Hello!

It is a great pleasure for me to introduce you to a series of videotapes on jazz dance didactics which have the purpose of:
simplifying the technical organization of courses as well as the development of variations
familiarizing with different choreographic styles

sincerely   Gianin LORINGETT  ( full CV )


Jazz dance is an urban and multilateral form of expression. Every country in the world has contributed to its development with its own roots, culture and traditions. The multivalence and richness in styles of this form of art are fascinating. .I have always tried to present a very broad perspective of jazz dance, both to my students and to the audience while on tour with the "OFF JAZZ DANCE COMPANY".

I was fortunate to begin my career as an artist with a teacher and even more a great jazz dance pedagogue, Matt Mattox, whose work has influenced several generations of artists. My experience as a dancer in the musical West Side Story and in several other productions gave me the opportunity – thanks to my teachers – to follow the evolution of jazz dance of the 40's at the threshold of the second millenium. Experience has taught me to take into consideration two fundamental elements related to jazz dance:

- the evolution: jazz and society change contemporaneously
- the roots: "trends" and "fashions" fade out, but the origins will always represent the basic structure

This explains the presentation of my work on videotape. Each tape is divided into 4 parts:
The barre, thediagonals, shortcuts and choreographies

1. BARRE:
I have always considered bar exercises as being the basics in dancing. Their purpose is to "model" the muscles and improve technique and control. They involve long-term work.
The bar exercises shown in the videotapes are not to be considered as model exercises, they are simply suggestions. Model courses exist only in theory; every course is unique and represents a work session, an exchange between students, a moment of meditation between body and soul, a moment for the pleasure of dancing.

2. DIAGONALS
Diagonals represent the barre in "motion", they include all the elements related to movement, space and dynamic. They involve medium-term work.

3. VARIATIONS
Variations combine all in one the techniques learned at the barre and with diagonals together with musical expression, listening and sensitivity, style, the notion of group work and communication. They involve short-term work.

4. CHOREOGRAPHY
Choreography is the final result. It consists of technical work combined with music and placed into action considering also space and dynamic, and interpreted in the spirit of stage life, in relation to a theme, a culture, a character, according to the sensitivity or atmosphere suggested by the choreographer.

I hope this taped material will be helpful or serve as an inspiration and have the purpose of contributing to the development of your personal work. Gianin LORINGETT

Note: These videotapes are recorded for PAL (Europe) and NTSC (America e Asia) systems. The recordings will appear in black and white on old video recorders or SECAM televisions

OFFJAZZ © All recordings contained in these videotapes are protected by copyright. Any reproductions for the public or even short extracts (against payment or for free) are forbidden. Any form of coproduction requires the author's authorization

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Copyright (c) 1997 Webmaster: G. LORINGETT; all rights reserved. These pages may not be used for financial gain or for commercial collections or compilations without express permission from the author.