You Know the Basics. Now What?
There's this frustrating middle ground every jazz dancer hits. You've got your jazz walks down, your isolations feel solid, and you can follow a simple combo without blanking out. But watch an intermediate class through the studio window and you'll think, there's no way my body does that yet.
Here's the thing — it does. You just haven't tried these routines yet.
Swing Hard: "Sing, Sing, Sing" — Benny Goodman
Benny Goodman's classic is basically a rite of passage. The routine layers jazz walks and chasses into kicks, then sneaks in turns and leaps when you're not paying attention. What makes it tricky isn't any single move — it's the tempo. That swing rhythm wants to pull you forward, and if you rush, the whole thing falls apart.
Start slow. Painfully slow. Get every count clean before you let the music speed you up. Your future self will thank you when you're nailing the leap at full tempo instead of flailing through it.
Go Deep: "Gravity" — Sara Bareilles
This one's a different animal. Bareilles' piano ballad invites floor work, body rolls, and transitions that bleed into each other like watercolor. You'll start with isolations that feel almost meditative, then shift into jazz squares and pirouettes that demand real control.
The trick here isn't technical perfection — it's emotional honesty. "Gravity" is about being pulled toward something you know isn't good for you, and your movement has to carry that weight. Dancers who treat this as just another combo miss the point entirely.
Burn It Down: "Can't Stop the Feeling!" — Justin Timberlake
Want to feel like you're performing at a Broadway audition? This is your track. Justin Timberlake's earworm fuses jazz with musical theater and a dash of hip-hop, and the choreography reflects that collision. Jumps, syncopation, turns that snap into place on the offbeat.
You'll be drenched in sweat by the second chorus. The challenge isn't any single element — it's maintaining that manic energy for the full routine without your technique crumbling. Pacing yourself sounds counterintuitive on a track this upbeat, but trust me: controlled chaos hits harder than actual chaos.
Sharpen Every Edge: "The Way You Make Me Feel" — Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson's catalog is a goldmine for intermediate dancers, and this track is where footwork gets serious. The routine drills complex patterns, tight turns, and those signature sharp accents MJ made look effortless. Clean lines aren't optional here — they're the whole point.
One thing that separates good performances from great ones on this routine: transitions. Anyone can nail an isolated move, but sliding from a turn into a pose without a millisecond of wobble? That takes reps. Lots of them.
Find Your Voice: "Feeling Good" — Nina Simone
Nina Simone's voice could make a statue weep, and the choreography built around this track leans into that raw power. You'll start with lyrical, almost floating movements — then the jazz vocabulary creeps in through turns and leaps that feel less like steps and more like declarations.
This is the routine that teaches intermediate dancers they're not just executing choreography. They're telling a story. Simone's delivery shifts between vulnerability and defiance, and your body has to keep up with both.
The Real Point
These five routines won't just sharpen your technique — they'll change how you think about jazz dance. Each one demands something different: timing, emotion, stamina, precision, expression. Stack them together and you've got a foundation that carries into advanced work without blinking.
Pick the one that scares you most. Start there.
