Jazz Shoes - Match Footwear To Moves

By Author: Cedric Grosjean
Total Articles: 60
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What is the jazz style of dance and where did it come from? Well, up until the mid 1950's when it was introduced to wider audiences through Broadway and the works of Bob Fosse (who brought us Chicago and Cabaret) it was thought to be dancing to jazz music. However over time, jazz has evolved and has been influenced by a great many styles, including the Charleston, the Jitterbug and the Boogie Woogie.

When it comes to the modern style of jazz, it is true to say that this form of dance has been heavily influenced by other dances styles including acro, ballet, contemporary, lyrical and, most recently, hip-hop.

So now onto jazz dancing itself and what it can involve. In order to become successful as dancer it is essential to train. Like any form of exercise a warm up and stretching of the muscles so as to prevent injuries, is very important. In addition, core strengthening exercises are often used for conditioning.

As in most forms of dance, technique is the foundation for all modern jazz dance movement. Dancers who have mastered jazz dance technique are then free to focus on the stylistic and performance ...
... aspects of dance.

So what do you need to start jazz? Well, this all starts with clothing and the jazz shoes are vital. When looking to buy your first pair of jazz shoes it is very important that you fully research what attributes the shoes should have, use the internet and search around for a number of different reviews to make an assessment, ask the sales clerk and go on dancing forums and pose the question. After all, the shoes need to be of the best quality for a budding dancer so in the long run they help to protect the dancer's feet and ankles whilst they are performing the many technical and physically demanding steps required in jazz dancing. It is true to say that the majority of jazz dancers will opt for leather jazz shoes, so this is probably a good place to start. Jazz shoes are not just for jazz dance, jazz shoes are also sometimes used in the following dance styles; acrobatic, hip hop, aerobics, acro dance, etc.

As you continue to search the internet and stockists you will see that there is a wide variety of jazz shoes available, each type comes with its own set of attributes. So it is key to assess which pair will be the most suitable option. Examples of the styles available include; high-rise and low-rise slip-ons or lace-up Oxfords. If you opt for a pair of split-sole shoes then the dancer will be to take advantage of the extra foot flexibility this pair offers. Other jazz shoes have a suede patch, which is proven to be beneficial when needing to perform faster turns, especially on plastic surfaces. Jazz shoes can even come with shock-absorption heels, generally the heels are made of a hard rubber which is both hard wearing but provides a degree of grip.

Europe's leading online retailer of dancewear - Dance Direct.For further information regarding our range of jazz shoes, please visit our website at http://www.dancedirect.com.