About

Founded in 1993, JazzAntiqua Dance & Music Ensemble continues its mission to honor the jazz tradition as a vital thread in the cultural fabric of African American history and heritage, and a defining element of the American experience. Under the artistic direction of choreographer Pat Taylor, and dedicated to jazz arts education / preservation / creation, the company is committed to increasing awareness of and appreciation for jazz through collaborative projects that educate and inspire, as well as entertain.

JazzAntiqua presents a signature style of "jazz-theatre" --- a blend of music, dance, visuals, text and song, shaped by a distinctive historical perspective. Exploring original compositions along with the works of jazz greats, JazzAntiqua delves deep into the heart of jazz and the stories within the music. From jazz clubs to concert halls, performing arts centers to schools, museums to festivals in the park --- JazzAntiqua shares the art of jazz with audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

The company is the recipient of awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, California Arts Council, California Humanities, Black Art Futures Fund, Los Angeles County Arts Commission, Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, Doolittle Foundation, Center for Cultural Innovation and Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions.

JazzAntiqua has been presented at the prestigious Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival (Becket, MA), The Music Center of Los Angeles County, Luckman Fine Arts Complex, Playboy Jazz Festivals at the Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, California African American Museum, CIAEI Theater (Brazil), San Francisco's Dance Mission Theater, The Jazz Bakery, Ford Amphitheatre and many other venues. Taylor’s work has also been showcased at Glashuset (Stockholm), Lehman Performing Arts Center (New York) and Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts.

"...a uniquely American concert jazz style that bridges cultures within a piece about living that very bridge." Directed by Pat Taylor, JazzAntiqua is one of a few companies committed to concert jazz dance, exploring the structural layering of dance, music and text within performance.
- Bachtrack

"These dancers were real people, with real stories that are our stories... communicating universal themes of struggle, challenge, love, growth and hope."
- LA Dance Review

"When music and movement are energetically fused, great things can happen!"
- Los Angeles Times