|
|
This is only a preview of the paper
Click here to register and get the full text.
Existing members click here to login
|
|
|
The Art of Jazz dance
What is art? Art can be many things to many different people. Art is a picture that your five year old son drew in kindergarten; art is a poem that a young high school girl wrote in English; art is a picture of a young girl in Afghanistan who lost her mother and father; art is a creative expression of our everyday lives. According to the Encyclopedia of Britannica, “art, a word in its most extended and most popular sense [means] everything which we distinguish from nature” (1). Art is sculpted by people, it is not a literal product of nature, but art is something “we distinguish from nature” (1). ... When people produce a piece of art it helps them to understand nature. They are able to “discern” their art from nature, but they become more connected to nature. Art is a way to take something from nature, whether it is a form or an emotion, and bring it to life. Art helps us to understand nature and enables us to become a part of it. ... Art can be anything to anyone; it is simply an expression of our lives.
“Science, of which the essence is only in knowledge and theory, came to be spoken of as art, of which the essence is all in practice and production” (Britannica 4). In other words, the fundamental nature of science is defined by knowledge and theory, and art is created by practice and production. Without knowledge and theory art is
incomplete because there is little understanding of it. One needs to have knowledge about the principles and methods, or theory, of an art in order to make art. Then practice is required in order to prepare someone for the production and presentation of the art. Knowledge, theory, practice, and production are fundamental to help us understand how we make art, and nature is what helps us to understand why we make art.
Dance is an art that is more than just dancing; it is a way for people to express themselves through something that they enjoy and treasure. ... Each step matters just as much as the previous one, and what ultimately makes the dance an art is the passion that the dancer puts into every action. Dance is an expression of nature and it is a very personal art. Performing a dance is like the final product for a dancer; after they have put all the effort into learning the steps and practicing the dance as a whole, they perform their art for an audience. Jazz dance is a specific type of dance that is very sensual and is a very natural form of dance that doesn’t have movements that are as structured as ballet or tap. It is a very expressive dance and allows for combinations of movements from other types of dance. Jazz is a form of dance where someone can lose themselves in the moment and become one with the music. ... I loved the dance concerts because we got to dress up and wear makeup! ... Jazz dance is the only way I feel I can truly express my
emotions. ... When I dance, all my worries go out the door and I become consumed by every move and every beat. I am able to tell people about who I am through the passion I show in dancing, and that is what makes jazz dance my art.
According to Jean and Marshall Stearns’, the history of jazz dance began when white Americans witnessed the origin of these movements “during the voyage from Africa, [when] slaves were forced to dance on shipboard to keep them[selves] healthy” (16). Through dance Africans connected with the natural world. ... There are six main characteristics that Stearns feels helps us identify African dance influence in the U. ...
The Dance Through The Ages by Walter Sorell is about the origins of African dances and how they adapted and influenced American society. ... During the minstrel period syncopated rhythms became popular which lead to the introduction of jazz dances.
The Stearns’ note that many social dances like the Charleston, the Shimmy, and the Ring Shout have “taken on an African-like rhythmic complexity” mainly from West Africans who dance, according to Geoffery Gorer, “with a precision, a verve, an ingenuity that no other race can show” (Stearns 14). During the 1920’s jazz spread quickly and black dancers became more popular. Sharon Friedler and Susan Glazer describe different styles of some of the earliest jazz dancers in The Dancing Female. ... Her style was different from the style of Rasch in the way that she “combined Afro-Caribbean and many modern dance techniques” into her choreography (67). ... This is when dance competitions became popular because everyone was looking for a way to earn some fast cash. Swing also rose in the public eye during this time, which was a different version of jazz. In 1933, dance was introduced to film and people began dancing in the movies, which helped to increase the popularity of jazz dance. Americans were beginning to experience dance in a way they never thought possible.
Jazz became more artistic during the 1940’s because it was influenced greatly by ballet and modern dance. This is also the time when jazz began to make its mark on Broadway and continued to be successful in movies. Jack Cole, who is considered to be the father of jazz technique, began to develop certain training styles and techniques and choreographed for many movies and Broadway shows. The turning point of jazz dance was the performance of Carol Haney in Pajama Game in 1954 because of its “street look” and its “association with popular culture that jazz dance has today” (Friedler 70). ... She brought Latin-influence to jazz and she “helped to legitimize jazz dance as an art form worthy of dedicating a life to” (Friedler 71). There is now a second generation of jazz dancers that have proved that jazz dance “is indeed more than just popular movement,” and they have proved that it has “inherent artistry and classical sustainability” (Friedler 79).
Approximate Word count = 4984
Approximate Pages = 19.9
(250 words per page double spaced)
|
|
|
|
|
|