What is Jive dance?

You could be jive talkin’ but instead today we are going to go through some jive dancing! Why? Because jiggling to jive is fun, fitness friendly, fast & furious & FABULOUS! This week Brewer’s Ballroom presents….JIVE DANCE!

What is Jive Dance?

A-hem (clears throat to begin the lesson)…Jive Dance is a style of dance first started in the USA by African-Americans in the early 1930s. When we talk about ballroom dancing, as we often do especially in Strictly Dancing Club, the jive is part of the latin-inspired ballroom dances. However is is grounded in swing dance rather than latin. Learning is fun!

Why is it called Jive Dancing?

Jive dance is so called as it comes from African-American vernacular slang. Cabell Calloway (Cab to his pals), the famous singer and band leader of all things JAZZ published a dictionary with reference to this word. As a word “Jive” to those that played swing music in the 30s and 40s was a way to explaining foolish talk or to be glib.

Then during the WW2 American Soldiers brought over the Lindyhop and and they began to be followed by the youth of the day. While in the USA Swing is used to refer to this dance style in the UK, here at First Dance Studios, we mostly use Jive. 

Jive Dance became the fifth dance to join the Latin Dance family in international competitions in 1968. Today it is a happy, bouncy, poppy dance with plenty of knee lifts and bending of the knees. And much giggling as well as jive jiggling.

What are the key steps of Jive? 

Bop and don’t stop! The Jive dance has a lot of energy and honestly while dancing along you’ll be getting a proper HIIT work out without even realising. The legs are the stars of the show with a lot of pumping and kicking action. Triple steps and rock steps and back and forward basics are part and parcel of this dance. However at times it is best to follow the music rather than the counts of the music.

When is Jive dance on?

Katie is currently teaching a jive dance routine suitable for all levels every Saturday at 4pm. This is online and live streamed so you can learn live and ask questions as we go. The music Katie is using is a fast beat though we often use a slower beat to get those steps just right. This week we are jiving along to Olly Murs “Dance with Me tonight” which at 166 beats per minute. In competition jive dance is danced at 176 beats per minute! Jumpy jiggling Jive! I love me some jive as it allows me to express my inner Tigger and then eat all the snacks afterwards…;) Check out the jive dance routine below.

Katie Brewer ballroom jive dance

How can I join this jive dance class?

Please get in touch with us here for the contact details. Trainers and or jazz sneakers are fine to use, however if you do have ballroom heels already then you are also welcome to use those. Back in our beloved studio in Woking at Heather Farm, low, mid and high heels and latin dance shoes would be used. Feel free to chat to us about footwear as well.

Let’s jump into jive!

xx