Exploration of Jazz Dance Forum: What is Jazz Dance? Dehn, Mura performer James, Leon performer Mattox, Matt performer Nicks, Walter performer Taylor, Billy performer Mahoney, Billie performer Social Event 1963-01-20 In 1963, Dance Notation Bureau organized a public forum organized by jazz tap dancer Billie Mahoney (who also headed the Dance Notation Bureau) that explored the question, "What is Jazz Dance?" with a panel of jazz dancers and musicians that included Walter Nicks, Mura Dehn, Matt Mattox, Billie Taylor, Leon James. "Most of us can recognize jazz" said Mahoney, who moderated the panel, "but who can tell you what it is?" For well over an hour, this group argued, debated, agree and disagreed over the sources and meaning of jazz dance, its relationship to music and structures of improvisation, its differences from modern dance, ballet and musical comedy dancing; some bemoaned that jazz dancing, "real jazz dancing" had died out in the dance hall; others celebrated the resiliency of modern jazz dance and its ability to incorporate other movement styles and rhythmic feels into its form. Performing Arts Encyclopedia http://www.loc.gov/performingarts Tap Dance America http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/html/tda/tda-home.html tda IHAS 151216 loc.music.tda.728