1950s and 1960s a style emerged that drew as needed on elements of ballet, modern dance, and tap dance. In general jazz concentrates on floor oriented steps as opposed to high lifts or leaps.
Today there are many different types of jazz dancing hip hop beginning the most popular.
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Slide to the left, drag your right foot and pull your elbow to the right on one and two. |
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First dig your right heel into the floor an three and. |
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Squat, left foot slightly forward of right, on four. Fingers touch the floor lightly. |
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Pop back up to standing position on five, then punch left arm straight up and retract right arm on six. |
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Pas de bourree left-right-left, bringing the right fist back around your head on seven and eight. Sotenu turn to your right on one. |
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On two, step right foot forward and crouch down with your left hand pointing forward and right arm by your side. |
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From your waist, twist torso to the right on three; repeat twist on four. Pas de bourree left-right-left on five and six. |
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On seven, cross right foot over and punch left fist down, with torso twisting toward the right. Turn around to the left on eight. |
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Chug back on left foot, kicking through developpe on one; hold two. Arms make right angles, left pointing up, right down. |
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Roll shoulders forward right-left-right on three and four, as you lower all the way down to a squat. |
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Jump to the left on five, with feet together pointing left and your hips and torso twisting to the right. |
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Jump to the left on six, landing with feet crossed, right in the front, weight even and your hands behind your head, elbows to side. |
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Turn to the left, unwinding your body on seven, shifting weight to your left foot. Final pose on eight: contract over slightly bent knees with arms together in boxer position. |