Jazz Dance: The Story Of American Vernacular Dance [Paperback]

Marshall Stearns (Author), Jean Stearns (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 22, 1994

The Story of American Vernacular Dance

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

The late Marshall Stearns was author of The Story of Jazz, and was the founder of the Newport Jazz Festival and Institute of Jazz Studies. He was also a professor of English at Hunger College in New York and a medieval literature scholar. He died in 1966 while completing his book Jazz Dance co-authored by his wife Jean. Jean Stearns, is an authority on jazz and assisted her late husband Marshall in researching and writing Jazz Dance.

Product Details

• Paperback: 508 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press; 2nd edition (March 22, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0306805537
• ISBN-13: 978-0306805530
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #222,172 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #25 in Books > Arts & Photography > Performing Arts > Dance > Modern

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best book about American vernacular dance ever written, October 7, 2006

By 

Frank Cullen "Frank Cullen, American Vaudevil... (Cedar Grove, New Mexico) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jazz Dance: The Story Of American Vernacular Dance (Paperback)

There is no other dance book on the market (and thank heavens that this one has remained available since it was first published in 1968) that is as useful, delightful to read or as authoratative as Marshall & Jean Stearn's "Jazz Dance". Indeed, it is, in my opinion, one of the best books ever written about any facet of show business.
Vernacular dance in 20th century America wasn't represented or devised solely by a handful of the best remembered: Vernon & Irene Castle, Bill Robinson, Fred & Ginger, Eleanor Powell, Hal Le Roy, the Nicholas Brothers, Gene Kelly, Ann Miller, Donald O'Connor and Bob Fosse.
From the age of variety saloons and minstrelsy through a century of vaudeville and nightclubs, there were hundreds of dancers, black and white, female and male, who contributed to the development of American vernacular (or jazz) dance. Hoofers invented, borrowed, stole and adapted rhythm steps, jumps, slides, contortions and even style from each other---and American dance became richer for their efforts.
Marshall Stearns understood that. Instead of choosing to write about the best known dancers of his day, the ones blessed by luck, Stearns took on the nearly impossible task of interviewing every dancer of ability he could locate. Some like King Rastus Brown, Ginger Wiggins and Groundhog were remarkable talents known only by a very few--most of whom were other dancers who held them in high esteem. Others like John Bubbles, Ida Forsythe, James Barton, Pete Nugent, Eddie Rector, Alice Whitman, Willie Covan and Harlan Dixon were peerless dancers of their day but forgotten despite years of stardom. Mr. Stearns brought more than a hundred fine hoofers to tell their stories to readers and dance enthusiasts.
Stearns wove those stories together without forcing themes and, within the warp and woof of his narrative, emerged bits of social history and showbiz lore, explanations of certain dance steps, claims and counter-claims as to origins and originality, faulty recollections and all but forgotten gems of clearly remembered facts.
Many reputations emerged brightly restored in luster while others, perhaps more famous, proved less admired by professionals who had more discerning views than fans with less knowledge of dance.
Whenever I need to check a fact about vernacular dance--jazz dance or tap--I turn first to Marshall Stearn's invaluable book.
Frank Cullen
founder, American Vaudeville Museum publisher of "Vaudeville Times"
author: "Vaudeville, Old & New: an Encyclopedia of Variety Performers in America" (2006, Routledge Press)

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars American Classic, June 6, 2007

By 

Hugh R. Dempster (Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jazz Dance: The Story Of American Vernacular Dance (Paperback)

I second everything Frank Cullen says about this book. I first read it over thirty years ago, acquiring my own copy some years later. Not only is it a great book on American show business,it makes great reading for anyone interested in all facets of New World music and dance culture. I frequently reccomend this book to fans of American music in general, be it jazz, blues, rock 'n' roll, country, Latin etc. etc. After reading the Stearns' wonderful book, one sees that, no matter how well-versed in the musical lore of the Americas one is, it is all a bit two-dimensional without the perspective offered by 'Jazz Dance'.

5.0 out of 5 stars Very nice reading, December 7, 2011

By 

Jonas Nermyr - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Jazz Dance: The Story Of American Vernacular Dance (Paperback)

As an lindy hop dancer and tap dancer I was very happy to read this book. It's very detailed on the history of Afro-American culture. Gave me a lot of new intresting stuff and new details to things I heard before.
/Jonas Nermyr, Sweden