A dance style that regularly crops up in references to the ancestry of jazz dances, Juba is often described as a dance that involves stomping, clapping and body percussion. It was a dance done by enslaved Africans and believed to have roots in traditional dances brought over from West Africa. Drums were outlawed on many plantations in the 18th century out of fear that they could be used to communicate across distances or incite revolt. It’s often mentioned that clapping, slapping and tapping with the body may have helped replace drums or other percussion instruments that are the basis of many African music traditions.
This tradition is still kept alive today – often referred to as Pattin’ Juba, Hambone or Body Percussion. There’s a long running International Body Percussion Festival. It seems to often be done in a sitting position but some groups move around the floor as well. It’s clear that the rhythm is central.
The most famous historical Juba dancer was William Henry Lane aka ‘Master Juba’. He got his title after beating an Irish dancer in a competition in New York. Master Juba rose to fame in Five-Points, an area of lower Manhattan very densely populated with both free Blacks and Irish immigrants. This mix of cultural influences is said to have led to the creation of tap dancing. Master Juba went on to travel the world performing in minstrel shows. There are no videos of Master Juba but Charles Dickens attempts to describe his dancing in detail in his American Notes (see video clip).
Resources for further research:
Swing Dance Leeds 