Jacking
Encyclopedia
Jacking or Jackin', the term by which the form is more commonly known, is a dance
technique and music form that first became popular in the late 1980s as one of the myriad music forms which arose from the last days of disco. Though there continues to be some dispute as to a single absolute stylistic origin, "Jacking" music and dance most likely came from the multicultural roots in the early underground Chicago house
and London music scenes. Both concepts of Jacking have their origins in various African and types of Latino and Hispanic dance culture, with a fair amount of influence from early European and American disco culture.
Originally Jacking's two most prominent divergent forms, the Chicago Jacking scene was often linked to the Detroit Techno scene in its earliest forms while the European Jacking form trended slightly towards a tribal "hard house" underground, punk and house scenes. The dancing and music forms of jacking itself were sexually charged in its earliest forms, with couples (often two men or two women) grinding their pelvises together. Jackin's style merged with many dance styles popular during the early UK acid house
scene and American House scenes.
When referring to house dancing
this word has taken on a slightly more specific and somewhat less sexual meaning. Jacking is a dance technique that comes from moving the torso forward and backward in a rippling motion, as if a wave were passing through it. When this movement is repeated and sped up to match the beat of a song it is called jacking, or "the jack." This technique is arguably the most important movement in house dance because it is the foundation that initiates more complex movements and footwork. Jacking has also permeated many other divergent forms of house and freestyle broken beat
music and dance. Just as house music
itself grew from the disco
tradition, so too, did jacking's dance develop from the self expressive styling of disco dancing. Unlike partner ballroom type dance forms such as the waltz
and foxtrot, Jacking is considered a freestyle dance.
More recently, some well known House artists like Stacy Kidd and Jamiroquai have made use of Jack beats, often incorporating them into house tracks. Jacking tracks like hip-house artist Peven Everett's dance-friendly hit "Stuck" are soulful, housed-up lyrics and rhythms over a relatively straightforward Jack beat. Much growth of the current underground American Jack beat scene has occurred in the Acid and Soulful house veins, where jack rhythms are often fused with the deeper, polyrhythmic melodies from Afro-Cuban Jazz and WorldBeat genres. Many of these jacking-influenced tracks and jack hybrid rhythms are often listed under Soulful House, Deep House, or in cases where disco or even neo-soul melodies are used, Rare Grooves.
American, European and other worldwide mainstream audiences have the most contact with jack music and dance forms in contemporary prime time productions of the myriad dance shows like America's Best Dance Crew
. Other more highly stylized forms of the dance have found their way into house and break sessions of all kinds all over the world, with many performing dance performing art magnets incorporating both jack music into more traditional styles of modern dance.
1.*http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4012940.html
2.*http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1615680/20090710/story.jhtml
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
technique and music form that first became popular in the late 1980s as one of the myriad music forms which arose from the last days of disco. Though there continues to be some dispute as to a single absolute stylistic origin, "Jacking" music and dance most likely came from the multicultural roots in the early underground Chicago house
Chicago house
Chicago house is a style of house music, a genre of electronic dance music which emerged in Chicago in the mid-1980s. Stylistically, Chicago house has no widely accepted definition, but generally includes the first house music productions by Chicago-based artists throughout the 1980s, and any later...
and London music scenes. Both concepts of Jacking have their origins in various African and types of Latino and Hispanic dance culture, with a fair amount of influence from early European and American disco culture.
Originally Jacking's two most prominent divergent forms, the Chicago Jacking scene was often linked to the Detroit Techno scene in its earliest forms while the European Jacking form trended slightly towards a tribal "hard house" underground, punk and house scenes. The dancing and music forms of jacking itself were sexually charged in its earliest forms, with couples (often two men or two women) grinding their pelvises together. Jackin's style merged with many dance styles popular during the early UK acid house
Acid house
Acid house is a sub-genre of house music that emphasizes a repetitive, hypnotic and trance-like style, often with samples or spoken lines rather than sung lyrics. Acid house's core electronic squelch sounds were developed around the mid-1980s, particularly by DJs from Chicago who experimented with...
scene and American House scenes.
When referring to house dancing
House dance
House dance is a social dance primarily danced to house music that has roots in the clubs of Chicago and of New York. The main elements of House dance include Footwork, Jacking, and Lofting...
this word has taken on a slightly more specific and somewhat less sexual meaning. Jacking is a dance technique that comes from moving the torso forward and backward in a rippling motion, as if a wave were passing through it. When this movement is repeated and sped up to match the beat of a song it is called jacking, or "the jack." This technique is arguably the most important movement in house dance because it is the foundation that initiates more complex movements and footwork. Jacking has also permeated many other divergent forms of house and freestyle broken beat
Broken beat
Broken beat is an electronic music genre that can be characterized by syncopated rhythm typically in 4/4 meter, with staggered or punctuated snare beats and/or hand claps....
music and dance. Just as house music
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
itself grew from the disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
tradition, so too, did jacking's dance develop from the self expressive styling of disco dancing. Unlike partner ballroom type dance forms such as the waltz
Waltz
The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...
and foxtrot, Jacking is considered a freestyle dance.
Pop culture
Jacking's early exportation from the U.S. to Europe spawned a repatriation of sorts in the early 1990s, along with the spread of house. Janet Jackson's "Rhythm Nation" and Madonna's "Vogue" are two quintessential jackin beats that had massive crossover pop appeal, the main difference between these pop songs and jackin' beat being a slight, "popped up" slowing down of both meter and lyrics to make them more palatable to a mainstream audience. Like most jackin' moves, however, both singers' corresponding videos featured highly stylized, "hard" motion choreography which characterized both singers' careers in the '90s.More recently, some well known House artists like Stacy Kidd and Jamiroquai have made use of Jack beats, often incorporating them into house tracks. Jacking tracks like hip-house artist Peven Everett's dance-friendly hit "Stuck" are soulful, housed-up lyrics and rhythms over a relatively straightforward Jack beat. Much growth of the current underground American Jack beat scene has occurred in the Acid and Soulful house veins, where jack rhythms are often fused with the deeper, polyrhythmic melodies from Afro-Cuban Jazz and WorldBeat genres. Many of these jacking-influenced tracks and jack hybrid rhythms are often listed under Soulful House, Deep House, or in cases where disco or even neo-soul melodies are used, Rare Grooves.
American, European and other worldwide mainstream audiences have the most contact with jack music and dance forms in contemporary prime time productions of the myriad dance shows like America's Best Dance Crew
America's Best Dance Crew
America's Best Dance Crew, often abbreviated as ABDC, is an American competitive dance reality television series that features street dance crews from the United States and around the world. It is produced by American Idol judge Randy Jackson and airs on MTV...
. Other more highly stylized forms of the dance have found their way into house and break sessions of all kinds all over the world, with many performing dance performing art magnets incorporating both jack music into more traditional styles of modern dance.
External links
- The House Dance Project
- Lawrence Liner Notes
- A History of House Dancing
- "Time to Jack"
- http://www.mtv.com/ontv/dyn/dance_crew/series.jhtml
- http://www.villagevoice.com/2007-06-26/music/powder-burns/
1.*http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4012940.html
2.*http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1615680/20090710/story.jhtml