Hip Hop

No matter who you are or where you come from, you've probably heard of hip hop. Although it is considered to be a more "modern" form of dance, having first risen to popularity in the 70's, hip hop has proceeded to take the world by storm. Hip hop can trace its origins to the streets of many American cities, such as Los Angeles, Compton, and New York City. It attracted the attention of many young adults, who happily adopted the new moves as a form of dance. From the start, it was common to see, on many city sidewalks, hip hop competitions taking place, their participants popping, locking, and gliding with grace and dexterity. Although the exact origins and ideas behind this type of dance are partially shrouded in mystery, it has become wildly popular worldwide, and will continue to inspire many generations of dancers for years to come.

All That Jazz

Jazz. What does that word bring to mind? Somber saxophone music? New Orleans? Hazy cafes? For me, it's all that and so much more. Although I've never taken a straight on jazz class in my life, I took hip hop and jazz combo classes for several years (despite the fact that the class was labeled under "hip hop"). Consequently, I became interested in the world of jazz. I always assumed that it had some form of deep and mystic roots that could be traced back to the palaces of European emperors, but that was not the case. Jazz as we know it is believed to have been born from the post-World War 1 social revolution, in which young men and women shed their constrictive upbringings and danced the night away in speakeasies and clubs, scandalizing the older generations of Americans. The new types of dances they performed, such as the Charleston, Foxtrot, and Shimmy, required different forms of music to accompany the steps. Thus jazz, a blend of various string instruments and drums, was born. Although New Orleans is able to claim many jazz influences as its own, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Memphis are also credited with the creation of this alluring and unique form of dance.

The History of Ballet

All throughout my middle school years, whenever we would need to do a project on a sport or create an independent assignment (I was in GATE), I would always write an essay about some form of dance. Be it tap, ballet, jazz, or hip hop, it didn't matter-they all fascinated me. In particular, I found ballet to be quite lovely. From its beginnings in the Renaissance courts of the 15th and 16th centuries to present day, this intricate form of dance and expression has been present throughout history. During the time that it graced the Italian Renaissance courts, ballet also caught the eye of Catherine de' Medici, who was married to King Henry the second of France. It spread like wildfire throughout the French courts after the Queen Consort introduced it to them. Ballet became so popular, in fact, that in the 17th century, King Louis XIV founded the Paris Opera Ballet, the first professional dance company in France. The Russians and the Danish quickly followed suit, opening their own ballet companies in the 18th century. Eventually, ballet spread all over Europe and America, captivating the hearts of millions of people. The 20th century saw great strides in the development of ballet, from the creation of neoclassical ballet by George Balanchine to the introduction of contemporary and post-structural ballet by William Forsythe of Germany. In recent years, the world has seen many famous ballerinas enter and exit from the spotlight, and the opening of prestigious ballet academies worldwide. Ballet is a classic and timeless dance, and hopefully shall continue to touch the hearts of countless people for many years to come.

The Greats

Just like the actors and actresses of the big screen, the world of dance has its celebrities as well. Perhaps the most famous of all dancers was Fred Astaire. Even if you are not a dance enthusiast, you've probably heard of him. Born in Omaha Nebraska (I nearly moved there a few years ago!) in 1899, he began dancing at the age of four along with his sister, Adele. They became quite successful and appeared in several Broadway musicals, including "Lady, Be Good" (1924) and "The Band Wagon" (1931). Adele gave up dancing in 1932 after getting married. Fred married in 1933 to Phyllis Livingston Potter, and made his way into the Hollywood business shortly after. After creating several dancing films, he retired from movie-making in 1946 and went on to found several successful dancing schools. He eventually remarried to Robyn Smith, a jockey in her 30's, after Phyllis died of cancer in 1954. He eventually died in 1997.
One of the most famous ballerinas of all time, Anna Pavlova, is not necessarily considered a "household" name, but she is nonetheless celebrated in the world of ballet. She was born in St. Petersburg in 1881, and became mesmerized with the world of dancing at the young age of 10. 2 years later, she was accepted into St. Petersburg's Imperial Ballet school. While there, she was praised not for her beauty, but for her ability to bend and twist with extreme grace and ease. She became incredibly famous and travelled worldwide (in the days before air travel, too). Well known for her performances of "The Swan" and "Giselle", she died in 1931in the Netherlands.
Alicia Alonso, a lesser known but nonetheless talented ballerina, was born in Cuba in 1921. She studied in both Cuba and New York at the American Ballet Theatre, and, in 1948, formed her own company. She continued to dance through the Ballet Theatre despite her failing eyesight.