J-Setting
Encyclopedia
J-Setting is a is a highly stylized modern
lead and follow style hip hop
dance, characterized by cheerleading style sharp movements to an eight-beat count music.
Popular in southern U.S. African American
gay
clubs, like the vogue
-style before it, it became popular by exposure in a pop music video, this time the 2008 Beyonce Knowles
single Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
.
cheerleading
group, The Prancing Jaycettes. Middleton wanted something different, and so threw away their batons, and began dancing in formation. Based on a classical cheerleader eight-beat style, the signature thrusts, pumps, and high kicks were developed into a lead-and-follow "wave" through the troupe.
However, the style was strictly reserved for women only until 1997, when male troupe baton twirling member DeMorris Adams, was asked to fill in for an injured female troupe member. After this, although the performing troupe was still female, the crowd supporters started to grow from the colleges gay community.
; Incognito, Allusions, and 901 in Memphis; and Club 708 in Atlanta.
J-Setting gained popularity in part because it was sharp, and due to its lead and follow nature, meant another dancer could intimate interest through following someone else lead.
s, with long flowing capes, sheer stockings and white marching boots. At gay cultural events, squads of J-Setters compete in dance-offs.
Some of the most popular J-Setting teams include: Memphis Elite; Atlanta’s J-Phi; Dallas Diamonds; Baton Rouge Xtreme; Nashville’s Music City All-Starz; and Grambling, La.’s X-Men.
, and the distinctly dance-oriented Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It).
Unfortunately, video director Jake Nava
spent the majority of the video budget on shooting If I Were a Boy, confident that the production team could create something unique in the same black and white style in which the first video was shot. According to Nava, the styling was inspired by a Vogue
photo shoot. Choreographed by Frank Gatson, he called in J-Setting specialist JaQuel Knight, who created an intricate J-Setting style shot in a simple plain-white infinity cove
studio, with Knowles and her co-dancers dressed in simple black leotards, tights and high-heels.
The video gained great popularity, although some J-Setting fans were disappointed to later find that portions of the choreography and video borrowed liberally from Gwen Verdon
’s 1960s dance to Pat Williams’ Mexican Breakfast, as choreographed by Broadway
legend Bob Fosse
.
However, so popular was the video, that Justin Timberlake
spoofed it during his appearance on Saturday Night Live
.
Modern dance
Modern dance is a dance form developed in the early 20th century. Although the term Modern dance has also been applied to a category of 20th Century ballroom dances, Modern dance as a term usually refers to 20th century concert dance.-Intro:...
lead and follow style hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
dance, characterized by cheerleading style sharp movements to an eight-beat count music.
Popular in southern U.S. African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
clubs, like the vogue
Vogue (dance)
Vogue or voguing is a highly stylized, modern house dance that evolved out of the Harlem ballroom scene in the 1960s. It gained mainstream exposure when it was featured in Madonna's song and video "Vogue" , and when showcased in the 1990 documentary Paris is Burning...
-style before it, it became popular by exposure in a pop music video, this time the 2008 Beyonce Knowles
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
single Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
"Single Ladies " is a song by American recording artist Beyoncé Knowles from her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce. It was released by Columbia Records on October 12, 2008 as the album's lead single, and appeared with "If I Were a Boy" as a double A-side single, demonstrating the...
.
Background
In 1970, former majorette Shirley Middleton became troupe leader of the Jackson State UniversityJackson State University
Jackson State University is a historically black university founded in 1877 in Natchez, MS by the American Baptist Home Mission Society of New York. The Society moved the school to Jackson in 1882, renaming it Jackson College, and developed its present campus in 1902. It became a state supported...
cheerleading
Cheerleading
Cheerleading is a physical activity, sometimes a competitive sport, based on organized routines, usually ranging from one to three minutes, which contain the components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers, and stunting to direct spectators of events to cheer on sports teams at games or to participate...
group, The Prancing Jaycettes. Middleton wanted something different, and so threw away their batons, and began dancing in formation. Based on a classical cheerleader eight-beat style, the signature thrusts, pumps, and high kicks were developed into a lead-and-follow "wave" through the troupe.
However, the style was strictly reserved for women only until 1997, when male troupe baton twirling member DeMorris Adams, was asked to fill in for an injured female troupe member. After this, although the performing troupe was still female, the crowd supporters started to grow from the colleges gay community.
Development
In the early 1990s, young gay men brought the style back to their home towns, and the distinct and often intricate style that is now J-Setting developed in nightclubs like Club City Lights in Jackson, MississippiJackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
; Incognito, Allusions, and 901 in Memphis; and Club 708 in Atlanta.
J-Setting gained popularity in part because it was sharp, and due to its lead and follow nature, meant another dancer could intimate interest through following someone else lead.
Style
J-Setting has now developed into a culture, with a distinct dress style. There are now J-Setting troupes, where groups of young gay men imitate cheerleaders with co-ordinated uniforms of sequined one- and two-piece leotardLeotard
A leotard is a skin-tight one-piece garment that covers the torso but leaves the legs free. It was made famous by the French acrobatic performer Jules Léotard ....
s, with long flowing capes, sheer stockings and white marching boots. At gay cultural events, squads of J-Setters compete in dance-offs.
Some of the most popular J-Setting teams include: Memphis Elite; Atlanta’s J-Phi; Dallas Diamonds; Baton Rouge Xtreme; Nashville’s Music City All-Starz; and Grambling, La.’s X-Men.
Mainstream attention
In 2008, Beyonce Knowles wanted to emphasize her duality as a singer and performer, and spotlight her more aggressive alter ego Sasha Fierce. It was hence agreed to release a double-sided single: the slow-ballad If I Were a BoyIf I Were a Boy
"If I Were a Boy" is a pop song recorded by American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles. It was composed by Toby Gad and BC Jean. Jean initially recorded her version of the song which was rejected by Jean's record company. Knowles then recorded a new version for her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce...
, and the distinctly dance-oriented Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It).
Unfortunately, video director Jake Nava
Jake Nava
Jake Nava was born on 17 August and grew up in northern London. He currently lives in eastern London.He graduated from the University of WestministerJake Nava is an English-born music video and film director.-Filmography:MUSIC VIDEOS...
spent the majority of the video budget on shooting If I Were a Boy, confident that the production team could create something unique in the same black and white style in which the first video was shot. According to Nava, the styling was inspired by a Vogue
Vogue (magazine)
Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...
photo shoot. Choreographed by Frank Gatson, he called in J-Setting specialist JaQuel Knight, who created an intricate J-Setting style shot in a simple plain-white infinity cove
Infinity cove
In photography, an infinity cove or infinity cyclorama is an all-white space with no corners, designed to give the impression that the background of an object extends to infinity....
studio, with Knowles and her co-dancers dressed in simple black leotards, tights and high-heels.
The video gained great popularity, although some J-Setting fans were disappointed to later find that portions of the choreography and video borrowed liberally from Gwen Verdon
Gwen Verdon
Gwenyth Evelyn “Gwen” Verdon was an actress and dancer who won four Tony awards for her musical comedy performances. With flaming red hair and an endearing quaver in her voice, Verdon was a critically acclaimed dancer on Broadway in the 1950s and 1960s...
’s 1960s dance to Pat Williams’ Mexican Breakfast, as choreographed by Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
legend Bob Fosse
Bob Fosse
Robert Louis “Bob” Fosse was an American actor, dancer, musical theater choreographer, director, screenwriter, film editor and film director. He won an unprecedented eight Tony Awards for choreography, as well as one for direction...
.
However, so popular was the video, that Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake is an American pop musician and actor. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez...
spoofed it during his appearance on Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
.