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Gus Giordano

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description Gus Giordano Overview

Gus Giordano was an American jazz dancer and choreographer who played a crucial role in establishing jazz dance as a respected theatrical concert form. He founded the Giordano Dance Chicago company in 1963, one of the first professional jazz dance companies in the United States. Giordano also developed a codified jazz technique that emphasizes isolations, core strength, and grounded movements. In 1990, he founded the Jazz Dance World Congress to bring together jazz dance professionals and educators globally.

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What is the Giordano jazz dance technique?

Gus Giordano's technique combines grounded movement, an articulated torso, clean isolations, and rhythmic attack. It helped establish jazz dance as a disciplined concert form rather than merely an accompaniment to popular entertainment.

What company did Gus Giordano establish in Chicago?

He founded the company now known as Giordano Dance Chicago in 1963. It became one of the major American companies devoted to jazz dance.

Did Gus Giordano write a standard textbook on jazz dance?

Yes, his book Anthology of American Jazz Dance documented jazz-dance vocabulary and teaching methods. It contributed to the codification of a form that had often been transmitted informally.

What is the link between Gus Giordano and the Jazz Dance World Congress?

Giordano founded the Jazz Dance World Congress, which brought together performers, teachers, and choreographers from different countries. The event supported his broader effort to give jazz dance international recognition as a concert art.