The origin of jazz dance goes back to Africa. In Africa, it was customary for natives to dance to celebrate the cycles of life such as birth, puberty, marriage and death. It was about expressing their cultural beliefs. Drums, stringed instruments, chimes, reeds and other percussion instruments give rhythm to the dancers. When slaves were brought to America, they continued to interpret life through dance. However, their dances, although based on African traditions, were influenced by the European origins of the plantation owners, so the dances changed. In 1817, New Orleans set aside a green space called Congo Square for African dance and informal musical improvisation. It was the home ground for many jazz musicians and performers and served as an important starting place for one of New Orleans' most famous exports, the all-American art form called jazz. But the dance continued to evolve, settling primarily into a dynamic style known as jazz dance that we now call tap. Watching slaves dance led white people to stereotypes. Whites began blackening their faces and imitating slave dancers as early as the 1800s. John Durang, one of America's first professional dancers, described parts of his routine in 1789 as containing "shuffles", a movement of slave dancers. The world's first dance imitating slave dancers was Thomas Rice's "Jump Jim Crow" in 1828. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayJazz dance parallels the birth and spread of jazz itself from its roots in black American society and was popularized in ballrooms by the big bands of the swing era. . Since the 1920s, jazz dance has represented an ever-evolving form of popular and artistic dance movement. As popular culture evolves, so does jazz dance. Individuality and improvisation are essential to jazz dance. In both ancient dances and 20th century jazz dances, there is a notable continuity of dance elements and movements. Eagle rock and slow drag as well as Charleston and jitterbug have elements in common with certain Caribbean and African dances. Additionally, slow drag contributed to the 1950s fish; the ring cry, which survived from the 18th to the 20th century, in isolated regions, influenced the cakewalk. Around 1900, the cakewalk, popularized through stage performances, became a craze in European and American ballrooms. In its wake other social dances appeared such as Charleston, jitterbug, twist, Black Bottom, Boogie Woogie, Swing, Lindy Hop and disco dancing. Some, like the foxtrot, borrow European dance steps and adapt them to jazz rhythms. The development of radio, television and recording, which popularized black music among a wide audience, contributed greatly to the spread of these dances. The fusion of ballet and jazz has led in recent years to the formation of troupes such as Les Ballets Jazz du Canada..