The History of Jazz Dance

1.) What are the roots of Jazz Dance? Where does it come from, how did it starts?

The term "Jazz" was first applied to a style of music and dance during World War I. Jazz in a dance form, however, originates from the original dances of Africans when they were brought to America on slave ships. This dance form developed alongside jazz music in New Orleans in the early 1900s. Beginning in the 1930s and continuing through the 1960s, Jazz dance transformed from this vernacular form into a theatre-based performance form of dance that required a highly trained dancer. Before in the 1950s Jazz dance was referred to dance styles that were originated by the African American vernacular dance. In the 1950s, a new genre of jazz dance which was  modern jazz dance was emerged, with roots in Caribbean traditional dance. Every individual style of jazz dance has roots traceable to one of these two different origins. Jazz was a big hit in the early 50's and it is still a popular style of dance all over the world.

 Before in the 1950s Jazz dance was referred to dance styles that were originated by the African American vernacular dance. In the 1950s, a new genre of jazz dance which was  modern jazz dance was emerged, with roots in Caribbean traditional dance. Every individual style of jazz dance has roots traceable to one of these two different origins. Jazz was a big hit in the early 50's and it is still a popular style of dance all over the world.

2.)What are different types of jazz dance?

• Hip Hop/Street Dance 
• African Dance 
• Disco
• Commercial Jazz 
• Charleston
• Jazz Dance steps 
• Contemporary  
• Cake walk
• Fosse 
• Lyrical dance 
• Jazz Tap 
• Jazz-Funk Dance

3.) Identify a popular Jazz Dance style and explain its background, music, movement, style etc.

Hip-hop dance refers to street dance styles primarily performed to hip-hop music or that have evolved as part of hip-hop culture. It includes a wide range of styles primarily breaking, locking, and popping which were created in the 1970s and made popular by dance crews in the United States. Compared to many other dance forms, hip hop has a relatively short history. The beginnings of this dance form date back to the 1960s and 70s, but of course the movements and the music have roots dating back much further in time. 

Here is an example a video of the style hip hop in jazz: