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Jamming in dance culture is a kind of informal show-off during a social dance party. Dancers clear a circle (jam circle or dance circle) and dancers or dance couples take turns showing their best tricks while the remaining dancers cheer the jammers on. While some jam circles are staged, most form organically and spontaneously when the energy and mood is right. [1]
The term originated during the swing era of dancing, probably borrowed or appeared in parallel with the expression "jam session" in music. Scenes with jamming may be seen in movies and musicals, such as Hellzapoppin . At the same time, this kind of dance behavior is not unusual in folk dances in various cultures all over the world and is often included in scenic performances when a group dance is interweaved with several solos. In Lindy hop, it is common for jam circles to take place on or around special occasions such as birthdays or weddings. In these cases, the person(s) being celebrated will usually stay in the circle for the duration of the jam and, rather than dance one song with one partner, will dance one song but swap partners many times throughout.
For Flamenco dancing, the circle is called a juerga.
Specific to the bboying culture, cypher circles hold the similar concepts as jam circles. When one or two bboys/bgirls get together to dance, it is known as jamming. But when enough bboys/bgirls get together to make a circle where one can break in, it is known as "cyphering". Cyphering takes place at nearly every bboying jam that takes place. It is a way to show one's experience, the flavor they put into their style, and in some cases, specifically to "burn" or "smoke" another breaker.
A variant of the 'show case' style jam circles is a circle where dancers within the circle swap partners from the outside. Less "showy" than a jam circle, these jams are to commemorate an occasion for the person(s) in the circle. Another way to consider the difference is that while the jam circles showcase ability, the dance circles here showcase dancers. For example, this kind of jam circle may be organized when a dancer from the local dance community celebrates a birthday, or is moving away. Other occasions for these jams include a welcome dance for new members or visitors. Many of these circles are a planned portion of the evening.
The dancers of honor stay in the circle the whole time while other dancers from outside the circle cut in 'on the fly'. Dancers "break in", or "steal", their way into the middle by breaking the connection of the dancers and inserting themselves such that the person of honor continues dancing without missing a beat. Some scenes do this in an organized fashion (such as a line), however, many do so without rules. Such birthday jams are common in swing dance and hustle communities in the United States but not unusual in salsa or tango. While nerve-wracking for beginning dancers the jams do help to meet the local crowd.
This form of jamming often occurs during prom, high school or college dance parties. What happens is that during the dances, the dancers would form a circle, and often, one by one, the dancers, individually or by a group, would come into the circle and display their dancing abilities. The style of dancing is popular amongst hip hop dancers. [2]
This variant of jam circle typically does not involve much of an audience. While a few competitions have staged Charleston jams and competitions, almost always they happen on their own when a few dancers start doing solo Charleston next to each other. Eventually the dancers form a circle and dance solo charleston while watching each other. These jams occur frequently at most Lindy Hop events.
East Coast Swing (ECS) is a form of social partner dance. It belongs to the group of swing dances. It is danced under fast swing music, including: big band, rock and roll, rockabilly, and boogie-woogie.
Jazz dance is a performance dance and style that arose in the United States in the mid 20th century. Jazz dance may allude to vernacular jazz, Broadway or dramatic jazz. The two types expand on African American vernacular styles of dance that arose with jazz music. Vernacular jazz dance incorporates ragtime moves, Charleston, Lindy hop and mambo. Popular vernacular jazz dance performers include The Whitman Sisters, Florence Mills, Ethel Waters, Al Minns and Leon James, Frankie Manning, Norma Miller, Dawn Hampton, and Katherine Dunham. Dramatic jazz dance performed on the show stage was promoted by Jack Cole, Bob Fosse, Eugene Louis Faccuito, and Gus Giordano.
The Charleston is a dance named after the harbor city of Charleston, South Carolina. The rhythm was popularized in mainstream dance music in the United States by a 1923 tune called "The Charleston" by composer/pianist James P. Johnson, which originated in the Broadway show Runnin' Wild and became one of the most popular hits of the decade. Runnin' Wild ran from 28 October 1923 through 28 June 1924. The Charleston dance's peak popularity occurred from mid-1926 to 1927.
West Coast Swing is a partner dance with roots in Lindy Hop, characterized by an elastic look that results from its extension-compression technique of partner connection and is danced primarily in a slotted area on the dance floor. The dance allows for both partners to improvise steps while dancing together, putting West Coast Swing in a short list of dances that emphasize improvisation.
Swing dance is a group of social dances that developed with the swing style of jazz music in the 1920s–1940s, with the origins of each dance predating the popular "swing era". Hundreds of styles of swing dancing were developed; those that have survived beyond that era include Charleston, Balboa, Lindy Hop, and Collegiate Shag. Today, the best-known of these dances is the Lindy Hop, which originated in Harlem in the early 1930s. While the majority of swing dances began in African-American communities as vernacular African-American dances, some influenced swing-era dances, like Balboa, developed outside of these communities.
Swing Rueda is a swing dance in the round (wheel) that features someone calling Lindy Hop moves and the dancers moving in unison. It was adapted from Salsa Rueda by Elaine Hewlett and Jeff Miller at The Rhythm Room Dance Studio, Dallas, Texas in 2000.
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.
The Big Apple is both a partner dance and a circle dance that originated in the Afro-American community of the United States in the beginning of the 20th century.
Krumping is a global culture that evolved through African-American street dancing popularized in the United States during the early 2000s, characterized by free, expressive, exaggerated, and highly energetic movement. The people who originated krumping saw the dance as a means for them to escape gang life.
Frank Manning was an American dancer, instructor, and choreographer. Manning is considered one of the founders of Lindy Hop, an energetic form of the jazz dance style known as swing.
The Hot Shots is a collective name for two closely related Swedish dance companies based in Stockholm, Sweden: The Rhythm Hot Shots and the Harlem Hot Shots. The Hot Shots specialize in faithful reproductions of African-American dance scenes in American films from the 1920s, 30s, and 40s. Dances that they perform include Lindy Hop, Tap dance, Cakewalk, Charleston, and Black Bottom. The members of the Hot Shots are also respected dance instructors and accomplished social dancers. The goals of The Rhythm Hot Shots and the Harlem Hot Shots are the same.
Breakdancing, also called b-boying, b-girling or breaking, is a style of street dance developed by African Americans in The Bronx, New York City, United States.
African-American dance is a form of dance that was created by Africans in the Diaspora, specifically the United States. It has developed within various spaces throughout African-American communities in the United States, rather than studios, schools, or companies. These dances are usually centered on folk and social dance practice, though performance dance often supplies complementary aspects to this. Placing great value on improvisation, these dances are characterized by ongoing change and development. There are a number of notable African-American modern dance companies using African-American cultural dance as an inspiration, among these are the Whitey's Lindy Hoppers, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Dance Theatre of Harlem, and Katherine Dunham Company. Hollywood and Broadway have also provided opportunities for African-American artists to share their work and for the public to support them.
Norma Adele Miller was an American Lindy hop dancer, choreographer, actress, author, and comedian known as the "Queen of Swing".
Kenneth James Gabbert, better known by his stage name Ken Swift, is a second generation b-boy, or breakdancer. He was a longtime member and key figure in the Rock Steady Crew, and its former Vice President. He is now President of the Breaklife and VII Gems Hip Hop movement in New York City. Ken Swift began b-boying in 1978, at the age of twelve, when he was inspired by dancers on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Widely known in the breakdancing world as "the Epitome of a B-Boy," he is widely considered by b-boys to be the individual who has had the greatest influence on breakdancing. Ken Swift is credited with the creation of many dance moves and terminology. His original footwork and "freeze style" became a foundational part of breaking, which were considered new concepts at the time.
Kim Hong-Yul, better known by his stage name Hong 10, is a Korean b-boy. He is part of the Korean crew Flow XL, 7Commandoz worldwide and represents the Red Bull BC One All Stars.
The history of hip-hop dances encompasses the people and events since the late 1960s that have contributed to the development of early hip-hop dance styles, such as uprock, breaking, locking, roboting, boogaloo, and popping. African Americans created uprock and breaking in New York City. African Americans in California created locking, roboting, boogaloo, and popping—collectively referred to as the funk styles. All of these dance styles are different stylistically. They share common ground in their street origins and in their improvisational nature of hip hop.
The Lindy Hop is an American dance which was born in the African-American communities of Harlem, New York City, in 1928 and has evolved since then. It was very popular during the swing era of the late 1930s and early 1940s. Lindy is a fusion of many dances that preceded it or were popular during its development but is mainly based on jazz, tap, breakaway, and Charleston. It is frequently described as a jazz dance and is a member of the swing dance family.
Outbreak Europe is an annual international breaking competition organized by a streetwear and video production company The Legits and The Bboy Spot Europe taking place in Banska Bystrica, Slovakia during last week of July. The competition includes battles in 5 + 1 categories: 2 vs 2, 1 vs 1 Undisputed, 1vs 1 Bgirl, 1 vs 1 Kids, Cypher Kings and Rep Your Country crew battle. This 3-day event is notable for its uniqueness in featuring all 4 hip hop elements which are breaking, DJing, MCing and graffiti writing.
YounessEl Mouaffaq (1994), better known by his stage name Cri6, is a London-based Moroccan competitive b-boy. As of July 2017, he has won a silver medal in the Hip-hop dance category at the VIII Jeux de la Francophonie in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, competing together with the Moroccan national team 04 Lkarwa.