Key Facts About Jazz Modern Dance You Should Know

Jazz modern is a blend of two other styles: jazz and modern. Jazz has been around for a long time and originates from Africa, though contemporary jazz bears little resemblance to African dances. Modern is a more contemporary classical direction rooted in ballet.

Initially, jazz was performed in casual dining establishments to jazz music, and it was considered normal. Can you imagine someone just getting up and dancing to the music in a cafeteria or fast-food restaurant today? Of course not—you'd get disapproving looks. Unfortunately, this tradition has gone out of style and couldn't be revived.

Many dance styles have both solo and partner performances. Originally, jazz modern was the same. But at some point, partners began to disappear, leaving the desire to dance. So today, jazz modern is performed solo or in groups, but not as a partner dance.

Jazz modern involves blending classical ballet movements with jazz combinations. Both require comfortable, non-restrictive footwear. For this, a universal shoe for both men and women was created, simply called "jazz shoes." Jazz shoes feature a small, wide heel to clearly articulate footwork.

Most dances that emphasize emotional expression over technical precision often tell stories of love and passion. Jazz modern is also an emotional dance, but its focus is slightly different. It allows dancers to express their individuality, and it doesn't have to be a passionate love story full of intrigue.

Jazz modern lets dancers open up and declare themselves to the world, showing who they are and what they value.

This dance can be performed perfectly only when the dancer has something to say and when they channel the dance through themselves. Moreover, the style is interesting because it gives dancers the freedom to choose the rhythm: they can perform to classical pieces or Afro-jazz, or combine both—it all depends on the mood.

In the history of jazz modern, the name Katherine Dunham often appears. She brilliantly performed the dance in her own way, adding her own elements and filling it with drama and sensuous emotion.

That was her uniqueness: she had a rich inner world she wanted to share, so the existing jazz modern movements weren't enough to convey all her thoughts. That's why she made her contribution to the dance. And thanks to this emotional story, she is known and talked about.

Learning jazz modern has its own unique and interesting features. Many dance schools teach contemporary dance based solely on technique. Jazz modern requires not only knowledge of movement techniques but also substantial life experience. In this dance style, you need to fully open up and let people feel your energy. That's what dance schools teach.

If you've never danced before, you should start with ballet basics and practice expressing emotions without words—through facial expressions, body movements, or gestures.

The paradox of jazz modern is that while most movements come from ballet, the style actually opposes the foundations of ballet.

Originally, jazz was ritual African dance, and modern was a protest against ballet, as it was believed that ballet didn't allow people to fully realize their potential.

Nevertheless, jazz modern is a popular contemporary style that is rapidly gaining followers.