Modern Jive
Encyclopedia
Modern Jive is a dance style derived from Swing
, Lindy Hop
, Rock and Roll
, Salsa
and others, the main innovation being to simplify the footwork - by removing syncopation
such as chasse
. The term French Jive is occasionally used instead, reflecting the origins of the style. The word modern distinguishes it from ballroom Jive
.
Modern Jive is a male-led dance.
in the aftermath of World War II
, when American dances such as the Jitterbug had been popular due to the presence of the American military (but the French were entirely unable to comprehend).
, LeRoc or French Jive, although Ceroc was the original. Christine Keeble used the term 'modern jive' to encompass all of these names.
The term 'modern jive' was adopted, despite the absence of chasse or triple step (typical of "real" jive forms). Various clubs promalgating the name as the dance spread out from its two earliest centres of London and Bristol and it later became accepted as a generic term for the dance. It is now used by a large number of independent teachers across the UK and internationally. It is also used by many of the franchise operators, although these companies still prefer to use their own branding.
or run under various brand names
- including,DanceJive, ViBe Dance Nights "Revolution Dance" Northwest, Ceroc
, LeRoc
, Mo'Jive, http://www.cloud9jive.co.uk Cloud9 | Modern Jive in Bath & Bristol], Jive Nation, South Coast Modern Jive The Thing, and others. Beyond the bounds of the English-speaking world, modern jive has still to make an immpact. In Europe there are a number of Modern Jive institutions notably PARTYdanceSTYLE in Poland and M-Jive in Germany which are slowly bringing the dance style to a wider audience.
Following a different but parallel evolutionary path, dance styles such as Discofox
(found in Germany
and Switzerland
) and Bugg
(found in Sweden
) can also be considered to be forms of Modern Jive and may be indistinguishable from those found in the UK and elsewhere in Europe
.
s in common, moves from many forms of dance including Salsa
and Tango
may be included, according to the specific franchise or even the particular dance teacher. Because of its eclectic nature there are hundreds of moves and variations that can be learnt, introduced or adapted.
Although dance routines are developed and rehearsed for competitions, Modern Jive is most frequently danced freestyle, providing additional challenges to more advanced dancers in terms of musical interpretation and expression.
s, Modern Jive is most often a male-led dance.
Modern Jive is also occasionally danced by three dancers, with one lead and two followers (a variant known as "Double Trouble" in the UK or "Triples" in Australia/New Zealand).
Also it can be danced with a change of male lead with one female follow, known in the UK as Tag.
The original "rock" footwork specifices a step back with either foot, transferring the weight to the moved foot on each of the odd numbered beats (1, 3, 5, 7) The moved foot is returned to its starting position on the even beats. (2, 4, 6, 8).
"Step" footwork specifies that the leader takes a step back with the right foot on the half beat or "and" count and "closes", stepping backwards with the left foot on the numbered count. "closing" implies that the feet end up close together. On the next count the leader steps forward with their right foot on the "and" count and closes with their left on the numbered count. The follower mirrors this by stepping back on their left and "closing" with their right and then stepping forward with their left and closing with their right.
Rock footwork was originally offered as a "beginner" footwork in Australia. More recently it has been dropped. The reason for it being dropped is pedagogical. The problem appeared to be that the transition from beginner to intermediate dancer (so-called) meant one had to "unlearn" one and then "re-learn" another rhythm and weight change components of the dance. Unfortunately, the "rock" footwork is actually more suited to fast music (leaning towards "advanced" dancers) as it reduces the number of weight changes required during any rhythm unit. Thus, the preference for "step" footwork has reduced the "terminal velocity" modern jive can be danced at - because it forces a weight change every beat.
), from latest chart hits to big band
music and everything between, in a wide variety of tempos from slow to very fast. Some teachers or franchises may concentrate on particular musical styles, such as swing. Music is typically between 108 and 160 bpm. Experienced jivers occasionally dance to music outside those broad constraints.
Ceroc
run the majority of the large-scale (1000+ dancers) weekenders; independent organisers run the majority of the smaller-scale weekender events, such as the Jive Addiction events.
Depending on how the scoring is done, the judges may award marks for each of these, or may just give an overall mark or place, based on considering each of these factors.
Additionally, there are also the Welsh (Cardiff), the Scottish and the Midlands Ceroc Championships as regional competitions.
A fourth UK-wide competition, the UK Dance Champs, in Weston-Super-Mare, was last run in 2009.
Starting in 2012 a European Modern Jive compettion will be held in Warsaw Poland, sponsored by Jive Nation Poland
Swing (dance)
"Swing dance" is a group of dances that developed with the swing style of jazz music in the 1920s-1950s, although the earliest of these dances predate swing jazz music. The best known of these dances is the Lindy Hop, a popular partner dance that originated in Harlem and is still danced today...
, Lindy Hop
Lindy Hop
The Lindy Hop is an American social dance, from the swing dance family. It evolved in Harlem, New York City in the 1920s and '30s and originally evolved with the jazz music of that time. Lindy was a fusion of many dances that preceded it or were popular during its development but is mainly based...
, Rock and Roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
, Salsa
Salsa (dance)
Salsa is a syncretic dance form with origins in Cuba as the meeting point of Spanish and African cultures.Salsa is normally a partner dance, although there are recognized solo forms such as solo dancing "suelta" and "Rueda de Casino" where multiple couples exchange partners in a circle...
and others, the main innovation being to simplify the footwork - by removing syncopation
Syncopation
In music, syncopation includes a variety of rhythms which are in some way unexpected in that they deviate from the strict succession of regularly spaced strong and weak but also powerful beats in a meter . These include a stress on a normally unstressed beat or a rest where one would normally be...
such as chasse
Chasse
Chasse or chassé rarely chassée is a dance step used in many dances in many variants, all of them being triple-step patterns of gliding character, steps going basically step-together-step. The word came from ballet terminology...
. The term French Jive is occasionally used instead, reflecting the origins of the style. The word modern distinguishes it from ballroom Jive
Jive (dance)
In Ballroom dancing, Jive is a dance style in 4/4 time that originated in the United States from African-Americans in the early 1930s. It was originally presented to the public as 'Jive' in 1934 by Cab Calloway. It is a lively and uninhibited variation of the Jitterbug, a form of Swing dance...
.
Modern Jive is a male-led dance.
History
Modern Jive was developed in the United Kingdom during the 1980s at three London-based clubs, 'Ceroc', 'Le Roc' and 'Cosmopolitan Jive'. The style was based upon a type of Jive that had evolved in FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in the aftermath of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, when American dances such as the Jitterbug had been popular due to the presence of the American military (but the French were entirely unable to comprehend).
Branding
The term Modern Jive was originally coined in 1990 by Christine Keeble on a programme called 'How To Jive', designed to promulgate this new style of jive. At that time the dance was known variously as CerocCeroc
Ceroc is a partner dance best described as a fusion of Salsa and Jive, but without the complicated footwork. It is derived from many other dances including French Jive, Swing, Lindy Hop, and Rock and Roll, the main change being simplified footwork which makes it more accessible to beginners.The...
, LeRoc or French Jive, although Ceroc was the original. Christine Keeble used the term 'modern jive' to encompass all of these names.
The term 'modern jive' was adopted, despite the absence of chasse or triple step (typical of "real" jive forms). Various clubs promalgating the name as the dance spread out from its two earliest centres of London and Bristol and it later became accepted as a generic term for the dance. It is now used by a large number of independent teachers across the UK and internationally. It is also used by many of the franchise operators, although these companies still prefer to use their own branding.
Organisations
In the English-speaking world, Modern Jive classes and events are often franchisedFranchising
Franchising is the practice of using another firm's successful business model. The word 'franchise' is of anglo-French derivation - from franc- meaning free, and is used both as a noun and as a verb....
or run under various brand names
Brand
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...
- including,DanceJive, ViBe Dance Nights "Revolution Dance" Northwest, Ceroc
Ceroc
Ceroc is a partner dance best described as a fusion of Salsa and Jive, but without the complicated footwork. It is derived from many other dances including French Jive, Swing, Lindy Hop, and Rock and Roll, the main change being simplified footwork which makes it more accessible to beginners.The...
, LeRoc
LeRoc
LeRoc is a form of Modern Jive, a dance style that was derived in the 1980s, from dances including Swing, Lindy Hop and Rock and Roll, the main innovation being to simplify the footwork....
, Mo'Jive, http://www.cloud9jive.co.uk Cloud9 | Modern Jive in Bath & Bristol], Jive Nation, South Coast Modern Jive The Thing, and others. Beyond the bounds of the English-speaking world, modern jive has still to make an immpact. In Europe there are a number of Modern Jive institutions notably PARTYdanceSTYLE in Poland and M-Jive in Germany which are slowly bringing the dance style to a wider audience.
Following a different but parallel evolutionary path, dance styles such as Discofox
Discofox
Discofox or Disco Fox is a social partner dance evolved in Europe in mid-seventies as a rediscovery of the dance hold in the improvisational disco dance scene dominated by solo dancing, approximately at the same time when hustle emerged in the United States. Both dances were greatly influenced by...
(found in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
) and Bugg
Bugg
Bugg is a common dance style in Sweden and is very popular on the dancefloors, when dansbands play. Bugg is a four step dance and performed at different paces . Bugg is a partner dance and follows certain basic rules, but a is essentially improvised, with the woman following the man's lead....
(found in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
) can also be considered to be forms of Modern Jive and may be indistinguishable from those found in the UK and elsewhere in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
Dance moves
While all these forms of Modern Jive have Swing and Rock-and-Roll dance moveDance move
Dance moves or dance steps are the building blocks of many dances.More complex dance moves are called dance patterns, dance figures or dance variations....
s in common, moves from many forms of dance including Salsa
Salsa (dance)
Salsa is a syncretic dance form with origins in Cuba as the meeting point of Spanish and African cultures.Salsa is normally a partner dance, although there are recognized solo forms such as solo dancing "suelta" and "Rueda de Casino" where multiple couples exchange partners in a circle...
and Tango
Tango (dance)
Tango dance originated in the area of the Rio de la Plata , and spread to the rest of the world soon after....
may be included, according to the specific franchise or even the particular dance teacher. Because of its eclectic nature there are hundreds of moves and variations that can be learnt, introduced or adapted.
Although dance routines are developed and rehearsed for competitions, Modern Jive is most frequently danced freestyle, providing additional challenges to more advanced dancers in terms of musical interpretation and expression.
Move naming
Different franchises or teachers often have different names for identical moves, and different signals to indicate the next move. The Man's Spin taught one venue may be identical to the Man's Pass taught by a different venue. Due to its origins, Modern Jive moves may be similar to moves from other dance styles; the First Move Triple Steps in Modern Jive is similar to the Lindy Hop Jockey, for example. Despite this there is rarely a problem dancing with people who have been taught other styles, at least with the less advanced moves.Lead Variations
Like many Western partner dancePartner dance
Partner dances are dances whose basic choreography involves coordinated dancing of two partners, as opposed to individuals dancing alone or individually in a non-coordinated manner, and as opposed to groups of people dancing simultaneously in a coordinated manner.In the year 1023 the German poet...
s, Modern Jive is most often a male-led dance.
Modern Jive is also occasionally danced by three dancers, with one lead and two followers (a variant known as "Double Trouble" in the UK or "Triples" in Australia/New Zealand).
Also it can be danced with a change of male lead with one female follow, known in the UK as Tag.
Step footwork vs Rock footwork
Many of the Australian offshoots of ceroc transitioned to a footwork coined "Step" in about 1995.The original "rock" footwork specifices a step back with either foot, transferring the weight to the moved foot on each of the odd numbered beats (1, 3, 5, 7) The moved foot is returned to its starting position on the even beats. (2, 4, 6, 8).
"Step" footwork specifies that the leader takes a step back with the right foot on the half beat or "and" count and "closes", stepping backwards with the left foot on the numbered count. "closing" implies that the feet end up close together. On the next count the leader steps forward with their right foot on the "and" count and closes with their left on the numbered count. The follower mirrors this by stepping back on their left and "closing" with their right and then stepping forward with their left and closing with their right.
Rock footwork was originally offered as a "beginner" footwork in Australia. More recently it has been dropped. The reason for it being dropped is pedagogical. The problem appeared to be that the transition from beginner to intermediate dancer (so-called) meant one had to "unlearn" one and then "re-learn" another rhythm and weight change components of the dance. Unfortunately, the "rock" footwork is actually more suited to fast music (leaning towards "advanced" dancers) as it reduces the number of weight changes required during any rhythm unit. Thus, the preference for "step" footwork has reduced the "terminal velocity" modern jive can be danced at - because it forces a weight change every beat.
Music
Modern Jive is generally danced to music with four beats to the bar (Quadruple or Common timeCommon Time
"Common Time" is a science fiction short story written by James Blish. It first appeared in the August 1953 issue of Science Fiction Quarterly and has been reprinted several times: in the 1959 short-story collection Galactic Cluster; in The Testament of Andros ; in The Penguin Science Fiction...
), from latest chart hits to big band
Big band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
music and everything between, in a wide variety of tempos from slow to very fast. Some teachers or franchises may concentrate on particular musical styles, such as swing. Music is typically between 108 and 160 bpm. Experienced jivers occasionally dance to music outside those broad constraints.
Weekenders
In the UK and Australia, there are a number of "weekenders" (short dance-focused holidays, typically running from Friday - Monday) running annually.Ceroc
Ceroc
Ceroc is a partner dance best described as a fusion of Salsa and Jive, but without the complicated footwork. It is derived from many other dances including French Jive, Swing, Lindy Hop, and Rock and Roll, the main change being simplified footwork which makes it more accessible to beginners.The...
run the majority of the large-scale (1000+ dancers) weekenders; independent organisers run the majority of the smaller-scale weekender events, such as the Jive Addiction events.
Competitions
Modern Jive competitions are typically judged based on the following criteria:- Musicality
- Content & execution
- Style & Technique
- Presentation
Depending on how the scoring is done, the judges may award marks for each of these, or may just give an overall mark or place, based on considering each of these factors.
UK competitions
There are a number of annual Modern Jive competitions in the United Kingdom. The main three UK-wide competitions are:- http://www.blackpoolmjchamps.com (The only independent competition held in Blackpool)
- Ceroc Champs (London)
- Britroc (Hove)
Additionally, there are also the Welsh (Cardiff), the Scottish and the Midlands Ceroc Championships as regional competitions.
A fourth UK-wide competition, the UK Dance Champs, in Weston-Super-Mare, was last run in 2009.
Starting in 2012 a European Modern Jive compettion will be held in Warsaw Poland, sponsored by Jive Nation Poland