African Origins
Samantha Conte
While reading this chapter of “Jazz Dance: A History of the Roots and Branches” two things stood out to me the most. The first was the discussion about what took place in Congo Square. People of many different cultures gathered with music and dance, but their was no audience. Everyone was involved with the dancers through clapping, stomping the feet, vocal encouragement, etc. This made me think of the modern day cypher in dance. This is a circle created by a group of people, with empty space in the middle for each dancer to go in and have their moment to freestyle. The other people involved are not just standing their watching, but are usually encouraging the dancer in the middle, or moving along to the beat (clapping, stepping side to side, etc) until it is their turn to be in the center. I think it is so intriguing that something from Congo Square in the mid-1700s to the mid-1800s is still intact in basically its original form. Cyphers happen at almost every school dance, or really any event with music and individuals that support dance.
The second discussion that intrigued me was the idea that many people have either ignored the influence of African culture or have downgraded its role to merely contributing to an already developing art form. Does this downplay or complete disregard to African influences stem from a place of racism in our society? Maybe it stems from those who didn’t have a well-rounded education of the history of jazz dance? Throughout this text, and I am sure many others, there are clear pieces of evidence that the biggest influence in the development of jazz dance comes from that of West African culture, so why is it that it can still be disregarded and people are ok with that? When watching a piece of true jazz dance and then comparing it to an African dance it is clear that they are related. That is something impossible to ignore, so why do people turn a blind eye to it?
Discussion Questions:Â
1. If jazz dance had begun only from the influences of European culture, how do you think the elements of jazz dance would have been different? (instead of grounded, aesthetic of cool, community, improvisation, etc)
2. If slavery had been reversed and Africans had brought Americans/Europeans over to Africa do you think Jazz dance would have developed in a different way? Would the African culture still have been the main influence?












