Jazz dance developed in America as a blend of various dance styles including African, European classical, and modern dance. The document discusses several influential jazz dance choreographers including Katherine Dunham, Pearl Primus, Agnes de Mille, Gene Kelly, Jerome Robbins, and Bob Fosse. It provides examples of major works each choreographer contributed to help establish jazz dance as a theatrical art form in America.

1. Jazz Dance History and Famous ChoreographersThe student will have a clear understanding of the development of jazz dance as an American art form.

2. Identify the major works of historically significant jazz dance choreographers.

3. Compare and contrast the works of these choreographers using proper dance vocabulary.Definition and Origin Definition of Jazz DanceA stylized form of theatrical dancing conceived in America, given birth by the established and varied techniques of dance (folk and classical) brought to us by our ancestors from every corner of the world, and influenced by the musical styles of each succeeding decade. Jazz is a blend of African dance, European classical dance and American Modern dance.

4. Jazz Dance StylesLyrical

5. Broadway/Theatrical

6. Hot

7. The Blues:

8. Modern Jazz

9. Cool

10. West Coast

11. Rock

12. Afro-Jazz

13. LatinKatherine DunhamKatherine Dunham: combined Afro-Carribean styles with modern and ballet idioms. She was very influential on the development of jazz dance in America. She researched folk forms from her birth place of Haiti and theatricalized them. Appeared in 1940 dancing in Le Jazz Hot1943: Her dancers appeared in the film, Stormy Weather

14. Katherine Dunham

15. Pearl PrimusPearl Primus: incorporated more African dance traditions into her movement. During the 1940’s she performed mixed elements of dance including: African, Carribean, African American rhythms to her choreography.Concert Dance Performer

16. Pearl Primus