AS THE only jazz dance club at Yonsei University, Jazzfeel offers students who enjoy dancing a unique opportunity to learn about the various types of jazz dance. Jazzfeel welcomes both amateurs and experienced dancers, allowing everyone a chance to shine on stage. The Yonsei Annals reached out to Jazzfeel’s President Jo Youn-young (Jr., Dept. of Industrial Engin.), Vice President Kim Yu-jin (Soph., Dept. of Industrial Engin.), as well as Rehearsal Director Kim Min-ju (Soph., Dept. of Psychology) to learn more about their club.

Annals: What makes jazz dance different from other dance genres?

Jo: Jazz dance is a dance that is not restricted by the boundaries of its definition. Instead, it focuses more on expressing emotions freely in accordance with its accompaniment. One of the biggest distinctions from other dance genres is the fluidity between different jazz subgenres, such as jazz ballet, modern jazz, lyrical jazz, and hip-hop jazz. Rather than being an individual dance style that is isolated from other genres, jazz dance incorporates elements from other dances, transforming it into something fresh and unique. This freedom allows the genre itself to constantly evolve as new dance forms are created and popularized.

Annals: How is Jazzfeel different from the other dance groups at Yonsei University?

Jo: The biggest difference is that, rather than being performance-oriented, our purpose is to introduce different styles of jazz dances to students who are passionate about dancing. As active members of Jazzfeel, regular practice twice a week is mandatory. Most members maintain their attendance, not only because of the attendance requirements, but because they are truly devoted to our club. Furthermore, unlike other dance clubs—such as HARIE which focuses on street dance and Churrus which focuses on K-pop and hip-hop—Jazzfeel has the freedom to discover diverse styles of dancing. In addition to our representative genre, lyrical jazz[1], we also dance to other jazz subgenres, such as ballet jazz, hip-hop jazz, girlish[2] jazz, and even musical theater jazz. Thus, those who want to experiment with dance forms and discover their personal favorite can only do so via Jazzfeel.

Annals: Can you tell us what happens during a typical dance and workshop session?

Jo: During our semi-weekly regular practice sessions, we begin with stretching and then move on to strength training, basic skills, and lastly choreography. For basic skills, we learn the basic techniques of various jazz styles, such as ballet and isolation. During choreography sessions, we learn the dance moves for specific performances; outside our performance period, Jazzfeel leaders conduct one-day choreography classes, where we learn routines of different jazz styles.

   As for our workshop, it is a one-day dance session during the semester break where we teach basic skills and simple choreography. The workshop is a part of the recruitment process, as the audition is based on the lessons taught in the workshop. It assists those who have never danced prior to auditioning for the club. Anyone intrigued by jazz dance is, of course, welcome to join the workshop, even if they do not participate in the auditions.

Annals: What events do Jazzfeel participate in?

Jo: We participate in both live on-stage and filmed performances. In addition to Jazzfeel’s Summer Showcase in September and Grand Showcase in March, we participate in Yonsei’s Dae-dong-jae[3], OT Event, RC Event, and other public performances. Recently, we filmed three choreography videos for YouTube, and a few months ago, some of our members filmed for the upcoming SBS drama Cheer up, starring as Jazzfeel.

Annals: What is the creative process behind your performances?

Jo: The creative process varies depending on the performance and the choreographer. Some of our performances are choreographed by Jazzfeel members, while others are choreographed by hired professionals. I actually choreographed one of the performances for our upcoming Summer Showcase this month. First, I decided on the theme, which is “unrequited love,” and then selected a complementary song. Regarding choreography, I typically gravitate towards laying the foundation of the choreography off the song’s lyrics. For example, if the lyrics describe drinking whiskey, I add movements that imitate that action but enhance it to be more abstract and artistic. Generally, our performances are heavily dependent on the combined efforts and opinions of the whole group. Even the professional choreographer for our Top of the World performance for Jazzfeel’s 21st Grand Showcase incorporated the members’ suggestions into the choreography.

Annals: How is preparing for performances on stage different from preparing for recorded performances?

Jo: Frankly, we have not been able to perform properly on stage recently because of the pandemic and events being canceled. However, in the case of recorded performances, we film our dances in sections and implement special effects to breathe life into the moves. Thus, we visualize beforehand how we can take advantage of the ability to edit and modify our shots through, for example, deliberate camera movements and zooming. For on-stage performances, the audience is present for the entire duration of the performance, which means that—in addition to the choreography—we have to practice entering and exiting the stage. We also have to consider factors such as lights and music, which play an important role in enhancing live performances.

Annals: What has been your favorite performance so far and why?

Min-ju: Dangerous Woman & Step on up REMIX, choreographed by Yang Chae-ryeon, and X & Swimming REMIX, choreographed by Jo Yu-bin, were the most memorable performances for me. The choreography is captivating and stunning—a product of our tireless dedication and thought put into the performance. Furthermore, I cherish them because of memories made with the other Jazzfeel members during our lengthy, but successful, rehearsals.

Jo: Our Top of the World performance, choreographed by Lim Tae-i, for our 21st Grand Showcase is the most memorable. It was our longest-prepared dance, as well as the first event I participated in during my time with Jazzfeel. I am biased towards it because it was a performance that we managed to arrange despite the difficulties brought forth by the pandemic’s quarantine rules.  Additionally, I was the stage planning director for the showcase, which was an unfamiliar and demanding role through which I experienced substantial growth as an individual.

Annals: What has been most rewarding about being a part of this club, and how have you changed personally?

Yu-jin: Hearing from the choreographers, family, and friends that my dancing had improved was the most rewarding aspect. During the lead-up to performances, I see little progress, no matter how much I practice. However, when I compare our team’s first practice video and our final performance video, I notice that vast improvements have indeed been made. In fact, I believe the allure of Jazzfeel lies in the subtle growth of skill and character you unknowingly undergo throughout your time at the club.

Jo: I barely knew how to dance before I joined Jazzfeel, but now, I have become skilled enough to choreograph our performances. The evolution of my artistic ability is simply surreal, as successfully choreographing a series of moves was unimaginable to me before being a part of this club. Not only have my dancing techniques improved, but I sense that my love and understanding of the “jazz dance” genre have developed significantly as well.

Annals: What type of students are you looking for to join Jazzfeel?

Jo: We are looking for people who can actively participate in regular and performance practices, as well as group activities. The only criterion for joining Jazzfeel is having a passion for dancing and what we do as a club. We hope many people are interested in joining Jazzfeel and making what will become one of the most meaningful memories of your university career!

[1] Lyrical jazz: A dance that combines ballet, jazz, modern dance, and Korean dance, and shows off the lines and emotional expressions of the body

[2] Girlish: A feminine dance style

[3] Dae-dong-jae: University festival