Jazz dance was developed in America the early twentieth century alongside jazz music. Jazz music is described as being rythmic and highly syncopated, emphasizing the music. Originating the south, it eventually moved north as swing dance became wildly popular. Specifically jazz dance is a hybrid of the popular dances of the 1920s, elements of African dance, and musical theatre/Broadway dance. The jazz dance we know most today incorporates use of isolations, contractions, and accents the rhythm. 

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Jazz has developed quickly overtime and constantly moving forward in the dance world, evolving into adding elements of hip hop, acro, extreme flexibility, tricks and commercial dance. The argument today is the dance world retracing its steps to start providing traditional jazz dance. 

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Jazz Techniques/Styles/Methods include:

Broadway/Musical Theatre

Classical - like Giordano and Luigi 

Contemporary Jazz

Commercial Jazz

Swing/Big Band

Fusions with other genres like Afro-jazz, Latin jazz, Street jazz, jazz funk

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