Jazz Dance History in America

as researched by Bob Boross

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PLANTATION DANCES

Dances that occured on plantations could be for recreation or religious reasons. Although they were based in the African tradition, the European influences of the plantation owners gave the movement a distinct American appearance. This is what the Stearns call "vernacular," or homegrown dance. Many dances imitated animals, like the Pidgeon Wing and the Buzzard Lope. There were ring dances performed at weddings and funerals. Some dances celebrated special occasions, like the Christmas holiday and the work-week ending Saturday night dance. An important category of dances are competitive dances. At a gathering in town or on the plantation, a special platform would be constructed and slaves would entertain white plantation owners with feats of movement ability, with the best dancer (or dancer's owner) winning a prize. The most well known competition dance is the cakewalk. This dance developed as a parody of owner's aristocratic manners by slaves. They witnessed the owners dancing quadrilles, cotillions, and other pattern dances, and imitated their stiff upper bodies while contrasting it with loose leg movements from African dance. Eventually, the owners began to enjoy watching the comic antics and held contests between dancers and plantations for the best dancer. It was customary for the winner to receive the prize of a cake. The use of improvisation as a way to display a dancer's individual traits was paramount in the development of the American vernacular dance.

Dance on plantations generally included the influence of European traditions. There was a place in America, however, where African dancing did flourish relatively free from outside influences. This was Congo Square in New Orleans. From approximately 1805-1880, dancing by slaves was permitted on a field northwest of New Orleans (Emery, 156). The area was populated with people of French and Spanish culture, and it had been just been acquired by the U.S. in the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. The French and Spanish Catholics were more tolerant of dancing than the Protestants, and it was felt that by allowing the slaves a specified time and place to dance under proper supervision the slaves would be happier (i.e. more productive) and any plans for revolt could be monitored. Also, it was a way to prevent any secret voodoo dances from being performed. Here the Calenda and the Chica was danced to the accompaniment of traditional African drums.