This biography details the career contributions of film and Broadway jazz dance choreographer Jack Cole. Widely recognized as …
32 COMMENTS
This is a terrific video, Bob! I’m not sure how long it’s been up, but I love seeing Jack Cole’s work, especially the more obscure stuff. Back in the 80s when I was a young choreographer at school, Buzz Miller, one of his dancers, came to my school and taught a two week residency – we learned parts of steam heat and satin doll, and a number of Jack Cole techniques. Buzz taught the same as Jack, in a classroom format. It was one of the formative events Of my early career. Thanks again!
It's about time someone publicly recognized Jack Cole for all that he contributed to dance. I studied with one of his dancers who later became a teacher, Velerie Camille. I was very young at the time. She made an impression on me often talking about Jack Cole and telling colorful stories about her life and the life of dancers in general. Her class included dance styles from all over the world. Eyes, facial expressions, hands and fingers, not one part of body movement was left out of what she taught because it was all a part of the dance and what was being communicated and created.
Thank you for this excellent introduction to Jack Cole. It's exactly what I need, to introduce my quarantined dance history students to this amazingly influential artist.
This is so very interesting. thank you for compiling this video. I loved it. He's known to me, from attending UCLA in the early 1970's and majoring in dance. I guess i never fully appreciated how lucky we were to have him teaching in our department.
Bravo. Thank you for this summary of Jack Cole’s career and these great clips. Now in my late 50’s, I fell in love with jazz dance in the early 70’s. I loved ballet too, but jazz – Jack Cole style, made my heart sing. In fact, it was my rendition of Steam Heat (stealing JC’s moves) that propelled me into choreography (in high school). Seeing your video brings back much joy to my heart. I wish I could have been there at the beginning, as a Jack Cole dancer… I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels that way! So glad you created this to help educate our younger dancers. Well done.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom. Loving learning about him after so many years as a jazz dancer. I should have long ago! I would love to invite you to think about editing the audio around the language of "preference" and "mindset" around his sexuality, as his sexuality is no more a choice than his born gender.
Thank you so much for sharing this about Jack Cole. I've been introduced to his style from my mentor, dance teacher. It has been years since I danced yet I am still open to learning and revisiting dance. Thank you
Came to know about Jack Cole via Minnelli’s DESIGNING WOMAN. That closing scene is worth the whole movie and Jack simly stole the film. I admire dancing of course, and choreographers are the often unknown artistic hubs of so many great musicals. Thank you for this bio tribute. You are a generous man.
Thanks for putting this together! It will really help me in my dance class when writing about how white artists steal dances from other cultures and pass them off as their own.
Grave injustice that Jack Cole is not better known. I just stumbled across his name (and this YouTube video) when I was watching on TCM the musical "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" which (unjustly) credits Howard Hawks as the sole director of that film. I thought to myself, "Hawks must be quite a genius to direct screw-ball comedies like 'His Girl Friday' and 'Bringing Up Baby' as well as westerns like 'Red River' and 'Rio Bravo' in addition to the fabulous musical numbers in 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes' [GPB]" . Then a quick Internet research and I find out that Hawks did not direct the GPB musical numbers; it was really Jack Cole. What? Cole gets no director credit for GPB? The whole film is its musical numbers. What a swindle! Jack Cole was both a great choreographer and a great director. So, thank you for this YouTube video and educating me (and the world) on the genius that was Jack Cole.
As a young aspiring performer it really is a little worrrying how not many other people who want to go down the theatre career do not know alot about Cole. I myself didn't even know him until a friend mentioned his name and I decided to look him up myself. Thankyou for sharing this video it has been so informative!!
thank you, its my first time taking jazz. I'm trying to learn, I've taken ballet, hip hop and my parents love dancing to cumbias salsa merengue bachata. I grew up watching black and white latin movies. Lots of Mambo and now it makes more sense, with your video…
This is a terrific video, Bob! I’m not sure how long it’s been up, but I love seeing Jack Cole’s work, especially the more obscure stuff. Back in the 80s when I was a young choreographer at school, Buzz Miller, one of his dancers, came to my school and taught a two week residency – we learned parts of steam heat and satin doll, and a number of Jack Cole techniques. Buzz taught the same as Jack, in a classroom format. It was one of the formative events Of my early career. Thanks again!
Thanks for the info on Jack Cole; inspired to look him up after being re-introduced to Fosse's backstory and influencers!
6:55 Gwen Verdon
It's about time someone publicly recognized Jack Cole for all that he contributed to dance. I studied with one of his dancers who later became a teacher, Velerie Camille. I was very young at the time. She made an impression on me often talking about Jack Cole and telling colorful stories about her life and the life of dancers in general. Her class included dance styles from all over the world. Eyes, facial expressions, hands and fingers, not one part of body movement was left out of what she taught because it was all a part of the dance and what was being communicated and created.
Great overview. Thank you for putting this together!
thank you for this video and educating me
Thanks Bob! Glad to see you are still teaching the history of jazz dance! This is great!
Thank you so much for sharing this history so I can share it with my dance students! We do not want those who went before us to be forgotten.
Is always important to recover the forgotten bigs! Thanks a lot!
This video is priceless. Your work as a creative and as an academic is so valuable and so inspiring for younger professionals. Thank you so much!
Thank you for this excellent introduction to Jack Cole. It's exactly what I need, to introduce my quarantined dance history students to this amazingly influential artist.
What an intriguing creative life he had. Thank you for putting this together. Excited to share this with my jazz dance students.
Thank you for sharing this tribute to this legendary dance pioneer, truly a groundbreaker.
He was WRONG. Both "Kismet" and "Man of La Mancha" were HUGE hits.
Appropriation?
This is so very interesting. thank you for compiling this video. I loved it. He's known to me, from attending UCLA in the early 1970's and majoring in dance. I guess i never fully appreciated how lucky we were to have him teaching in our department.
Bravo. Thank you for this summary of Jack Cole’s career and these great clips. Now in my late 50’s, I fell in love with jazz dance in the early 70’s. I loved ballet too, but jazz – Jack Cole style, made my heart sing. In fact, it was my rendition of Steam Heat (stealing JC’s moves) that propelled me into choreography (in high school). Seeing your video brings back much joy to my heart. I wish I could have been there at the beginning, as a Jack Cole dancer… I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels that way! So glad you created this to help educate our younger dancers. Well done.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom. Loving learning about him after so many years as a jazz dancer. I should have long ago! I would love to invite you to think about editing the audio around the language of "preference" and "mindset" around his sexuality, as his sexuality is no more a choice than his born gender.
Thanks so much!
Thank you so much for sharing this about Jack Cole. I've been introduced to his style from my mentor, dance teacher. It has been years since I danced yet I am still open to learning and revisiting dance. Thank you
Came to know about Jack Cole via Minnelli’s DESIGNING WOMAN. That closing scene is worth the whole movie and Jack simly stole the film. I admire dancing of course, and choreographers are the often unknown artistic hubs of so many great musicals. Thank you for this bio tribute. You are a generous man.
Thanks for putting this together! It will really help me in my dance class when writing about how white artists steal dances from other cultures and pass them off as their own.
Isn’t he know as the Father of Theatrical Jazz Dance?
Thanks for this! Really enjoyed the clips of Verdon in Redhead, Chita Rivera, and others!
Thank you so very much for putting this together. How much work it must have been for you, awesome job!!!
Grave injustice that Jack Cole is not better known. I just stumbled across his name (and this YouTube video) when I was watching on TCM the musical "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" which (unjustly) credits Howard Hawks as the sole director of that film. I thought to myself, "Hawks must be quite a genius to direct screw-ball comedies like 'His Girl Friday' and 'Bringing Up Baby' as well as westerns like 'Red River' and 'Rio Bravo' in addition to the fabulous musical numbers in 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes' [GPB]" . Then a quick Internet research and I find out that Hawks did not direct the GPB musical numbers; it was really Jack Cole. What? Cole gets no director credit for GPB? The whole film is its musical numbers. What a swindle! Jack Cole was both a great choreographer and a great director. So, thank you for this YouTube video and educating me (and the world) on the genius that was Jack Cole.
An excellent break down – I will share this with my students!
Thank you so much for putting this together!
As a young aspiring performer it really is a little worrrying how not many other people who want to go down the theatre career do not know alot about Cole. I myself didn't even know him until a friend mentioned his name and I decided to look him up myself. Thankyou for sharing this video it has been so informative!!
Amazing! thanks for the amazing info
thank you, its my first time taking jazz. I'm trying to learn, I've taken ballet, hip hop and my parents love dancing to cumbias salsa merengue bachata. I grew up watching black and white latin movies. Lots of Mambo and now it makes more sense, with your video…
great documentary!!!! TY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!