Contemporary Modern Jazz
Contemporary Modern Jazz Dance
Contemporary modern jazz dance is an exciting and expressive versatile style that draws from jazz, ballet, modern dance, and contemporary movement. It often combines the energy and rhythm of jazz with the grounded, fluid, and emotionally expressive qualities of modern and contemporary dance. This makes the style suitable for both dynamic performance pieces and more lyrical work, where the dancer expresses emotion through use of the whole body.
Developing Strength, Grace and Control
Jazz dance has roots in African and African-American movement traditions, with a strong emphasis on rhythm, improvisation, isolation, and personal expression. Modern dance developed partly as a reaction against the strict rules of classical ballet, making greater use of gravity, the torso, contraction and release, fall and recovery, and natural movement. Bob Fosse’s choreography (Chicago, Cabaret etc) has heavily influenced the dance world for decades and so much of today’s theatre, film and television. He developed his distinctive style of choreography through his own dancing shortcomings, and his style is still copied the world over.
Contemporary modern jazz brings these influences together, allowing dancers to move between sharp accents, smooth transitions, floor work, jumps, turns, and expressive gestures. The possibilities are endless. Training in this style encourages strong technique as well as individuality. Dancers may work on body isolations, changes of level, flexibility, travelling sequences, turns, leaps, improvisation, and musical interpretation. Because the style is broad and adaptable, it allows performers to explore different moods and themes while developing confidence, creativity, and a strong connection between movement and music.