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Africa was where jazz dancing originated. Africans would dance for birth, marriage, death, rain, growing crops, health, hunting, and historic events. Dancing was a part of everyday life.
Jazz began to develop in Cuba and Haiti. This started some of the known dances such as the cha-cha, the mambo, and the samba.
In jazz dancing, the rhythm is what makes it original. The beat is very distinctive. Even though jazz music and dancing change all the time, syncopation is what makes up the music.
There are different types of jazz dance:
LYRICAL:Lyrical jazz was strongly influenced by ballet. The dancers use their entire body in the movements.
MUSICAL COMEDY:Musical comedy jazz is usually performed on Broadway. The movements tell the storyline of the play or musical. The dancers interact with each other. In musical comedy jazz, the dancers often use props such as hats, canes, and chairs.
FUNKY:Funky jazz is sometimes called “LA Jazz”. It is also compared to lyrical jazz. Funky jazz consists of head rolls, shoulder shrugs, and hip movements. It emphasizes walking, hand clapping, and snapping. The jitterbug, and the tow-step are related to funky jazz.
STREET:Street jazz consists of movement of patterns and syncopated footwork. It contains modern dance steps and forms of break dancing. It is performed to modern rock, jazz, and pop music and is very energetic.
HIP HOP:This is the latest form of jazz dance. It is known for its lively bouncy style and is also very energetic.
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