True or False. Gus Giordano (July 10, 1923 - March 9, 2008), born August Thomas Giordano III, was an American jazz dancer, teacher, and choreographer. At age 5, he visited New Orleans where he was introduced to jazz and dance. Nan Giordano, interview with Michael McStraw, Evanston, IL, December 1, 2011. Earthy, masculine, and a charismatic everyman who possessed an exceptional work ethic, Giordano built his dance legacy one turned-in leg at a time. Gus Giordano was born inSt. Louis, Missouriin 1923. [5][6] Ruth Page, a pioneer of dance in America, said Giordano knows more about jazz dance than anyone, probably in the world, and jazz dance is a difficult thing to teach; theres more creativity involved unlike [the more structured] classical dance. [13], Gus taught and influenced many dancers, teachers, choreographers, actors, and artists including: Ann Margaret (Actor), Judi Sheppard Missett (Founder/CEO Jazzercise, Inc), Gregory Hines (Actor/Dancer/Choreographer), Mia Michaels (Choreographer So You Think You Can Dance & more), Colleen Zenk (Actor As The World Turns), Daryl Hannah (Actor), Patrick Swayze (Dancer/ Actor), Tim Anderson (Artist), Jimmy Locust (Choreographer Janet Jackson), Joe Tremaine (Tremaine Dance Conventions), Robert Battle (Alvin Ailey), Joe Lanteri (NYC Dance Alliance), Sherry Zunker & Frank Chavez (Founders River North Dance Chicago), Nick Pupillo (Founder Visceral), Claire Batille (Hubbard Street Director), In 2009, Gus daughter Amy Giordano, produced Gus: An American Icon, a documentary about Gus Giordano. A. Isadora Duncan, B. Ruth St. Denis, C. Lois (Loie) Fuller D. Ted Shawn. Bill Robinson, C. Jack Cole, D. Fred Astaire. His upbringing was surrounded by performers and, performances. Creation of the technique came through a journey of exploration, of borrowing from other disciplines, of learning to uncover that which makes a dancer special as a performer. In 1993, he received the Ruth Page Lifetime Service to the Field Award along with his wife, Peg Giordano. We dont do a lot of Guss choreography anymore. Folk dances are actually specialized Ethnic dances. He began teaching in one of the offices in the same building as The Film Council in 1953 and established Gus Giordano Dance School in 1953. LegendsinDanceAlvinAileyNEwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.docx, True/False Questions 1. Gus Giordano (July 10, 1923 March 9, 2008), born August Thomas Giordano III, was an American jazz dancer, teacher, and c*ographer. published in 1975 is known and used by dance teachers on several continents.These achieve-ments allowed for a widespread dissemination of his aesthetic, and his success in 1990 at . The overall effect is one of focus and a deep understanding of ones orientation and angularity in space. At this time, he did not take jazz cl*es, because jazz dance as a cl* did not exist. His daughter, Nan, artistic director of Giordano Dance Chicago, said, My father was king because he survived.1. It currently performs at Chicago'sHarris Theater. Ten years after his studio opened, Ann Barzel (dance critic) asked Giordano to perform with his classes for visiting Bolshoi Ballet dancers who wanted to see what jazz dance looked like. The man remembered as the "Godfather of American Jazz Dancing" could check numerous titles off his list of accomplishments, including dancer, choreographer, master . He was stationed in China. Mr. Giordano founded the Jazz Dance World Congress, an international convention that annually brings together troupes and students from all over the world.