Interesting facts about Children’s Jazz Dance Lessons: Facts & Ideas
- Jazz dancing originated in America in the early 1900’s as African and European dancing styles fused.
- Eight times Tony Award winning American choreographer Bob Fosse choreographed his first Jazz Dance in a nightclub when he was just 15 years old!
- One of the most famous Jazz dancers, Lester Horton, adapted his style to be like the Native American dancing he’d seen in the Wild West.
- In the early 1900s a jazz or tap dancer was traditionally part of a jazz band, and these dance trends soon spread to the audience and the public. The result was dances like the Charleston, Jitterbug, Boogie Woogie, and Swing.
- The’ father of jazz dance’ was Jack Cole who helped to shape the style of modern jazz dance and was famous for his work with Rita Hayworth and Marilyn Monroe.
- Today’s jazz styles range from slinky Broadway-inspired movements, to a more balletic style, and may even include some street dance techniques. Basic jazz technique is still based on the mastery of turns, leaps, kicks, and fluid style, but every jazz class and jazz teacher is unique.
– by kallikids.com