Task 1: Key Features of Jazz Dance

The style of Jazz was introduced during the era of the slave trade. Slaves were being transported from Africa to America during the 16th century to the 19th century. A prominent reason slaves were unwilling brought to America was because of a triangular trade. This meant that textiles and wine were shipped from Europe to Africa, enslaved people from Africa to America and sugar and coffee from America to Europe.

Music and dance of African origin formed the starting point for Jazz as during the slavery period African dance developed into African - American jazz dance culture. This was due to the mixing of the different cultures and the slaves originally mocking the American style of entertainment and adding their own heritage to the dance/ music.

Music and dance culture of the African slaves incorporated with white plantation owners, which evolved into Jazz dance style, through the use of African ritual and celebratory dances combined with slave folk music and influences from European harmonic structure. The heart of Jazz was born in New Orleans and the mouth of the Mississippi River played a key role in the development of Jazz at the beginning of the 20th century.

Therefore, this form of dance has evolved into this idea of pairs animated expressions with sharp yet fluid motions, setting it apart from traditional styles of dance. It incorporates ragtime moves, Charleston, Lindy hop and mambo.

One key feature of Jazz Dance that we explore within Six, is an element of sensuality, which is demonstrated in multiple numbers we have looked at so far including Ex- Wives and Get Down. During Get Down we swing our hips round in a circular motion while bringing our body down almost into a squat, to embrace the confidence and the flirting of each queen.

Another movement we use in Ex-Wives could be different body isolations. Isolations are typically used within Jazz Dance especially hand isolated. I would say hand, hips and shoulder isolations are of frequent use in Ex-Wives to help illustrate the sexiness of the queens and how they are all competing against one another. We use a shoulder isolation on the ‘everybody knows that we used to be six wives’ within the song, which also allows the hips to be moving at the same time. 

Contractions- to accomplish contracting the torso in Jazz dance , your back needs to be curved outwards and your pelvis pulled forwards.

Jazz hands- Jazz hands are used 

 as a sign to signify applause and 

to show excitement within Jazz dance. 

Dynamics- Dynamics in Jazz can be very sharp and clean especially where movements are separate from each other. However, similar to contemporary dance, Jazz can sometimes include less intense movements , creating a juxtaposition in the dancing. For example, movements like shimmy’s and isolations can be used to cause effect despite the use of pirouette.