Films, Choreographers, and Cultural Roots
After exploring the rich history of jazz dance across decades—from its cultural roots to its rise in film, Broadway, and pop culture—this post brings everything together in one easy-to-reference guide.
Whether you’re a dancer, choreographer, educator, or simply curious about jazz dance, this cheat sheet offers a quick overview of the most influential films, choreographers, stage productions, and cultural influences that shaped jazz dance from the 1920s to the 1990s. Use it as a study tool, inspiration board, or resource for your own creative projects.
Jazz Dance Films by Decade
1920s–1930s
- 42nd Street (1933)
- Flying Down to Rio (1933)
- Gold Diggers (1933)
1940s
- Oklahoma! (1943)
- Anchors Aweigh (1945)
- Ziegfeld Follies (1946)
- On the Town (1949)
1950s
- Guys and Dolls (1950)
- An American in Paris (1951)
- Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
- Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)
- West Side Story (1957)
1960s
- Man of La Mancha (1966)
- Cabaret (1972)
1970s
- Saturday Night Fever (1977)
- All That Jazz (1979)
1980s
- Fame (1980)
- Flashdance (1983)
- Footloose (1984)
- Breakin’ (1985)
- Dirty Dancing (1987)
1990s
- MTV music videos and dance competitions (no standout films, but strong influence from pop culture)
Key Choreographers and Performers by Era
1930s–1940s
- Busby Berkeley
- Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers
- Jerome Robbins
1950s–1960s
- Gene Kelly
- Matt Mattox
- Michael Kidd
- Cyd Charisse
- Bob Fosse
- Ron Field
- Luigi
- Gus Giordano
1970s
- Bob Fosse
- Michael Bennett
- John Travolta
1980s–1990s
- Debbie Allen
- Joe Tremaine
- Michael Jackson
- Paula Abdul
- Madonna
- Janet Jackson
- Tommy Tune
Broadway stage highlights
- Oklahoma! (Agnes de Mille)
- West Side Story (Jerome Robbins)
- Cabaret (Ron Field)
- Sweet Charity (Bob Fosse)
- Cats, Phantom of the Opera (Andrew Lloyd Webber)
- A Chorus Line, Chicago, Grease
Fusion & ethnic foundations of jazz dance
Jazz dance is a fusion of many cultural influences:
- African: Earthy movements, body isolations, rhythmic clapping, improvisation
- European: Irish Jig, English Clog, ballet technique
- Latin & Caribbean: In the 1940s, dance forms from Afro-Haitian and Latin American cultures began to merge with jazz dance. These styles rejuvenated jazz’s primitive and earthy qualities, introducing drumming as a primary musical source and adding vibrant energy to the movement vocabulary.
- Indian: East Indian linear movement (Jack Cole, Matt Mattox).
Around the 1940s, West Indian dance forms also fused with jazz. Pioneering jazz choreographer Jack Cole studied East Indian linear dance movements, incorporating them into his technique. His research laid the groundwork for Matt Mattox’s jazz style, which emphasized body isolation and geometric movement design. As described in Jumping into Jazz:
“Mattox’s technique involves the isolation of body parts and the view that the body, in its simplest form, is a straight line from which designs can be created. Mattox’s style is percussive, with strong angular movements and sharp accents, rebounds, and turns.”
- Egyptian: Stylized poses and visual aesthetics. By the 1970s, breakdance had become a major influence on jazz dance. Interestingly, breakdance itself drew inspiration from Egyptian art and movement aesthetics, adding another layer of cultural depth to jazz’s evolution.
- 1970s Fusion: Breakdance, disco, aerobic dance, street styles.
Conclusion: A Living Legacy
Jazz dance is a constantly evolving art form, shaped by music, culture, and the creativity of those who perform it. From African rhythms to Broadway stages, from disco clubs to MTV, jazz dance has reflected the spirit of each era while staying true to its expressive roots. This cheat sheet is just a snapshot of its journey—a reminder of how diverse, dynamic, and deeply human jazz dance truly is.
Whether you’re revisiting the classics or exploring new styles, let this guide be your companion in celebrating the rhythm, history, and heart of jazz dance.
