MY THINH CAO November 7, 2014
Dance Appreciation DA-101-01
Reading Response 3
Prof. Catherine Baggs Jazz and Tap Dance
There are various types of dances. However, in many forms, tap and jazz dances are very popular because they include diversified styles. In the 19th century, these dancers began to form and develop in the United States. Unlike the other dances, tap dance and jazz dance are blended from different dance forms. They are considered as the arts, and reflect American cultures as well.
There are some ethnic dances that contribute to the development of tap and jazz dances. Tap dance came from African and British Isles folk dances. It was combined between African step dancing with the tap sound of the drums and the British Isles clog. Lihs (2009) stated, “The idea of putting metal taps on the soles of shoes to accentuate the dancer’s steps apparently came from England, where 19th century step dancers were performing lively dances in wooden clogs” (p. 81). That time, white people imitated the songs and dances of African-American to make a show called minstrel and then developed to Vaudeville stage. Beside tap dance, jazz was developing at the same time. It didn’t depend on tapping sounds, but was a new form of dance. Jazz dance was a mixed dance of different forms, including tap, ballet, African, European and American social dances (Lihs, 2009, p. 84).
As we known, tap dance is considered as a part of jazz. In studying, jazz dance is defined by a big tree with
Back in the ninteenhundreds this was the time period where different styles and techniques of dance were created among people with different backgrounds and experiences. During this time period dance styles like tap and Jazz were created and had many people to influence this kind of dance in order for this style of dance to become as popular as it did. However, people have a controversy whether if jazz or tap dance is considered an art or an entertainment. In society, people viewed Jazz either as art or entertainment because where and when people performed there and how their personality is shown in the dance and what interpretation people get out of the performance. Tap on the other hand people had the same views as they did for jazz and most people say tap and jazz relate to each other because many of the techniques are very similar and they are all American dances that eventually evolved into different styles and how it's portrayed on the dance floor. Therefore even though these both dances have different significance in style, they both have the same journey of beginning as a form of entertainment to an art, but still having that aspect of entertainment in mind.
Dance is one of the most beautiful, expressive forms of art known to mankind. It expresses joy, love, sorrow, anger, and the list truly goes on for all the possible emotions that it can convey. Dance not only can express how one feels, but it can tell a story or even be used to praise a higher power. Dance has intricately played an important role to every culture over the course of time. Two forms of dance that have not only stood against the test of time but have influenced the development of other various styles of dance is none other than Classical Ballet and Modern Dance.
Dance is a very unique entity to study that comes with many benefits. It is a way of connecting to culture. Dance has a sense of history and community being portrayed throughout the movement. Some of the popular dances from the Caribbean include the Merengue, Rumba, and Cha Cha. Not only are these dances upbeat and fun, but they offer the opportunity to embody the culture instead of just learning about it through a passive manner.
Tap became popular in the hay day of the 1930’s and 40s, this is where it really sprung to life in nightclubs and films. Tap dancers became regular features at nightclubs with shows. These involved solos, duets, trios and as a chorus line. The Cotton Club, a New York City nightclub, is the most popular club where this happened but the Cocoanut Grove, the Plantation Club and Ciro’s also had this entertainment and many tap influencers such as The Nicholas Brothers, Ruby Keeler and Louis DaPron began their careers in nightclubs.
One of the primary ways in which Tap, swing and jazz dance deviate completely from ballet are how the styles organically developed into social dances. Ballet started as a social court dance however at it’s inception was segregated from it’s roots as something purely performative. Jazz dance forms on the other hand such as tap dance kept many of the swing vernaculars which created them in their performance. That is to say that when watching a tap dancer perform on stage (with a traditional deportment) and then watching a swing dancer in a dance hall, one can see the similarities in movement qualities and even certain steps (such as the “shim sham” or “Attack Annies”). From this it can be argued that Tap dancers (as well as all vernacular jazz dancers of the day) question what dance is by keeping its social roots alive even after it had transitioned onto the stage. The fact that tap dance was a part of the vernacular dance of the day (and still had a casual culture about it) allowed that the Nicholas Brothers to learn to dance without ever taking a class (Frank 67). Where as a ballet dancer may spend long hours training at the bar and in class Fayard Nicholas learned to tap dance purely through watching
What do you think of when you hear someone ask “What is a gothic story”? Gothic Literature is the combination of fiction, horror, death, and romance. Within the two short stories Young Goodman Brown and The Man in the Black Suit, there is a character within in story, that is accused of being “the devil”. Although each story has “the devil” within them, their endings are two completely different ones. Young Goodman Brown is not similar to the man in the Black Suit. Young Goodman Brown ends up being all alone by the end of the story. While on the other hand, Gary is still surrounded by his loving family. The devil is said to be able to be do anything he wishes with just a single breath. “This was a special bee, a devil-bee, and it had come back to finish the other of Albion and Loretta’s two boy” (Gary).
Tap dance is a form of dance, which is by tapping your shoes and hitting the
Since it was created, and till this day, ragtime and jazz has had many influences on people such as classical composers like Ravel and Debussy. More specific pieces composed have been used in successful films; ragtime also had an influence on the dance styles that are used today. Dances such as cakewalk, foxtrot, and two-step are very popular today (historyjazz.com). Those involved with dance, and educated on the genre of music that is being danced to, can have a better understanding of style and have more of a successful
Both Jazz and Tap dance are improvisational unlike Musical theatre. Sounds are produced in Tap dance by moving the feet. Both Musical theatre and Tap Dance are linked to Jazz. I do not remember if I have ever seen a live musical theatre production but I have seen a lot of them in movies though. To name a few, I have seen The Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof, Oliver and Mamma Mia.
Tap dance is an uniquely American dance form. The percussive use of one’s feet combined with the use of rhythms and amplification of sound, has a complex history that involves the intercultural fusions of English, Irish and African musical and dance traditions. The evolution of tap dance in America is further complicated by issues of race, class and gender. Unlike ballet with its formal technique, tap dance emerged from people listening to and watching each other dance, in a variety of settings, where steps were shared, stolen and reinvented. Through its metamorphosis the dance form has progressed from local entertainment, to Vaudeville shows, to Broadway shows, to the Silver Screen and to Concert Halls across the world. The legacy of the art form is characterized by the rise, fall and reemergence of popularity. Savion Glover, a 21st century American dancer, is credited with bringing tap into a new era of popularity as he has wowed the masses with his unique style focusing on African American rhythms. Tap dance, uniquely American in that it is a true melting pot of dance forms, is a dance form rich in rhythms, sounds and amplifications and has transcended social and cultural barriers.
The Faculty Dance Concert was an entertaining event filled with a variety of dance styles. The show took place on Friday, November 6, 2015, at 7:30 in the evening, and was held in the Fullerton College Campus Theatre. The founding artistic director is Melanie Kay Rosa and the assistant artistic director is Lisa M. Anderson. The dance faculty choreographers are Lisa M. Anderson, Sarah Cashmore, Teresa Jankovic, and Melanie Kay Rosa. The four guest choreographers are Helen Gardea, Robert Laos, Devon Smith and Shawnee Amara Williams. The two student choreographers are Ashely Garcia and Madeline Young.
The reason that the traditional dance has remained apart of the world is because of the teachers and students. But in order to dance the students required movements, steps, and music to put them to. The dance masters—teachers of the 18th and 19th centuries—all had the same original dance steps, while they invented their own steps on top the original ones. There are two different roots, which
Just when social dancing was at its height, World War 2 put a stop to its popularity. Lack of attendance, plus the intricate rhythmic patterns of modern jazz music, which were too complex for social dancing, led to the closing of dance halls and ballrooms. With the demise of social dance, the growth of jazz dance as a professional dance form began. During the 1940’s, jazz dance was influenced by ballet and modern dance. By blending the classical technique of ballet with the natural bodily expression of modern dance, jazz developed a sophisticated artistic quality. Unlike early jazz dance, which was performed by talented entertainers without formal training, modern jazz dance was performed by professionals trained in ballet and modern dance.
The dance that I will be focusing on is entitled: thinking sensing standing feeling object of attention. The dance, to me, symbolizes the socialization of persons in Western civilization concerning gender roles. In the beginning there are gestures that are separated from emotion and full-embodiment, but as the dance progresses the gestures become more meaningful and recognizable. The lighting starts out very specific and narrow, then the light encompasses the entire stage, and eventually the dancers are silhouetted as they return to a familiar movement motif in the end. The music is mainly instrumental with occasional soft female vocals, and the lyrics suggest emotion, which is interesting because the dancers do not convey emotion until
These dances eventually evolved to include praise songs and myths that were enacted by trained dancers and actors. By the end of the 5th century BC, these dance dramas were part of entertainment and provided social and political commentary on the times. Amongst the Romans, dance waxed and waned in acceptance by the powers that ruled. Until 200 BC, dance brought life to Roman processions, festivals and celebrations. However, in 150 BC all of the dancing schools were closed as Roman nobility considered dance as suspicious and even dangerous activity of the masses. Dancing has come a long way since ancient times. But there are still some similarities. When people thought up these dances they were trying to express themselves, their emotions, their problems and beliefs. Today we do the same thing. We make up dances according to our attitudes, beliefs, thoughts and feelings. The future will also contain dances that will reflect that society. There are many different kinds of dances. There is ballet, line dancing, slow dancing, the list goes on and on. Some of these dances are slow. Some of them are fast. They all use different type of instruments. Each dance representing a time, an event, an expression or feeling. Each dance expressing something different. Dances will never die. They are too interconnected in the