Talk:Jazz dance

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The following recent chaotic addition by 199.8.174.35, who vandalized several other pages is removed.

Whatever is hot and happening on the popular dance scene is found in the style of jazz. Isolations, upbeat music and high energy characterize jazz. This style is frequently seen in music videos and films. Workshops and clinics are also offered, such as Leaps and Turns and Lyrical Jazz.

However it seesm that the words used above deserve to be in the article. Mikkalai 22:21, 15 Feb 2004 (UTC)

Contents 1 how about one of her images 2 Rationale for cleanup 3 olympics 4 historic jazz dance 5 This Article Absolutely Sucks

[edit] how about one of her images

[edit] Rationale for cleanup

First, the article moves back and forth between discussion of two or more senses of the term "jazz dance." The second bullet point deals with the newer sense of the term, but goes on to state "Jazz is the old word meaning TAP". Then the article seems to redefine the term halfway through as simply "a form of dance commonly used in Broadway shows and movies." I also have a feeling that Lindy Hop and swing should fall under the older sense of the term, but the article mentions them among some other passages that don't seem to relate to these dances.

Secondly, several passages use what is at best an informal tone: "Even though jazz dancing might look easy and fun when the dancers do it, the dancers have to be in really good shape, and practice sometimes six hours a day." Some of the quotation marks give me this overly informal impression, too. When the article states "In jazz dancing the movements are big and exaggerated and there is usually an attitude the dancer conveys to the audience," does it really mean big and exaggerated movements define jazz dance? In other words, all the movements of jazz dance are this way? Doesn't the statement about conveying an attitude apply to every performing art or every art in general?

Finally, I simply don't understand the meaning of several passages, such as "In addition to Tap, during the jazz a popular form of jazz dance was Swing dancing...."

I will work on the grammar where possible, but this article needs fact checking before all of the grammar editing can happen. I don't have the expertise to verify or refute any of the facts put forth.

--Officiallyover 05:34, 6 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] olympics

shouldnt dance be an olympic sport? if you are a dancer or choreagraph it or are involved you know that it is a very demanding sport ... phisically and mentally many people say that dance isnt a sport but if it was in the olympics people could see how hard it is and appretiate the sport and respect the hard work of dancers. Its our job to make it look easy but sometimes people really believe it. any way i just thought i would put the idea out there.

[edit] historic jazz dance

PlainJane 11:20, 26 April 2006 (UTC) Swing dancers make many references to 'jazz dance', meaning solo dance, with an emphasis on footwork. This dance style has less in common with the broadway or contemporary jazz dance characterised by Bob Fosse than it does with African American vernacular dances like tap, flash dances, etc. It would be useful to add this type of dance to this article. I don't know anything about its history, though.

"Jazz dance" in the sense PlainJane means it is often referred to as "vernacular jazz dance", to distinguish it from the later forms that evolved in dance studios. (Partner dances like Lindy Hop are usually considered part of this tradition, as well as solo dances.) The best references I know of for information on this subject are Marshall Stears' Jazz Dance and Lynne Fauley Emery's Black Dance. I certainly agree that this article needs to be cleaned up. Szarka 22:55, 3 May 2006 (UTC)

The sentence "Until the middle of 1950s, jazz dance meant mostly tap dance" should probably be expanded with this vernicular jazz dance (and of course the articles needs a general cleanup). // Habj 20:46, 24 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] This Article Absolutely Sucks

This article is indescribably horrible! "...a rockin' good time?" I have no idea what anyone was thinking when they wrote this - you would think for an article on such a popular dance style at least one person with half a brain would contribute to its content! Someone save this article please! Kasyla 07:00, 29 November 2006 (UTC)

In Jazz Dance you dance and drink alchol.Most dancers are on crack!!They usually HATE cheerleaders!!Silsbee dancers are the best dancers in the world!!