Modern Jive
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Modern Jive is a dance style derived from Swing, Lindy Hop, Rock and Roll, Salsa and others, the main innovation being to simplify the footwork. The term French Jive is occassionally used instead, reflecting the origins of the style.
Contents |
[edit] Branding
In the English-speaking world, Modern Jive classes and events are often franchised or run under various brand names including:
|
|
Following a different but parallel evolutionary path, dance styles such as Discofox (found in Germany and Switzerland) and Bugg (found in Sweden) can also be considered to be forms of Modern Jive and may be indistinguishable from those found in the UK and elsewhere in Europe.[1]
[edit] Dance moves
While all these forms of Modern Jive have Swing and Rock-and-Roll dance moves in common, moves from many forms of dance including Salsa and Tango may be included, according to the specific franchise or even the particular dance teacher. Because of its eclectic nature there are hundreds of moves and variations that can be learnt, introduced or adapted.
Different franchises or teachers often have different names for identical moves, and different signals to indicate the next move. The Man's Spin taught by Ceroc Enterprises is identical to the Man's Pass taught by TRDC. Due to its origins, Modern Jive moves may be similar to moves from other dance styles; the First Move Triple Steps in Modern Jive is similar to the Lindy Hop Jockey, for example. Despite this there is rarely a problem dancing with people who have been taught other styles, at least with the less advanced moves.
Although dance routines are developed and rehearsed for competitions, Modern Jive is most frequently danced freestyle, providing additional challenges to more advanced dancers in terms of musical interpretation and expression. Modern Jive is also occassionally danced by three dancers, with one lead and two followers.
Like many Western partner dances, Modern Jive is most often a male-led dance. Today, many female dancers also learn the lead role, even though only a few male dancers learn the follow role. The reasons for this are twofold: in most regions where Modern Jive is performed males tend to be less comfortable engaging in a partner dance with a member of the same sex, and female participants tend to outnumber male ones.
[edit] Music
Modern Jive is generally danced to music with four beats to the bar (4/4 or Common time), from latest chart hits to big band music and everything between, in a wide variety of tempos from slow to very fast. Some teachers or franchises may concentrate on particular musical styles, such as swing.
Modern Jive does not require special clothes, though for both men and women, smooth soled (non-rubberised) shoes that are easy to turn/spin in are highly recommended.
[edit] History
Modern Jive was developed in the United Kingdom during the 1980s at three London-based clubs, 'Ceroc', 'Le Roc' and 'Cosmopolitan Jive'. The style was based upon a type of Jive that had evolved in France in the aftermath of World War II, when American dances such as the Jitterbug had been popular due to the presence of the American military (but the French were entirely unable to comprehend).[2][3]
The term Modern Jive was originally coined in 1990 by Christine Keeble on a programme called 'How To Jive', designed to promulgate this new style of jive. At that time the dance was known variously as Ceroc, LeRoc or French Jive, although Ceroc was the original. Since Ceroc had a trademark, Christine Keeble used the term 'modern jive' to encompass all of these names.
The term 'modern jive' was adopted by various clubs as the dance spread out from its two earliest centres of London and Bristol and it later became accepted as a generic term for the dance. It is now used by a large number of independent teachers across the UK and internationally. It is also used by many of the franchise operators, although though these companies still prefer to use their own branding.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Third Foot Premier South Australian Modern Jive School.
- Jive by Night - Adelaide Dance Classes Enthusiastic amateurs invite you to share their journey.
- Modern Jive Resource Centre Find your nearest club and information about Modern Jive and Ceroc]
- List of UK Modern Jive & Swing Clubs
- AmanteBallo A music recommendation and download website run by DJ Kenobe which has a large and regularly updated range of Modern Jive dance music, including dance, swing, pop, latin, jazz, dance, blues, etc.
- Jive Adelaide Pick Me
- The dancecrave jive move database
- Jivemecrazy - a Modern Jive video download library. Files include demonstrations and talk-through instruction.
- Jive Videos - videos of Jive performances
