Samantha Conte

Dance History Blog

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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: 

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?

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Jazz Dance As A Continuum

Samantha Conte

After reading this article for a third time, all for different classes, I have had the chance to truly digest it. The main gist of this article is to say what creates true jazz dance, and how missing one of the required elements breaks of the continuum. The largest emphasis in this reading is that of the social history and vernacular of African culture. Since coming to college I have learned in depth, through this text, about the extensive connection that jazz dance has to the African culture. This is why I find it so interesting that I had never been taught this history before entering a college jazz class. If jazz dance sprouted from that culture why did none of my previous educators think that was important information to know? Did they not know that, and if they didn’t are they still qualified to teach jazz dance?

Another aspect of this reading that intrigued me was the idea that “jazz classes” today are not truly teaching the actual form of jazz dance. That being said I am not completely shocked by it. Until college I never took a jazz class with the expectation of using vocalization, improvisation, or the sense of community and challenge. Jazz was more about “how high can I get my leg”, “how many turns can I do”, “Leaps across the floor”, and so on and so forth. Improvisation was strictly used in modern classes and we never used vocalization in anything. Since I have been in college I do feel that I have been exposed to many aspects of vernacular jazz dance that I did not have before. While I do not think I have had a class that completely encompasses every single “requirement” of vernacular jazz dance, I do believe that they have encompassed up to 90% of them. Does this mean we cannot advertise them as “Jazz Dance Classes”? Should they instead be called “jazz-influenced or jazz-derived dance classes”?

Discussion Questions:

1. In what ways do you think the tree analogy for jazz dance helps? Do you think that it has left any styles out of its diagram? Do you believe modern dance could fit as a branch of jazz dance, or jazz dance could fit as a branch of modern dance?

2. Is it possible that by creating a dialogue of “what is” and “what is not” jazz dance actually limits our sense of individuality, as well as the element of improvisation that is key in this style?