Jazz Roots Dance Company was first formed in 2009 under the direction of Artistic Director Sue Samuels. The company is dedicated to the preservation of the classic jazz dance form, and aims to entertain and educate all generations about the roots of jazz dance.
The company repertoire emphasizes strong clean lines that are driven by the musicality of the very orchestrations within the music. The body of work is varied from lyrical, Latin, to theatre, the way classical jazz dance was influenced by musical variations and infused with stylistic relevance. Works can be presented as a full evening of dance as well as numbers which can be molded to suit the needs of special events and themes. Please click HERE to download our Press Kit.
The Company is available for :
- Special Events with or without themes
- Master Classes
- Workshops - Repertory and non-repertory
- Performances
- Educational projects
- Special Needs Work
In October 2014, Jazz Roots Dance premiered a new, hour long piece at Peridance Capezio Center, "Jazz on the West Side". This full evening of dance is a multi-media jazz dance celebration of love and relationships, set to contemporary renditions of songs from West Side Story. The projections are original paintings by Sonya Sklaroff.
Also, in September 2015, the company was invited to perform "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" at City Center, alongside Academy Award winner Shirley MacLaine at the Career Transitions for Dancers 30th Anniversary Pearl Jubilee.
Jazz Roots recently performed at the Merge to Emerge fundraiser with Curet Performance Project, which raised hundreds of dollars for charitable clean water projects. Other recent performances included Dumbo Dance Festival in September 2014, where Jazz Roots performed "Down Into Muddy Water" in the classic jazz style of Matt Mattox, choreographed by Bob Borros. Jazz Roots Dance has performed with the Choreographers' Canvas for five years, and has been involved with the New York Jazz Choreography Project since 2009.