While many of us have enjoyed some form of jazz dance, very few ask a simple question: Where did jazz dance come from? Uprooted attempts to trace the origins, mutations, and love of jazz dance through America’s history. Seemingly hundreds of experts are gathered and interviewed about their historical knowledge and personal experience in jazz dance.
Dozens of classic films and performers are showcased alongside existing traditional African dance—and interpretations of those long extinct—to express the long lineage of dozens of popular dance moves that all emerged from enslaved Africans’ dances. Jazz is a simple rhythmic play at its heart, and in the same way, jazz dance is just an expression of humanity. Uprooted shows us how by correcting our understanding of history and popular culture through the years, we can pay proper homage to the suffering which brought forth one of the most enduring expressions of the African diaspora.
While there is some interesting analysis of both history and dance and many knowledgeable experts give voice to this documentary, Uprooted is stunted by a lack of organization and needless infotainment stylings. Dance as a human concept and dance through the lens of the African diaspora are both very interesting subjects and while this documentary touches on a large number of subjects, its content doesn’t adequately explore any of them. Uprooted is visually beautiful, but its rapid-fire style leaves little room for extensive analysis.
In all, the information provided in this film is highly romanticized and utterly introductory. That being said, those teaching dance, high school-level history teachers, and public librarians should heavily consider this title. There are a lot of dance moves studied in some depth which makes this an obvious choice for modern dance instructors. History teachers may want to use the earlier segments of this film when discussing the Civil War, reconstruction, and Jim Crow era culture. If your patrons are always looting the infotainment shelf, Uprooted would make an excellent addition. Recommended.
What type of instructors would want this film?
Dance and history instructors will find the most use in Uprooted.
Where does this film belong on public library shelves?
Uprooted belongs on dance documentary and infotainment shelves.