In its early days, jazz dance was seen as a bit wild and uncouth – not for respectable society. This was fine, since jazz itself wasn’t yet getting the respect it deserved either. Jazz clubs were off the beaten path, less well known than other types of dance halls.
For some time, jazz music and dance remained underground, except in a few cities such as New Orleans. It was closely related to swing and “big band”, and began to gain respect as those styles’ popularity grew.
Traditional jazz dances include the Lindy Hop, Jitterbug, Boogie Woogie, swing dancing, the Cakewalk, the Charleston and Black Bottom. These are colorful, spirited dances that require a lot of energy. For this reason, they’re also tremendous fun. Creativity is encouraged because adherence to set steps is valued less in jazz dance than is putting your personal stamp on your dance.
