Jack Cole - Film and Broadway Jazz Dance Choreographer
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ก.พ. 2019
- This biography details the career contributions of film and Broadway jazz dance choreographer Jack Cole. Widely recognized as the "father of American theatrical jazz dance," Jack Cole created a unique jazz dance movement style that inspired the Broadway jazz dance genre and other choreographers like Jerome Robbins and Bob Fosse. Jack Cole was also instrumental in reshaping how film Hollywood musical dance sequences, and in bringing a concert level of dance to the "show dance" forms of the 1930s. Cole also trained prominent dancers Gwen Verdon, Carol Haney, Buzz Miller, Matt Mattox, Rod Alexander, and George and Ethel Martin.
**Sound removed during "Not Since Ninevah" due to copyright restrictions.
Research text and video editing by Bob Boross
Read more about Jack Cole and other important figures in jazz dance in "Comments on Jazz Dance 1996-2014" by Bob Boross, available on Amazon - www.amazon.com/Comments-Jazz-...
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As a young aspiring performer it really is a little worrrying how not many other people who want to go down the theatre career do not know alot about Cole. I myself didn't even know him until a friend mentioned his name and I decided to look him up myself. Thankyou for sharing this video it has been so informative!!
Grave injustice that Jack Cole is not better known. I just stumbled across his name (and this TH-cam video) when I was watching on TCM the musical "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" which (unjustly) credits Howard Hawks as the sole director of that film. I thought to myself, "Hawks must be quite a genius to direct screw-ball comedies like 'His Girl Friday' and 'Bringing Up Baby' as well as westerns like 'Red River' and 'Rio Bravo' in addition to the fabulous musical numbers in 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes' [GPB]" . Then a quick Internet research and I find out that Hawks did not direct the GPB musical numbers; it was really Jack Cole. What? Cole gets no director credit for GPB? The whole film is its musical numbers. What a swindle! Jack Cole was both a great choreographer and a great director. So, thank you for this TH-cam video and educating me (and the world) on the genius that was Jack Cole.
As a young dancer, starting out back in the 50's, Jack Cole was my greatest inspiration as a jazz dancer! I loved his unique style and exotic based movement. I studied Bharata Natyam style of East Indian dance. I was an avid fan and would watch every movie he choreographed many times. Needless to say, I was ecstatic when I made the audition for the National company of Kismet and experienced the ultimate pleasure of finally meeting him, a highlight in my long career as a dancer and choreographer.
Came to know about Jack Cole via Minnelli’s DESIGNING WOMAN. That closing scene is worth the whole movie and Jack simly stole the film. I admire dancing of course, and choreographers are the often unknown artistic hubs of so many great musicals. Thank you for this bio tribute. You are a generous man.
Thanks, yes it's not often that he actually played a role in a film so Designing Woman is unique in showcasing Jack Cole.
It's about time someone publicly recognized Jack Cole for all that he contributed to dance. I studied with one of his dancers who later became a teacher, Velerie Camille. I was very young at the time. She made an impression on me often talking about Jack Cole and telling colorful stories about her life and the life of dancers in general. Her class included dance styles from all over the world. Eyes, facial expressions, hands and fingers, not one part of body movement was left out of what she taught because it was all a part of the dance and what was being communicated and created.
Thanks, Mary, I agree, Jack Cole does not have sufficient recognition in today's dance world when considering the volume of his accomplishments. Not only in creating his movement style, but also in his use of the camera in filming dance, costuming, dance conception, and bringing elements of his gay personality into the rigid film mores of the 1950s. Dance critic Debra Levine is working on a new major biography of Cole, it should bring forth much more information about this seminal character in jazz and theatrical dance.
thank you, its my first time taking jazz. I'm trying to learn, I've taken ballet, hip hop and my parents love dancing to cumbias salsa merengue bachata. I grew up watching black and white latin movies. Lots of Mambo and now it makes more sense, with your video...
This is so amazing, I'm watching it today. Thank you again!
This is a profound education for those of us who were not familiar with Jack Cole. His creative accomplishments and direct influence on modern film musicals is clearly foundational.
🏆 🕺 🎞️ 💃 ⭐ 💃 🎞️ 🕺 🏆
Thank you, I agree!
Fantastic! Thank you!
Is always important to recover the forgotten bigs! Thanks a lot!
What an intriguing creative life he had. Thank you for putting this together. Excited to share this with my jazz dance students.
This is so very interesting. thank you for compiling this video. I loved it. He's known to me, from attending UCLA in the early 1970's and majoring in dance. I guess i never fully appreciated how lucky we were to have him teaching in our department.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you for this excellent introduction to Jack Cole. It's exactly what I need, to introduce my quarantined dance history students to this amazingly influential artist.
Robin Collen Thanks, Robin, I’m happy to here that the video was informative for your students.
Thanks Bob! Glad to see you are still teaching the history of jazz dance! This is great!
This is a terrific video, Bob! I’m not sure how long it’s been up, but I love seeing Jack Cole’s work, especially the more obscure stuff. Back in the 80s when I was a young choreographer at school, Buzz Miller, one of his dancers, came to my school and taught a two week residency - we learned parts of steam heat and satin doll, and a number of Jack Cole techniques. Buzz taught the same as Jack, in a classroom format. It was one of the formative events Of my early career. Thanks again!
Laura Cole Thanks Laura, I also took a class with Buzz Miller at the American Dance Machine, at the Century Theatre in the Hotel Edison, NYC. And I interviewed him in 1993 for my thesis on Matt Mattox.
Thank you for sharing this tribute to this legendary dance pioneer, truly a groundbreaker.
You're very welcome
Thank you so much for sharing this history so I can share it with my dance students! We do not want those who went before us to be forgotten.
Thanks for your appreciative comment!
Bravo. Thank you for this summary of Jack Cole’s career and these great clips. Now in my late 50’s, I fell in love with jazz dance in the early 70’s. I loved ballet too, but jazz - Jack Cole style, made my heart sing. In fact, it was my rendition of Steam Heat (stealing JC’s moves) that propelled me into choreography (in high school). Seeing your video brings back much joy to my heart. I wish I could have been there at the beginning, as a Jack Cole dancer... I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels that way! So glad you created this to help educate our younger dancers. Well done.
Thank you for your kind words about Jack Cole and my video!
Great overview. Thank you for putting this together!
Thank you so much for sharing this about Jack Cole. I've been introduced to his style from my mentor, dance teacher. It has been years since I danced yet I am still open to learning and revisiting dance. Thank you
Thank you!! I love your videos!!
This video is priceless. Your work as a creative and as an academic is so valuable and so inspiring for younger professionals. Thank you so much!
You are so welcome!
Behind every good routine as a great choreographer, in the mid-1980s did a lot of dance contest until I got a good choreographer he made all the difference Black Angus restaurants dancing for dollars and I ended up taking the Grand Final because of a great choreographer
great documentary!!!! TY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you so much for putting this together!
Thanks, Sofi - so nice to hear from you again!
Amazing! thanks for the amazing info
Thank you so much!!! I have been trying to find materials and i stumble into your channel and it really open my eyes!!!!!
thanks for your feedback, I'm glad that the jazz dance information is useful!
Great!
Thanks for the info on Jack Cole; inspired to look him up after being re-introduced to Fosse's backstory and influencers!
Thanks so much!
thank you for this video and educating me
Thank you so very much for putting this together. How much work it must have been for you, awesome job!!!
You are so welcome!
🙌 love this. I have an esteemed collegue who also writes articles about, and presents on, dance history. I'm thrilled when I see a new article and video. I share dance history (all genres) with dancers who attend my workshops, because they are not aware otherwise (all ages, by the way). Videos like this enforce the importance of knowledge. I appreciate your work on this topic very much. This is excellent. 🙏
Lauren, thank you for your kind words - yes, this information is necessary, and I hope to continue to offer it through this channel. Thanks for spreading the word!
Thanks for this! Really enjoyed the clips of Verdon in Redhead, Chita Rivera, and others!
Glad you enjoyed it!
The Solid Sender is referenced by Johnny Mercer- who was always hep to the latest- in 1942's 'The Shorty George': 'He dances to pay the rent/And to see that you're solid sent'. Sung by Fred Astaire to Rita Hayworth.
I feel that Bob Fosse collared credit for stylized moves that should have gone to Jack Cole. Fosse also took inspiration from Verdon and Haney, who had been Cole's pupils.
Very good video Bob ! Really clear !
Merci, Daniel! Did you try the French caption translation? I used the TH-cam "autotranslate" and I hope that it is accurate in its choice of words.
no Bob ! I don't know how that works ... I just see english subtitles
Another valuable history lesson knocked out of the park. Thanks Bob! Great work.
Do you have a Patreon page yet? You should be able to garner a following of donors to keep your efforts to document dance history going so it's not all on your dime.
Thanks, I hope to get to that point in the future. Right now I'm happy that I broke 1,000 subscribers - currently at 1,011. I still have to get another 400 hours of viewing time to hit the necessary level for monetization. All in good time!
Revisiting this and you're over 5k subscribers!
FYI, Here's "Not Since Ninevah" with sound you can point people towards:
th-cam.com/video/wLcCojUkMuE/w-d-xo.html
FYI I always include the specific clause of the US Copyright regarding Fair Use for educational purposes in my video descriptions and the worst strike I get is they add the movie reference in the description and prevent monetization -- "your mileage my vary" -- no guarantees:
17 U.S. Code § 107 www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/107
17 U.S. Code § 110 www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/110 (Paragraph 1 when the video has music in a class setting)
There is some muted part unfortunately. Please upload it again, if it's possible. :)
If sound is partially muted, it's probably because of music copyright issues. TH-cam can mute certain music parts.
@@bboross I know, but also the speaking is muted...
Thank you for sharing your wisdom. Loving learning about him after so many years as a jazz dancer. I should have long ago! I would love to invite you to think about editing the audio around the language of "preference" and "mindset" around his sexuality, as his sexuality is no more a choice than his born gender.
Can you tell me anything about Jack Cole dancing with two other men called "The Gladiators"? were they an act or was this part of a film? Really appreciate this video as a choreography (and Cole!) enthusiast.
Diana, I'm not sure of what you are referring to. Cole danced in a few of his movies, although I don't know that he danced with Gladiators. There was a dance from the film Tonight and Every Night that was a take off on Martha Graham's choreography, in which the men were dressed in Roman gladiator style costumes. Perhaps you are referring to that. But he did not dance in that dance, just choreographed it.
6:55 Gwen Verdon
I can understand why someone who became famous for “Hinduswing” isn’t spoked about today sadly.
Isn’t he know as the Father of Theatrical Jazz Dance?
Some have said that, yes.
Thanks for putting this together! It will really help me in my dance class when writing about how white artists steal dances from other cultures and pass them off as their own.
You are wrong, Jack Cole did not "steal" dances from other cultures and "pass them off" as his own. He always gave full credit for cultural dances that he used in performance and he studied with masters of those dance forms so that he would know the exact original forms. He certainly did not pass off these dances as something that he himself created. In dance as in all dance forms, artists see the work of others and they use those influences in creating new movement. Alvin Ailey studied with Lester Horton and the Horton movement and technique is a strong basis of the Ailey style and training. (Horton was white, and his movement was influenced by Native American motifs). Ailey also danced in a Broadway show choreographed by Jack Cole, and can be seen on a videotape saying how he used one of Cole's arm port de bras (which originally came from East Indian dance) in one of his dance pieces. Ailey also used ballet in his pieces, which surely is not from his culture. Don't be so quick to criticize and label artists. All artists see the world and it influences them. Yes, if someone said that he or she actually invented a form (as Jelly Roll Morton erroneously said he invented jazz), that would be different. But in this case, you are wrong in saying that Cole stole dances of other cultures and tried to pass them off as his own.
Appropriation?