Nat Horne Jazz Dance Master Class

Noted jazz dance teacher/performer Nat Horne gives a jazz dance combination in a master class held in June 1989 at the Red Bank Dance Academy/NJ.
During the 1950s and 60s Nat Horne danced in sixteen Broadway shows for choreographers including Jack Cole, Matt Mattox, and Ron Field. Horne was also a member of Alvin Ailey's original company. He began teaching his version of Matt Mattox's jazz dance technique at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center in the 1970s, and also at his Nat Horne Theatre located on Theatre Row, NYC. During the 1980s and 90s, Nat choreographed many musicals for a dinner theatre in Ohio, and was a regular guest teacher in Germany.

[@lorene50]

I just spoke with Nat Horne on the elevator in our shared apartment building in Manhattan Plaza. Mr. Horne is 94 years old and still looks incredible.

[@janedow1319]

Met Nat when he was teaching at Ailey in 1974. I joined the Nat Horne Musical Theatre when he purchased it and left Ailey to study under Nat. I was a singer, but wanted to learn how to dance. I did numerous shows with him between 1975-1978. He was awesome then and he still is awesome. Love you, Nat.

[@bboross]

You were there just before I studied with him. Started in winter 1977 at Ailey's, then went to his Theatre Row location till 1979 and did a few performances at Lincoln Center and other locations.

[@thomasralabate5645]

The end cool-down strut was always a highlight of Nat’s class. One can see the similarities in viewing and participating in Nat’s final end of class, “cool-down” improv strut, and Luigi’s final “cool-down”improv. There is a solid comparative connection of feeling the “groove” between the two. However, after some reflection, Nat’s improv captured grounding, vernacular and Africanist textures. Luigi captured a highly stylized lifted elegance and Euro-centric movement flow. Both were excellent, and it was fun to have a personalized end reverence to the class with the artist. Dream big and jazz dance often. Fun seeing Bob groove with Nat.

[@bboross]

Thanks, Tom. Yes, I danced with Nat when on scholarship at the old Ailey's school location, and also in his small company at his Nat Horne Theatre. He studied with Matt Mattox in the 1950s, and he took Matt's more analytical exercises but "jazzed" them up with more feeling, bounce, and joy. He always did that double bounce on his walking in place step, that you can see in the video. You will find that same double bounce in the Charleston. With the live accompaniment at the Ailey school, I remember Nat giving a combination with a jazz musical accompaniment, then asking the musicians to play the same thing but with a cowboy feeling, and also other musical feelings. He'd dance the same choreography but change the style so that the style fit the music. So many things about Nat's class...."dance eight hold eight"...the proper way to do a jazz slide (which no younger dancer seems to know)...eight jazz runs in a circle before going across the floor...and his signature across the floor phrase which I still use - "triplet step, triplet step, over back back front, pas de bouree pas de bouree, triple turn...LAYOUT!"

[@Michaeleism]

Wonderful! Thank you for sharing this with us!

[@bboross]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@tarifasalem]

Such an icon!

[@danamanno]

Where is this class and will there be another?

[@bboross]

This was from1989.