| More about Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago |
Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago began as Jazz Dance Incorporated in 1963. At that time, the company did minimal touring, but did many industrial shows and television dance specials for WTTW.
It was in 1968 that the Soviet Union's critically acclaimed Bolshoi Ballet traveled the United States for a series of performances. While on a performance stop in Chicago, the Bolshoi dancers asked noted dance critic Ann Barzel if they could see a performance of American jazz dancing. Knowing Gus Giordano's reputation in the area of jazz dance, Ms. Barzel quickly arranged a special performance by Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago for the Bolshoi.
The Bolshoi dancers were so impressed with the jazz company that an invitation was extended to Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago to go to the Soviet Union and perform. Subsequently, Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago (GGJDC) was established as a touring dance company, dedicated to developing and preserving America's indigenous art form - jazz dance.
Since that time, GGJDC has brought the excitement of American jazz dancing to audiences in Russia, Germany, France, Italy, the Bahamas, Canada, Japan and throughout the United States. The company represented the city of Chicago in the Royal Pacific Cultural Exchange Program, touring Chicago's sister city, Osaka, Japan in the Fall of 1986.
In a statement about the philosophy of contemporary art projects, Ms. Barzel has written, "The jazz dance of Gus Giordano expresses feelings, portrays emotions, confronts problems, analyzes ideas in the tempo of today. It is accessible. In the exhilaration.of its presentations, it mirrors the freedom that we like to think is the American way.
To that end, the company's current objectives are to expand its performance base on local, national and international horizons; to seek out talented new choreographers and dancers and highlight their work; to educate as well as create awareness of jazz dance as a true artistic expression of American life.
Jazz Dance World Congress 1996 companies performing at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington D.C., July3-7 are: Bailos La Compania de Baile; Benny Bell African Dance; Jazzdance by Danny Buraczeski; Complexions; Decidedly Jazz Danceworks; GVD; Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago; Journ Mee Rye; Jump Rhythm Jazz Project; Lane Alexander; Masashi Action Machine; Quinn Williams Dance; Spectrum Dance Theater; Tommi Kitti; Wats on Dance; American Tap Dance Orchestra; and Peter Pucci Plus Dancers.
Gus Giodano believes in the number five. For this 25th anniversary of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as well as for the fifth anniversary of Giordano's Dance World Congress (JDWC), the fives have come together.
It began in 1994 when the National Endowments for the Arts made a site visit to the JDWC in Evanston, Illinois. By February 1995, Giodano was sitting in the Center's Washington programming and booking office learning that the center would copresent JDWC 1996 as a suitable, popular, and multi cultural celebration of the American jazz dance.
"What better way," says Giodano, "to celebrate our own jazz dance than on the Fourth of July in our nation's capital? I'm thrilled."
JDWC, held in the US in even numbered years, has had an enormous success in Japan (1995), houses were sold out; NHK Japanese television broadcast performances nationally and internationally throughout Asia; and local TV newscast covered the event daily.
Giodano's modest explanation is that society such as Japan's, that suppresses an outward flow of emotions, jazz dance offers an accepted, logical, and welcome opportunity for freedom of expression. It's a complementary explanation of that refrains from attributing JDWC success to the talent of his performers, teachers, staff, or his own classic career as teacher, choreographer, and artistic director.
As an explanation of the universal appeal of jazz dance, Giodano points out that jazz still represents the people, not dancing schools, films, musicals, or videos. "It reflects the fashion of the times," he adds.
"Historically, jazz has permeated every form of dance during the century. Jazz was incorporated into tap dance when it became less static by adding body and arm moments; through Balanchine, in 1936, jazz found it's way into musicals in the ‘Slaughter on Tenth Avenue' section of On Your Toes. Before that musical, dance in shows only featured chorus lines, eccentric acts, or social dances. Jerome Robins advanced jazz on Broadway even further onto the concert stage."
Jazz dance, according to Giodano, has now brought more boys into the classroom. "They all want to move in their oversized cloths in a way that has no restriction, no shape, and in which they can hide. They go into a studio that has hip hop classes and eventually find that they can't audition anywhere because they can't do anything else. Every choreographer wants a dancer trained in ballet or modern as well as jazz. The trained dancer can take off with choreography that others can't."
Giodano laments contemporary dance that has not come from African American soul and developed through the body, but is something that is completely artificial and commercial. "It's not real," he says. "Young people see a Michael Jackson video, for instance, and think they can dance like that. Every one of those dancers, including the choreographer, has been through classical jazz training. There is no way you can become a professional dancer by only doing hip hop. Paula Abdul, for instance holds a two day audition beginning with ballet. Two of my company dancers worked in Janet and Michael Jackson videos because they were talented as well as trained."
Coming from a background of performing Marine Corps Troopers, Broadway shows, and live television, Giodano finds scant variety of experience for young dancers of today. "It's a shame", he explains, "that there are no more summer stock or theater productions that require a variety of styles of dance. They've been replaced by repetitious theme park work."
His advice: Get a thorough dance education that includes all forms of dance, singing, and acting classes."Then go for a jazz company. You'll be ready for anything."