JAZZ HISTORY
1970s into the 21st Century
• Following the 1960s experimentation continued with
jazz dance and jazz music
• Broadway, film and television kept jazz music and jazz
dancing present and alive while different offshoots of
jazz dance began to develop.
• At this time around the world we began seeing a
Swedish swing dance revival, Japanese hip hop culture,
British club jazz/funk competitions and a Chicago
house dance scene.
• There was also a revival of traditional jazz music at this
time that inspired concert jazz dance companies and
jazz classes named after various styles and fusions such
as Broadway jazz, jazz funk, authentic jazz, modern
jazz, street jazz, theatrical jazz and concert jazz.
• Elvis Presley inspired social dances of the time
with his hip movements that were a direct
variation from African-American Vernacular
dances.
• The continuing popularity of rock ‘n’ roll and
development of disco added to the evolution
of jazz dance and the dancing seen in the
disco clubs of the 70s contained a “jazz-like”
feel to them.
• Partner dances of the disco era were all the
rage and found their way into film of the time.
• In the 1980s a very interesting thing happened in
jazz dance, the improvisatory element in early
jazz dance was once seen again in hip hop culture
mostly in urban social dances or “party dances”
• While hip hop style was taking on it’s own style
away from what had previously been seen in
clubs, stage and film, jazz was still present in the
performance of attitude and the aesthetic of
cool.
• Many impromptu dance gathering happened with
the development of hip hop dance all celebrating
personal style and uniqueness which was has
always been part of the jazz legacy.
• Broadway musical were still very easy to
classify as theatrical jazz dance.
• Some choreographers continued the fusion of
ballet and modern dance performed to show
tunes while others maintained a closer
connection to the roots of jazz.
• Simultaneously, jazz dance companies were
popping up all over North America and
continued the idea of fusing ballet with jazz
dance and style, while performing to jazz
music from musicians of this time.
• In the dance studio many teachers continued to teach
under the title of jazz dance using modern popular
music.
• This caused a debate of whether this should really be
called jazz dance
• Several teachers of this time began to codify their own
personal technique
• Classes were then starting to be named after the
technique rather than jazz dance, such as Luigi,
Simonson, etc.
• Many of these classes worked with pop culture music
and focused on line and shape while incorporating
ballet and modern aesthetic
• Some teachers such as Pepsi Bethel taught classes that
remained true to authentic jazz dance to preserve the
art
• In the 80s and 90s jazz dance classes could be found all
over the world with choreographers such as Mat
Mattox, Gus Giordano making at the forefront
• Jazz classes continued to be a varied style that is
distinct of the aesthetic essences of early jazz
• Since jazz has always been a style that has grown from
improvisation and fusion it only makes sense that is the
direction it would take
• In the 90s two very distinct jazz dance companies
formed, Jump Rhythm Jazz Project and Decidedly Jazz
Danceworks, who held a deep commitment to jazz
music and dance
• Other companies that formed with a theatrical jazz
emphasis were River North Dance Chicago and Odyssey
Dance Theatre.
• The full scope of jazz dance is daunting as we try to
grasp everything from the roots of jazz to the bold
innovations and everything in between.
• From social dances to concert dances and jazz dance to
jazz music or jazz dance to modern music the genre of
jazz dance has a multitude of options for expression
• Some critiques support only jazz dance to jazz music
that stay more true to the roots of standard jazz, while
critiquing the forms that have strayed too far from
center.
• Others hold the opinion that jazz as a coherent trend
was out of date by the 1980s and that jazz is now an
attitude rather than a technique making hip hop the
“new jazz”