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Video Viewing Assignment

This document contains Lauren Keffler's responses to video viewing assignment questions for a Jazz II class. In question 1, Keffler analyzes three dance videos and identifies social and kinetic elements of jazz dance depicted. In question 2, Keffler discusses social and kinetic elements they want to focus on incorporating into their own teaching. In question 3, Keffler discusses other dance forms that incorporate jazz elements, such as tap, hip hop, and musical theater dance. Keffler also provides a link to a hip hop video as an example incorporating elements similar to jazz dance like improvisation and competition.

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59 views3 pages

Video Viewing Assignment

This document contains Lauren Keffler's responses to video viewing assignment questions for a Jazz II class. In question 1, Keffler analyzes three dance videos and identifies social and kinetic elements of jazz dance depicted. In question 2, Keffler discusses social and kinetic elements they want to focus on incorporating into their own teaching. In question 3, Keffler discusses other dance forms that incorporate jazz elements, such as tap, hip hop, and musical theater dance. Keffler also provides a link to a hip hop video as an example incorporating elements similar to jazz dance like improvisation and competition.

Uploaded by

Lauren
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Lauren Keffler

Jazz II
DA262(J)-01/Spring 2020
Video Viewing Assignment

Question 1
Autumn Eckman’s JOLT utilized live music and an overall style that clearly acknowledged jazz
dance’s African roots. Social jazz dance qualities included a feeling of joyousness (JOLT, 9:07),
competition between dancers (JOLT, 7:06-8:30), and moments of community (JOLT, 8:44-9:18).
Kinetic jazz dance qualities included the use of flat feet (JOLT, 6:44), bent joints (JOLT, 6:46),
angularity/asymmetry (JOLT, 7:45), inclined torsos (JOLT, 6:28), and groundedness (JOLT,
6:30). Billy Siegenfeld’s JUMP RHYTHM Jazz Project: “Getting There,” relied heavily on
community (JUMP RHYTHM JAZZ DANCE, 0:16), vocal encouragement (JUMP RHYTHM
JAZZ DANCE, 0:11), joyousness (JUMP RHYTHM JAZZ DANCE, 1:13), and call and
response (JUMP RHYTHM JAZZ DANCE, 0:48-1:00), as well as some individual creativity
within the group (JUMP RHYTHM JAZZ DANCE, 1:58) towards the end. Kinetic jazz dance
qualities included bent joints (JUMP RHYTHM JAZZ DANCE, 0:21), inclined torsos (JUMP
RHYTHM JAZZ DANCE, 0:47), groundedness (JUMP RHYTHM JAZZ DANCE, 0:21), flat
feet (JUMP RHYTHM JAZZ DANCE, 0:52), and asymmetry/angularity (JUMP RHYTHM
JAZZ DANCE, 1:39). Rennie Harris’s I WANT YOU contained an overall sense of joyousness(I
WANT YOU, 6:55) and community (I WANT YOU, 5:30), with plenty of room for personal
expression and creativity (I WANT YOU, 8:14); there were also moments of friendly challenges
among dancers (I WANT YOU, 7:12). Kinetic jazz dance qualities included bent joints (I
WANT YOU, 5:06), flat feet (I WANT YOU, 5:15), inclined torsos (I WANT YOU, 5:23), and
groundedness (I WANT YOU, 5:37).

Question 2
First, there are a few social jazz dance elements that I would like to try incorporating into the
choreography and exercises that I do in class. Overall, I want to work on performing with more
energy and exuberance (when appropriate) to give more of a feeling of joyousness. I would also
like to try acknowledging my neighbors during combinations and across the floor exercises to
help create a stronger sense of community in the class. There are also a few kinetic jazz dance
qualities that I would like to focus on more during class. Though we do not usually create our
own choreography, I want to try thinking about and accentuating when our given combinations
or exercises include bent joints (knees, elbows, etc.) and inclined torsos. I also want to work on
feeling generally more grounded (when appropriate) during class. I would also like to work on
my balance and core strength so that I can work on stronger angularity and asymmetry during
class.
Question 3A
There are several different types of dance in which I can see jazz dance elements. The metaphor
of the tree in ​Jazz Dance: A History of the Roots and Branches​ was extremely helpful in
understanding the way jazz dance is connected to other dance forms. For one, tap dance
(Broadway & rhythm) includes the rhythmic inclinations of jazz dance; the difference is that in
tap dance, these rhythms are primarily expressed through the use of the feet to create sounds.
Hip-hop dance is similar in its roots to jazz dance; though hip-hop dance does not usually share
the same rhythmic qualities of jazz dance, it also contains elements of African roots, including
improvisation, competition, and body isolations. Hip-hop dance is also similar to traditional jazz
dance in that it uses music as its driving force. There is also theatrical/musical theatre jazz dance,
which “blends elements of ballet, jazz, and other genres to create a mixture that is commonly
seen in musical theater, commercial dance and on the concert stage” (Oliver, xvi).

Question 3B
The video I’ve linked below is an example of freestyle hip-hop; it shows the similarities that I
previously mentioned hip-hop dance has to jazz dance. Since it is a freestyle dance, it is
completely made of improvisation. It also contains competition (FEFE, 0:54-2:05) and body
isolations (FEFE, 1:45).
Works Cited

“FEFE - Julian de Guzman , Mia Mugavero and Jayden Hernandez -Matt Steffanina & Sienna
Lalau.” ​YouTube,​ uploaded by Best Dancers Fanpage, 3 August 2018,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7H5v5vfhJQ​.

“JOLT Choreography by Autumn Eckman.” ​YouTube​, uploaded by Autumn Eckman, 18 May


2014, ​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VunaLjAKe_8​.

“JUMP RHYTHM Jazz Project - Getting There.” ​YouTube​, uploaded by BayChamber, 17


September 2010, ​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-WtDOZaEJ4​.

“I Want You.” ​YouTube​, uploaded by giordanojazzdance, 31 January 2011,


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9J7pGQrCNo​.

Oliver, Wendy, and Lindsay Guarino. ​Jazz Dance : A History of the Roots and Branches.
University Press of Florida, 2014.

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