Gus Giordano

Gus Giordano (July 10, 1923 – March 9, 2008) was an American jazz dancer and choreographer. He performed on and off Broadway and in theater and film. He was a master teacher, a gifted choreographer, founder of Giordano Dance Chicago, creator of the Jazz Dance World Congress and the author of Anthology of American Jazz Dance, the first book on jazz dance. He taught world-renowned dancers in schools such as the American Ballet Theatre, and choreographed award-winning numbers for television, film, stage, commercials and industrials. Giordano is considered one of the founders of jazz dance, and his influence in jazz dance is still felt.

Gus Giordano was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1923. At the age of five, Giordano traveled to New Orleans, where his cousin taught him the Charleston dance step to the song, "The Shoeshiner's Drag", thus introducing him to jazz music and dance. After this trip, Giordano was hooked on dance. He returned to St. Louis and studied with local dance teacher Minette Buchman, whom he credits for early dance training. He also studied with vocal teachers and guest artists visiting his area. Giordano took classes in ballet and theater dance. At this time, Giordano did not take jazz classes as such, because jazz dance as a concert dance style did not exist. Giordano continued to dance through his childhood.

During World War II, Giordano joined the Marines, where he was assigned to a performing group that put on shows at the Hollywood Canteen and at military bases around the country. After the war, Giordano left the service and moved to New York City where he searched for a Broadway job. During this time, he studied with Hanya Holm, Katherine Dunham and Alwin Nikolais. He also joined a dance group at Roxy Theater where they performed four shows a day. Giordano did not make it onto Broadway, so he returned to St. Louis and finished college at the University of Missouri in Columbia. While in St. Louis, he met his wife Peg whom he married in Detroit after closing a show.

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