Bob Fosse

Fosse’s Signature Moves

Fosse’s signature moves (displayed above) are an important part of his dance style.

• The Rake: Two bent legs, feet flat on the floor, upper torso leaning back. Hands by the sides in a cupped position with elbows pointing up and to the back. One foot can also go in front as pictured above.
• The Crane: One foot flat on the floor, the other by the knee with the upper body bent forwards. Hands are also by the sides with a cupping position.
• The Drip: The drip is an extremely recognizable position. Wrists are “broken” by the sides and feet are bent inwards with slightly bent legs.
• The Splain: Fingers are ‘splained’ when pinching a hat, for example. Feet are either in 1st position or bent inwards.
• The Stack: One person on the chair with open legs, another sat on the chair in between their legs. The last person sits on their closed legs.

What do I know about Fosse?

Bob (Robert) Fosse was mostly known as a dancer and musical theatre/film director. Although, he was also an actor. His most famous works were Pippin, Cabaret and Chicago.

Fosse was American. His style was developed due to his limitations. For example, he was unable to properly stick his feet out when doing ballet and so his famous technique – feet  facing inwards – was created. He wore hats because he lost his hair very quickly, too. More of his technique included the lowering of shoulders. He exaggerated his imperfections to form a unique and stunning dance style.

Gwen Verdon was a huge part of Fosse’s life. Verdon was originally a ballet dancer, but when she saw Fosse’s style for the first time, she knew that that was what she wanted to be doing. Fosse loved how she could perform his dance style perfectly and exactly how he envisioned it. Fosse and Verdon began a romantic relationship and their bond was so strong that even after it ended and they were divorced, they still continued working together as insuperable partners.

Fosse’s lifestyle, despite his huge success, was not so healthy. He became not only obsessed with his work in an unhealthy way but also a heavy smoker and drug user who was often around women and sex. He had heart problems for a long time and eventually died at the age of 60 on the opening night of Sweet Charity Revival.

The Stack

Musical Theatre – Jazz Dance

Jazz dance is a style of dance that builds on African American dancing that merged with Jazz music. It is compared to ballet as a “downbeat version” which is more frantic. Examples of Jazz dancing include:

• Charleston (1920s)
• Swing (1940s-1950s)
• Jive (1950s-1960s)
• Tap (1800s)

In the 1910’s, a dance move named the “Shimmy” gained popularity due to a Spencer William song, “Shim-Me-Sha-Wabble”. The movement included the simple act of isolating (keeping everything else still) the shoulders and shaking them. Often, people used the “Shimmy” in their hips instead.

Another Jazz dance style is the Charleston. The dance was developed by Katheryn Wilson and is associated with ‘the flappers’ of 1920. The flappers wore short skirts and cut their hair short into a bob (this is how you will find people are dressed in videos of the dance). This dance was a great physical representation of the post-WW1 enthusiasm.

Tap dance is considered to be the ‘original form of Jazz’. Although Jazz has become a separate dance in its own right now, it is said to have evolved from tap. The movements are very similar, however, tap involves far more isolation of the feet. When it comes to tap dancing, the beat that you tap your feet in is extremely important. In the video below, it is clear how in-time all of the dancers are – not only with the song – but with each other. This translates to jazz dance, which is also very much about keeping in with the beat of the music and really feeling it.

These days, people are taking Jazz dance far more seriously. People take professional classes, even, and make Jazz dancing their entire lives.

Jazz dancing became very popular in old musicals or musical films

Bob Fosse is an example of a choreographer who loved Jazz dance. He choreographed many musical works both on stage and in films, for example, in Chicago or Cabaret. Jerome Robbins also choreographed West Side Story. The fact he focused mainly on classical ballet, shows how linked the two dance styles are. Jack Cole was an American dancer, choreographer, and theatre director known as “the Father of Theatrical Jazz Dance”. Cole choreographed dances in Cover Girl, Meet me After the Snow, Gilda and many more.

Critical Report (Dance)

When we started the term, the first main techniques we were taught were José Limón’s. The technique is divided among various themes: fall and recovery, weight, suspension, rebound, succession and isolation. It focuses on the movement of breath through the body, the dynamic use of weight with each body part and the succession of one movement into the next. We were taught some exercises so that our body’s could become accustomed to the new and unusual movements. Limón’s technique (although not strictly adhered to Limón but instead could be part of Horton/Ailey techniques) was used in some of our dance performances. For example, in Rocka My Soul, our feet were switching around, hopping from one to the other. This is an example of rebound. Suspension was used in Sinner Man, where we held our bodies still and tense before allowing them to drop in a swift manner.

In Rocka My Soul – a dance from Alvin Ailey’s Revelations series – I used a variety of Horton and Ailey techniques. For example, plenty of body parts were isolated throughout the duration of the performance. Isolation of certain, unusual body parts such as the hips (for Horton) or the wrists (for Ailey) are a big part of their techniques. At the beginning, for instance, we all waft our wrists about (the girls did it with a fan in their hands). Another example of where an Alvin Ailey technique was used is when I was part of a group of people who did a lunge towards a singular dancer. Our backs, however, had to be kept flat. Flat backs are commonly used when it comes to Ailey’s style. Horton’s influence shows through Ailey’s dances like with the wine glass stance we have when we are spinning at the end of Rocka My Soul.

Another dance in Ailey’s Revelations series that we performed was Sinner Man. This time, we used our knowledge of Horton and Ailey techniques to almost entirely choreograph the dance by ourselves. This was an extremely interesting experience and it taught me that I’d like to do more choreography when it comes to dance. An example of where we applied an obvious Horton/Ailey technique was when the group of people I was put with for the choreographing activity used strange wrist movements (articulation of the hands) whilst keeping the rest of our bodies still. After this, we used another popular technique which was bending over with a completely flat back; our wrists were still turned. Later on in this dance, we used one of Horton’s main focuses: the pelvic hinge. Multiple techniques of their’s were applied continuously throughout the dance. It seemed amazing to me that we could come up with our own dance using the Horton and Ailey techniques that actually looked distinctly similar to Ailey’s originals.

There are some specific dance skills that I feel I have developed more than others this term. The main skill that I have worked hardest on is the pelvic hinge. I chose to develop this more because I started out unable to do it easily but I found it to be extremely interesting and important in what we were doing. Eventually after working on my balance and practicing centering myself from my hips, I got the hang of this movement. Something a little more general that I have developed is my balance. When engaging new and unusual body parts (which is something we have been doing a great deal), it’s easy to lose your balance as all of your focus is on a small area of your body. With more practice of the Horton/Ailey techniques, I became more well-balanced and this will be helpful for any future dancing.

My target for the next term is to practice the skills we were taught. I was behind on the Lester Horton techniques and therefore wasn’t able to easily complete the exercises we were taught. Knowing these exercises will help with my future dancing skills by having a new type of skill set that can likely link closely to other dance techniques by other people we may or may not study in the upcoming future. I also would like to rehearse the Horton and Ailey techniques as I found them to be very interesting and engaging when performed. If we ever work on choreography again, maybe I can include their techniques in the dance.

Horton & Ailey Research

Lester Horton was a dancer and choreographer. His initial interested in dance was inspired by Native American culture and dancers such as Ted Shawn and Ruth St. Denis.

He began studying ballet and later moved to Chicago to briefly be trained by someone else. In 1926, Horton performed in his first stage production and from then on became not only involved in choreography but in the stage and costume too.

Eventually, Horton travelled to New Mexico to learn dances from Native American performers. The production travelled to Los Angeles and Horton chose to stay there and continue studying dance.

Horton learned to integrate props into dance and present performances as dramatic theatre. As his teaching career took off, Horton also focused on choreography. Two of his early works were Kootenai War Dance and Voodoo Ceremonial.

When an American audience first saw Horton’s pieces, they were described as “shocked by the barefooted dancers contorting themselves into angular and rigid movements.”

Horton’s technique relies on athletic ability more than difficult tricks and spins. Horton was also very fascinated by different body parts and he played with strange, sharp movements.

Many performances of his revolve around maintaining straight backs, flexibility in the arms and legs and tilting the body/head. He also liked to used pelvic hinges – making the body bend and move without moving the pelvis.

His movements were extremely dynamic.

In my opinion, Horton’s dance style was extremely engaging as it was strange and unusual and many of his dances were inspired by unsettling stories. For example, “The Beloved,” choreographed by Horton, was an early featured performance of his Dance Group. It was based on a true story of a husband who trampled his wife to death with a Bible out of rage for her infidelity. – Source Which appeals to the slightly macabre.

Alvin Ailey studied under Horton’s teaching as it was one of the racially diverse dance schools in the United States. He joined Horton’s dance company in 1953.

When Horton died suddenly of a heart attack, the company was left without leaderships and Alvin Ailey took over as artistic director and choreographer.

Alvin Ailey wrote, “What it came down to was that, for Lester, his art was much more important than the color of a dancer’s skin.”

In 1958, Ailey founded the Alvin and Ailey American Dance Theater honouring Black culture through dance. His most premiered and critically claimed work was Revelations.

Ailey brought traits of tribal movements into his dance and experimented with African dances; this was much like Horton’s initial inspiration.

Ailey also used Horton’s idea of strange movements focused on unusual body parts (hands, wrists, ankles) that were not usually used in other dances. Horton liked the pelvic hinge whilst Ailey used lots of wrist movement.

Much like Horton, Ailey’s creations were often telling an unnerving story such as being about slavery. In my opinion, the unusual technique appeals to me in the same way Horton’s style does.

As well as this, this technique that very much isolates new body parts within dance improves my form as a dancer. By learning to isolate not only my limbs but my hands, wrists and ankles, too, I am teaching new muscles to work with any dance I do. My whole body can become incorporated into the dance and therefore looking more professional. Many of the movements in these styles also stretch each muscle which improves flexibility throughout my body.

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What Makes an Engaging Dance?

In my opinion, an engaging dance performance must have meaning. A story should be told with the use of not only pace and style but with facial expression. For me, when a dance piece has spurts of quick and slow movements, I am engaged because this shows emotion and a constant change of scenery keeps me interested in the piece.

In general, a dance performance including a wide variety of techniques is engaging to me.

An example of a dance I enjoy is Alvin Ailey’s ‘Revelations’ because this dance shows exactly this. Movements are slow and compact to begin with, and then the dance becomes chaotic as performers leap and spin around the space.

And at times, the dancers work in unison perfectly making the dance look extremely well-rehearsed and amazing to the eye.

Although I love the way that canon and unison techniques can be used when many dancers are involved, my favourite dance pieces are contemporary solo.

I prefer when dances are solo because you can focus on every body movement the dancer makes and their personal facial expression. When a story can be told only with one dancer, for me, it just makes it that much more magical.

The dancer is forced to use the whole stage in order to engage those in every section of the audience which allows for professional leaps and twirls that amaze everyone.

This solo dance by a figure skater is a perfect example of what really engages me:

At the beginning, she is kneeling down with minimal movements whereas at (1:31 – 1:58), Elena speeds up. Also, between (1:53 – 1:57), she uses different levels to incorporate even more of a variety of movements. This is an example of how contrast in a dance keeps it interesting and engaging. Her facial expression entices me so much as she appears to feel ‘free’ when skating around and it makes me want to do the same dance.

Conclusively, a dance that inspires me to dance is – to me – an engaging performance.

José Limón

His Life

José Limón was a dancer and choreographer known as the man who developed the Limón Technique.

He was born as José Acardio Limó on January 12th, 1908 in Culiacán, Mexico. He was the eldest of twelve children.

Limón was first inspired to dance after attending a performance by Harald Kreutzberg and Yvonne Georgi. He then decided to enrol in the Humphrey-Weidman school.

He first performed on Broadway in 1930 and the same year, choreographed his own dance named Etude in D Minor.

After multiple performances and a choreographs, Limón left the Humphrey-Weidman company to work with May O’donnell. Together, they choreographed multiple pieces such as War Lyrics and Curtain Riser. The partnership faded after he married Pauline Lawrence who was a founding member of the Humphrey-Weidman company.

In April 1943, Limón was drafted into the army where he collaborated with composers Frank Loesser and Alex North, choreographing multiple pieces for the U.S. Army Special Services.

In 1946, Limón formed the Limón Dance Company in which Humphrey was the artistic director. He eventually developed his own principles of the style that was to become the Limón Technique.

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The Limón Technique

The technique is divided among various themes: fall and recovery, weight, suspension, rebound, succession and isolation. It focuses on the movement of breath through the body, the dynamic use of weight with each body part and the succession of one movement into the next.

Lucas Hoving

Hoving first met Limón in 1946 in a New York ballet class. Limón invited him to join his dance company the next year. Dance critic, Ann Murphy notes: “…These two men expanded the terrain of modern dance by giving unprecedented richness not only to male expression but to men in relationship to one another…”

Doris Humphrey

Limón asked Humphrey to be the Artistic Director of his new company. This was seen as unusual at the time as she had been his teacher for years. This partnership endured until her death in 1958 creating a unique modern dance company and approach to movement that continues to shape generations of dancers and artists.