Origins of Jazz Dance and How it Has Influenced American Culture in Society Today

Jazz dance is an integral part of American history. The various types of jazz dance all come from a fusion of African and European traditions, which is why jazz dance symbolizes American culture itself. According to Tilton's film Jazz Dance, jazz dance first evolved in the Deep South and spread as far as Europe before returning home to America. Jazz dance is not monolithic, and it is important to recognize the differences between types of dancing such as tap and swing in order to understand the contexts in which the dances were or are used. For example, some dances became popular in theater, while others were more comedic. Jazz dance might not seem to have a political or even an economic dimension, but it certainly does. The impact of jazz dance on American society has been felt on almost every dimension including political, economic, and social realms. In particular, jazz dance has contributed to the empowerment of the African-American community, bolstered the American entertainment industry, and also infused folk culture with a fine art dimension.

The political dimension of jazz dance is inextricably linked to race relations in America. As Stearns and Stearns point out, jazz dance is directly related to the changing status of African-Americans. Even if jazz dance did not cause the empowerment of the African-American community, the art form did parallel black power and pride. The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural phenomenon that showcased the importance of black art forms. Prior to jazz dance, African and African-American culture were looked down on, and believed to be inferior to white culture. Jazz dance was initially misappropriated by white opportunists who incorporated the moves into mistral shows (Nalett). Nalett notes that many African-American dancers migrated to Europe, where they received both respect and recognition. The experience of receiving respect for a black art form empowered the African-Americans living abroad, as well as those still living in the United States. Thus begun the first time in American history where whites started to look up to blacks, rather than view blacks as subordinate. Jazz dance can therefore take a good deal of credit for improving the political status of African-Americans. It would still take decades for the Civil Rights movement to eliminate the Black Codes that prevailed in the south, but the promise of a new life lured many blacks away from the Deep South and into the burgeoning centers of culture in urban America. Jazz dance and other elements of black culture were changing the political character of America.

There was also an important economic dimension to jazz dance. The white entertainers recognized the potential to steal black moves and incorporate them into mistral shows. Mistral shows capitalized on black culture, but only whites profited. Jazz dance became popular enough to build entire musical theater performances around it, as Stearns and Stearns describe. Whites like Fred Astaire used jazz dance in his performances on stage and in Hollywood. Hollywood movies also incorporated jazz dance and culture into its film repertoire, generating massive amounts of wealth for the industry. Although many blacks were systematically excluded from the financial benefits of jazz dance, some were able to reap rewards. Famous African-American jazz dancers and the musicians that accompanied them were able to generate income from their profession. Hill, for example, describes some of the tap dancers like Bojangles that became household names. The 1954 film by Roger Tilton called Jazz Dance shows how financially relevant jazz dance had become. African-American dancing had reached the mainstream and it was big business.

The most evident way that jazz dance has changed American society is in the way it has altered American culture. In the early days of jazz, cities with lively nightlife like Chicago, New Orleans, and New York City became hotbeds for artistic expression. It allowed for a flourishing of the arts that was unprecedented in American history. Prior to the jazz era, white American culture remained stilted and stiff and devoid of anything to distinguish itself from European culture. The infusion of African-American dance with other "low" art forms like Irish jigs led to a revolution in American culture (Hill). Also known as "vernacular" dance, jazz dance was the dance of the people. European dances that were considered to be part of the high culture or fine arts became viewed as elitist, and they excluded not only African-Americans but also poor whites from participating in training and performances. Jazz dance, on the other hand, opened doors literally to people from all backgrounds. In this way, jazz dance is a symbol of American society. It is "improvisational and free, dynamic and powerful, its pulse is the pulse of America, of a land and a way of life." During the era when waves of new immigrants changed the ethnic composition of the United States, jazz represented the new and improved United States of America.