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Matt Mattox
Köln 1976
Matt Mattox
is a dancer-teacher-choreographer who has greatly affected the evolution of jazz dance in America and Europe. Mattox was born
in 1921, and received a strong foundation in ballet before becoming a leading dancer in Hollywood from 1946-1953. As a dancer,
his leading film accomplishments include Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and The Bandwagon. Some
of his partners have included Judy Garland, Cyd Charisse, Mitzi Gaynor, Marilyn Monroe, Gwen Verdon, and Jane Russell. It
was in 1948 that Mattox was first hired by choreographer Jack Cole for the Broadway show Magdelena. Cole is acknowledged as
a pioneer in the theatrical application of jazz dance, and it was this seven year association with Cole that changed Mattox's
direction from aspiring ballet dancer to the personification of perfection in a jazz dancer.
Mattox has choreographed
films and musicals, but is most noted as a choreographer for his television work of the 1950s and 1960s, particularly The
Bell Telephone Hour. The Mattox movement style is an eclectic form that draws from the Cole style, modern dance, ethnic, flamenco,
tap, and Mattox's own studies in ballet. It is based on Mattox's personal belief that all forms of dance are valid as inspiration
and expression. Mattox has commented on his need for total freedom in expression by calling his style "freestyle".
His efforts as a teacher of jazz dance, however, are significant, for Mattox created a system of exercises to
train jazz dancers during the embryonic stage of theatrical jazz dance. Although he was not the only teacher to do so, it
is evident that his technique method was the most intricate and most clearly integrated the jazz dance concepts of isolation
and propulsive rhythm.
After fourteen years of leading the jazz dance scene in New York, Mattox moved to
London and assumed the same position of leadership in English jazz dance. There he formed a concert jazz dance company, Jazzart,
which he eventually brought to Paris in 1975. His technique is well known and highly respected throughout Europe. Mattox,
now in his 70s, is still in great demand as a teacher and choreographer.
Although his star has faded somewhat
in America due to his long absence, his legacy remains in the choreography of Graciela Daniele, Margo Sappington, Alan Johnson,
Robert North, Raza Hammadi, and Anthony Van Laast. His technique can be seen in Frank Pietri, Charles Kelley, Elisabeth Frich,
Renato Greco, and Jane Darling, as well as literally tens of thousands of teachers and students who have studied with him
during his 40 years of teaching. Mattox is a primary figure in the evolution of the jazz dancer from a high kicking chorus
girl to a concert caliber performer, and of jazz dance from the dance halls to the concert halls. Although somewhat obscure,
Matt Mattox is a jazz dance legend.
Bob Boross Thank you Bob for your work in and
about Jazzdance.
Lynn Simonson Weiterbildung
Lynn Simonson
has been a popular teacher of jazz dance in New York and throughout the world since the early 1960s. During that time she has drawn on her dance studies to
develop a movement technique for jazz and modern dance that is independent of a particular style.
Her technique is a
result of her inquiries into dancing without injuries, and her method of teaching involves frequent references to anatomy
and imagery.
Simonson grew up in Seattle, Washington, where she received her early training in ballet with former dancers
from the Ballet Russes. At the age of 16, she won her first Equity job in musical theatre, and strayed from her classical
upbringing after hearing a Mile Davis album. She made her way to NY at 18 in 1961, and soon found herself dancing four shows
a day with the Radio City Ballet corps. Between shows, she found time to take jazz classes with Jaime Rogers and Claude Thompson
at the June Taylor studio. She was suited to the strong, tight style of Rogers, but she expanded her abilities when she started
classes in the more lyrical style of Luigi.
She began teaching in NY, and was asked to teach in Holland in 1967. It
was at this time that she seriously began to formulate her technical approach to jazz dance. Simonson was hampered with chronic
injuries, so she began a study of anatomy and kinesiology in order to develop an approach to dance that would prepare a body
to dance without being dependent on a particular style of jazz dance. Over the years, her Simonson jazz technique has been
taught in New York at the Morelli Studio, and then at DanceSpace, a large studio complex at 622 Broadway, that was co-founded
by Simonson. Her technique is the official jazz technique of DanceSpace. She has instituted an 18 week jazz dance teacher's
training program, and has co-sponsored jazz dance concerts with Evolving Arts, Inc., the non-profit performance wing of DanceSpace.
Simonson jazz technique is taught in 16 countries, and is popular in Japan, Holland, and Quebec, as well as being the primary
jazz dance technique of the University of Massachusetts and Kent State University.
Bob Boross
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