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JAZZ, MUSICAL
THEATRE, AND TAP
CHAPTER 9 FROM LEARNING ABOUT DANCE TEXTBOOK BY NORA AMBROSIO
History of Jazz
 Origins of jazz can be traced
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back to Africa
In the 1600’s slaves were
brought from Africa to America
The slaves continued to dance
and drum on the plantations
Slave owners banned drumming
Slaves kept their rhythms alive
by clapping, stomping their feet,
and singing the songs of Africa
Slaves danced for their own
enjoyment, for the
entertainment of the slave
owners, and for competitions
between each other and other
slaves on different plantations
Minstrel Shows
 Minstrel shows began in the
1830’s
 They showcased black songs
and dances
 They were performed in
theatres
 Blacks were not allowed to
perform in public
 Whites performed the black
dances in “black face” and
performed parodies of songs
and dances from black
culture
Minstrel Show Video
Black Minstrel Shows
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Blacks began to perform in minstrel
shows in the 1860’s
They performed for other blacks and
Irish immigrants
Black minstrel shows soon became
as popular as white minstrels
because of the “cakewalk”
Cakewalk came directly from the
plantations
It “was a contest among dancing
couples who attempted to outdo
each other in the mock imitation of
the white man’s manners and
behavior”
Cakewalk Video Clip
Dancers showcased their best
struts, high kicks, and showstopping footwork
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1. Richard Kislan, Hoofing on Broadway (NY; Prentice Hall Press, 1987), p. 19.
Vaudeville
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Vaudeville Historic Footage
Blacks and Vaudeville - PBS documentary
(caution: racial language)
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Vaudeville included a wide variety of
song and dance
Uniqueness and diversity were
encouraged
Vaudeville was a training ground for
performers destined for Broadway,
nightclubs, and film
Black performers continued to
create new movements in line with
African technique and rhythms
(staying connected to the earth) –
hence the repeated use of plié in
jazz technique
Jazz music emerged during this time
period – Ragtime and the Blues
Dancers began to connect
movements to the syncopated
rhythms of jazz music
The Harlem Renaissance
 The Harlem Renaissance lasted
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from 1921-1933 (The Roaring
Twenties)
Exclusive clubs in Harlem, New
York, such as the Cotton Club,
were the social places to be for
the white people of New York
The clubs had elaborate shows
that featured black dancers and
singers
White people came to the clubs
to learn the latest dance crazes
from the black dancers
This was the only public place
that Blacks and Whites were
allowed to intermingle
 Dance crazes during this time
period were the Charleston and
the Black Bottom.
 The Charleston became famous
through out the United States
and Europe
 Flappers – women with short
bob hair cuts and short fringe
dresses are often associated
with the Charleston
The Charleston
The Charleston 2
Black Bottom
Black Bottom 2
Television and Movies
 Jazz was mainly seen in
movies, night clubs,
television, and on the
stage
 In the 1950’s and 1960’s
variety shows such as “The
Lawrence Welk Show” and
“The Ed Sullivan Show”
featured jazz dance.
 Many great jazz dancers,
such as Fred Astaire, Gene
Kelly, Ann Miller, and Ray
Bolger often danced on
television.
Definition of Jazz Dance Today
 Jazz can be defined in several
ways - Sensual, visceral,
improvisational, syncopated, hot,
cool
 Essential characteristics of
jazz are:
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5.
Use of syncopated rhythm
Varying rhythms and dynamics
Ranges of energy
Changing levels, directions,
shapes and floor patterns
Use of diagonal, curved or
asymmetrical lines
Summary of Jazz History
 Jazz should not be just high
kicks, multiple turns, “dance
tricks,” dancers staying in one
place and dancing to one set
rhythm, always having
symmetrical lines, and
“squareness” where all
movements happen on the
count of 1.
 Jazz is very theatrical –
dancers should perform with
full commitment to the
energy, focus, facial
expression and intent of the
character or situation that the
choreographer created.
Musical Theatre History
 Early musical theatre examples
can be traced back to Ancient
Greece and Rome. 18th century
France, England and Germany
also had productions that
combined music, dance, and
theatre.
 American musical theatre has its
roots in jazz dance.
 The Black Crook (1866) is one of
the first notable musical theatre
productions . It used dance to
move the story along. It started
a trend that is now musical
theatre.
I’m In Love with You Pre-show Dance Number (1929)
Great Gabbo – I’m In Love with You Production Number
(1929)
 1921 the musical, “Shuffle
Along,” was the first major
musical by African Americans to
gain national fame. It featured
music by jazz great Eubie Blake.
Chorus girl, Josephine Baker,
later became an international
star and helped to make the
Charleston and Black Bottom
dances popular.
 1926, dance director Seymour
Felix introduced the idea of
seamlessly integrating script,
music, lyrics and dance as an
important aspect of musical
theatre. He was determined to
make the dances unified with
the story and music of the show
rather than just an
entertainment filler.
Oklahoma and Agnes De Mille
 1943 – Agnes De Mille
choreographed the dance
sequences for Oklahoma
 She created an artistic dance
sequence called the “dream
sequence”
 The sequence added to the
story line while also being its
own dramatic piece.
 This piece raised
choreographers to the same
status as the director,
composer, and playwright in
the musical theatre
production.
Oklahoma
Dream
Sequence
(part 1)
Oklahoma
Dream
Sequence
(part 2)
Musical Theatre Choreographers
 Many ballet and modern
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choreographers
choreographed for musical
theatre.
George Balanchine
Jerome Robbins
Katherine Dunham
Twyla Tharp
Balanchine – The Goldwyn Follies
Jerome Robbins – Broadway works
Katherine Dunham
Twyla Tharp - Movin’ Out
Twyla Tharp -Come Fly Away
Jack Cole – Kismet
Jack Cole – Beale Street Blues
Bob Fosse – Clips of Bob Fosse Dancing
 Today’s style of jazz is often
credited to Jack Cole who
used his Denishawn training
(greatly influenced by Eastern
dance styles) to create a jazzethnic-ballet style that we
still use in musicals, films,
commercials, and television
today.
 Cole is considered the “father
of jazz”
 Bob Fosse and Jerome
Robbins were greatly
influenced by Jack Cole’s jazz
style.
Popular Musicals
 Most musicals are made
for live theatre and then
recreated for the movie
screen.
 It is extremely expensive
to produce a musical for
Broadway. This is why
there are fewer and
fewer musicals being
made every year.
 Some of the most
popular musicals are:
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Rent
Chicago
West Side Story
Cats
Beauty and the Beast Continued
Wicked
Lion King
Phantom of the Opera
Les Miserables
Tap Dance
 Tap is a blend of the Irish Jig,
English Clog, and “Negro”
Shuffle
 Rhythmic sounds are produced
by the feet
 Metal taps are worn on the
bottom of the shoes
 Tap gained popularity in minstrel
and vaudeville shows in the late
1800’s
 Tap has a vocabulary of steps,
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but it is also highly
improvisational
Hoofers – call attention to their
intricate footwork (Savion
Glover and Gregory Hines)
Class Acts – have elegant body
movements and execute steps in
a refined manner (Fred Astaire
and Ginger Rogers)
Flash Acts – Combine tap dance
with acrobatics (Nicholas
Brothers)
Soft Shoe – Skim the floor and
produce soft muted sounds
(George Primrose)
Famous Tappers
 Bill “Bojangles”
Robinson – Vaudeville
tapper who joined the
Vaudeville circuit at the
age of 12. He is one of
the first African
American performers to
have regular
employment in the white
theatre and movies. He is
famous for tap dancing
with Shirley Temple.
Famous Tappers
 Sammy Davis Jr. –
started on the Vaudeville
stage. He was known for
being a triple threat –
singing, dancing, and
acting. He became one of
America’s most popular
entertainers. His movie,
Tap, inspired the general
public to gain a new
interest in tap dancing.
Sammy Davis Jr. and Gregory Hines
tapping together
Famous Tappers
 Fred Astaire and
Ginger Rogers –
made tap popular in
musical theatre
productions. They also
included ballroom
dancing in their dance
sequences.
Dancing
Top Hat – The Piccolino
Dancing Cheek to Cheek
Swing Time
 Gene Kelly popularized tap dance.
He was known for his
athletic ability. His style
of tap was very athletic –
not graceful like Astaire
and Rogers. His most
famous tap dance is in
Singin’ in the Rain.
I’ve Got Rhythm
It’s Always Fair Weather
Famous Tappers
 Gregory Hines starred in several movies
that highlighted tap
sequences. He danced
and trained with some of
the best known tappers,
Sammy Davis Jr., The
Nicholas Brothers, and
Sandman Sims.
Tap with Steve Martin
White Nights
Dancing with the Masters
 Paula Abdul – used
tap in her music videos.
By placing tap in music
videos, it introduced tap
to a younger audience
and increased the
popularity of the dance
form.
Tapping at a concert
Opposites Attract
Famous Tappers
 Savion Glover – was a
child tap prodigy. He trained
with Gregory Hines. Glover
developed the
choreography for the
Broadway show Bring in ‘da
Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk
which mixed tap, hip hop,
and break dancing. He won
a Tony award for this. He has
tapped on several TV shows
and movies. His focus now is
to bring tap back to its
African roots and back to
the forefront of black
culture. He is known as the
greatest tap dancer in the
world.
Bring in ‘da Noise,
Bring in ‘da Funk
Sesame Street
Dancing with the
Stars
Happy Feet
Characteristics of Jazz Dance,
Musical Theatre Dance, and Tap Dance
Jazz Dance
Musical Theatre Dance
Tap Dance
Strong use of syncopated rhythms.
Dance in musical theatre productions
can be used to enhance the storyline
and to move the storyline along.
Shoes are worn with metal taps on the
bottom.
The repeated use of the plié.
Dance sequences can also stand alone
as artistic works.
Rhythmic sounds are produced by
moving the feet.
The dancing has an improvisational
feel.
The script, music, lyrics, and dance
have a strong relationship.
Tap dance has a strong use of
syncopated rhythms.
Individual style is developed and
demonstrated.
Musical theatre dance can be seen on
the theatrical stage and in movie
musicals.
Tap dance has a vocabulary with
prescribed steps, but mostly, tap dance
is improvisational.
The dancing is presentational, visceral
and sensual.
There are different styles of tap and
tap dancers: hoofers, class acts, flash
acts, soft shoe, etc.
There is a strong use of varying
dynamics.
Tap dance can be seen on the
theatrical stage, concert stage, and in
movies, movie musicals and popular
dance videos.
Jazz dance can be seen on the
theatrical stage, concert stage, and in
movie musicals and popular music
videos.