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Jive
Jive can be done in a ballroom setting or with a swing band, making it a very versatile dance. The most noticeable aspect of jive it its speed. In the tradition of similar dances such as swing and the Lindy hop, it used broad amounts of space and is danced with vigor.
The origins of the word "jive" are unknown. It may refers to "jive talk," or badmouthing. This word reflects the character of the dance. It is sassy and loud. The first hints of jive came from African American slaves. These slaves danced several native dances that had triple and single steps. Their music had a continuous drum bass, and several hints of jive rhythms. Jive itself has now split into two parts, one based on this original African beat and the other based upon its evolved style.
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Jive can be known by many different names. It is sometimes called Swing, the Jitterbug, Lindy hop or the Charleston, although it is a completely different dance. These dances are all similar, and their steps are interconnected. The music for jive is in 4/4 time, which means four beats to a measure, the quarter note being the dominant note of the measure. It is done with a series of single and triple steps. It is possible for dancers to move into a two-beat jive, where the third and fourth steps are replaced, but this is used only occasionally.
Jive is usually the last dance in a competition, and is also one of the hardest dances to perform. For this reason, many dancers save their energy for one last burst at the end of a night of competing. It contains chasse steps, kicks and turns with the feet. Often these can get quite complicated, and partners must stay focused on the rhythm so as not to slip off-track.
Jive is most directly related to Swing. This is because it evolved from many of the competitions that were held in American and several parts of Europe during the early 1900's. Jive's music eventually developed its own flavor in the 1950's and 60's. It contains bouncy rhythms and easy melodies. In competitions, partners are often judged on the energy that they give to its performance, in addition to the steps. They are also judged on their interpretation of rhythm and overall performance. Flicks of the foot and kicks should not be mere decoration. They are to be important in the rhythm and timing, and even gestures when used in a certain context. The "moving center" of the dance, in jive's case the handhold, should remain firm. Good coordination is a must, especially when executing sharp turns and difficult hand movements.
Jive is not evolving into other dances. Its steps are sometimes used in Rock and Roll, and Europe has created a dance called "Ceroc" that is somewhat similar in terms of steps and execution. There are also two forms of jive itself. There is the International style, or the style just described, and the Authentic style, or Swing dancing.