Be alive...Read about the JIVE!
By: Stephanie Pendley
Work like you don’t need money, love like you’ve never been hurt and DANCE like there’s no one watching you. This is basically how the jive is, and upbeat dance that originated in the United States in the 1940’s by African Americans. The jive use to be called, the Jitter-Bug Jive by the Europeans, during the WW II. But after the war, it came back to the states, they left the Jitter-Bug off and just kept the jive. According to the Central Home Dance Resource, “ Jive is the faster version of the swing. Dancers use a more bouncy type movement using the balls of the feet a lot. A lot of kicks are used in give” (Jive).
Jive is a very fast, it is always the last dance danced at competitions. In competition the dance is danced at a speed of 44 bars per minute, but for people who are not competitive the dance is reduced to 32 to 40 bars per minute (Tyner). Partners must move in sync, as one. They must hold one another during the dance and understand the expected patterns.
Costume is very important to the dance. The costume should be able to be something you can move freely in because the women and men have full rain of motion. The women are often twirled so they should make sure to have a full coverage under their dresses. You are on you feet a lot, and in a fast pace. The bottom of your shoes should have good traction, so you will not slip or fall during performance. The women usually where platform instead of heels because it is easier for them to move around.
Whenever watching or dancing the Swing it puts a smile on your face. The music is always upbeat and it’s a lot of hoping so you get into it, and just go with it. This is why we picked swing. I personally picked the Jive because it was one of the most popular dances from the 1940’s, and my great- aunt use to be in competitions for it. I never got to meet her, but my grandma has showed me pictures of her while she danced. Her costumes where very exciting especially for the way they dressed back then. I think this dance is a very interesting dance, and I do not understand how so many people grasp it. I would have had to start when I was younger and work all the way up till now. The more difficult part about it would be to have a partner for a while and change it. You would have to get use to way they move, the pace they move, and also how to hold each other in a comfortable state for each to freely move. The Jive is fun to watch, and could be fun to learn someday.