Theatre & Dance ETDs

Publication Date

7-12-2014

Abstract

Cul-De-Sac: Social Conversation Through the Lens of Jazz Dance, discusses the rise of the suburbs following the Second World War, the homophobic society of the 1950s forcing homosexual men to hide in the closet, and the role of women within the suburban community, and how the research into these social issues evolved into an evenings length piece of dance theatre told through the language of jazz dance. Jazz dance is a distinctly American art form, often overlooked on the concert stage. In this dissertation, I endeavor to prove that jazz is a style of dance capable of carrying social messages to audiences. I will investigate the lives and roles of gay men and domestic women in 1950s America, identifying the gaps of knowledge that house potential for future research. Finally, I will discuss these roles and subsequently describe my choreographic process in reinterpreting these roles on the concert stage for my MFA concert, cul-de-sac.

Degree Name

Dance

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Theatre & Dance

First Committee Member (Chair)

Santos Newhall, Mary Anne

Second Committee Member

Conde Reche, Vladimir

Third Committee Member

Buick, Kirsten

Language

English

Keywords

Jazz Dance, Queer Studies, Women's Studies, Modern Dance, Social Issues, Suburbs, 1950s, America, Danny Buraczeski

Document Type

Dissertation

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