Arts >> Dance >> Jazz Dance

How to Do Jazz Steps

Jazz dance styles are based on traditional African American dance techniques that date to the late 1800s. Modern jazz is versatile, combining elements from several dancing styles, including ballet and tap. Jazz dance techniques remain popular in musical theater choreography and performance art routines. If you want to learn how to jazz dance, you need to be familiar with jazz music and the beat patterns used in this type of music. You move your body to the beat while you dance, so having an ability to distinguish beat patterns is pertinent to learning jazz dance steps.

Things You'll Need

  • Jazz music
  • Music player
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Instructions

  1. Pas de Bourree

    • 1

      Play the jazz music on your music player. Hold your arms fully extended from your sides with your hands open and your fingers together and extended out. Keep your feet together, side by side.

    • 2

      Step back with your right foot on the first beat of the song, by putting it behind your left foot. Simultaneously bend your arms at the elbows by bringing your open hands face down to your chest so the tips of your fingers touch.

    • 3

      Step to your left with your left foot on the second beat by bringing the left foot next to the right foot while simultaneously swooping your hands apart in a motion resembling a breast stroke in swimming.

    • 4

      Step forward with your right foot on the third beat and extend your arms fully from your sides simultaneously. Hold this position for the fourth beat.

    • 5

      Repeat Steps 1 through 4. Practice these steps until you feel confident and fluid while performing the steps. Perform the routine while making quarter turns in a circle by turning a quarter turn to your left after each repetition until you return to your starting position.

    Jazz Square

    • 6

      Position your feet together and hold your hands down at your sides. This is your starting position.

    • 7

      Cross your right foot over your left foot on the first beat while shifting your body weight onto your right foot.

    • 8

      Step back with your left foot and shift your weight onto your left foot on the second beat.

    • 9

      Step to the side with your right foot on the third beat so you are positioning the right foot a shoulder length apart from your parallel left foot.

    • 10

      Step forward with your left foot on the fourth beat.

    • 11

      Return to your starting position and repeat Steps 1 through 4.

    Battement

    • 12

      Hold your hands to your chest with your elbows bent. Keep your hands open with your fingertips touching. Simultaneously kick forward or out to the right side with your right foot on the first beat.

    • 13

      Return the right foot to the ground on the second beat and extend your arms fully out at your sides.

    • 14

      Bring your left foot behind the right foot on the third beat and bend your elbows to bring your fingertips together in front of your chest.

    • 15

      Step forward with your right foot on the fourth beat and start extending your arms out.

    • 16

      Kick forward or to the left with your left foot on the first beat and keep your arms extended out.

    • 17

      Return your left foot to the ground on the second beat.

    • 18

      Bring your right foot behind your left foot on the third beat and then step forward with your left foot on the fourth beat.

    • 19

      Repeat Steps 1 through 7.

Jazz Dance

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