Saying Goodbye to Gus

Wendy Garofoli | Mar 21, 2008 | 0

Gus Giordano, legendary jazz innovator and renowned teacher, choreographer, and director, passed away earlier this month at the age of 84. Giordano was a pioneer of classic jazz, following in the fabulous footsteps of Jack Cole, and many familiar technical moves were developed and carefully cataloged by Gus himself. He was an author, Broadway dancer, Emmy-award winner, and founder of the Jazz Dance World Congress, among other prestigious undertakings.

For his full obituary in the Chicago Tribune, click here.

If you ever had the fortune of studying with Giordano as I once did, then take a minute to remember his style and honor it. His pliable, smooth gait was punctuated with sharp isolations and angular lines. One look at his choreography, and a person can only utter, "That's so Gus."

While the dance world has become accustomed to bidding farewell to the pioneers of older, more established forms such as ballet and modern, it is only recently that we've begun to mourn for the forefathers of jazz. As another legend passes from us, let's take his lessons and be sure to pass them down to our students in order to maintain the purity of the jazz form, while also celebrating its evolution.

What do you remember about Gus? What made him so special?

Print Email Link

• Share
  • add to facebook
  • add to del.icio.us
  • add to digg
  • add to yahoo
  • related at technorati

Jazz, Teacher, Enthusiast, Studio, Performance (all tags)