There were some questions from you after class: Is this New Jazz? Is it what you're teaching here at Peace Studio?
Jazz actually has been very popular in Us, Europe, Australia, Singapore and western countries. It actually started as African-american Jazz, much based on ballet techniques. However, with time being, it slowly blends many modern dance techniques and some hip-hop movements. In addition to new elements of choreographies, Modern Jazz becomes the new term of Jazz Dance. Please refer to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jazz_dance.
To be frank, I didn't know about New Jazz until recent.=p Ok, I did little research about it online as my homework. New Jazz started in Taiwan , as MTV dance. It corporates mostly hip-hop movements. The local New Jazz teachers are mostly trained in Taiwan or follow Taiwan dance system , if I'm not wrong (pls correct me). Some of you might be interested to search about it in youtube.
My training started in Ballet and modern dance, Advanced Jazz was one of my subjects while in Lasalle College of the Arts (Singapore). The teacher is an American guy from Costa Rica, so the knowledge and training of mine are of the American Jazz stream. After I started teaching, CSTD Modern Jazz syllabus (Australia) caught my attention with its creative movements, scientific & systematic structure and interesting choreographies. In CSTD Modern Jazz system, the students are to be trained in terms of techniques, artistry and all dancing skills. Sometimes I also choreograph short dance pieces to let students experience more, other than just exam works. Ballet techniques are incorporated in the class, however turn-out is not stressed as much as Ballet. Muscles strengthening and stretching are compulsory as they provide students more ability and flexibility to dance better!
Alright, I think I have been nagging enough here. Hopefully this helps you with the question of Modern Jazz and New Jazz.=)
