Ball State’s University Theatre Series Production “Tribute” to jazz and its African roots will encourage a deep appreciation of the jazz genre, according to Associate Teaching Professor Anne Beck, who has choreographed the show.

Performances will focus on jazz eras such as the1920s and 1940s swing. An improvisation section at the end of the show allows the dancers to freestyle, which Beck said is a big part of jazz today. The 24 students performing in “Tribute” hope the audiences will learn about the contributions that Black dancers, Black communities and Black tribes have made to jazz.

While students and the general public may know about jazz choreographers suchas Jack Cole or Bob Fosse, they may not know about the origins of jazz.

“It’s paying homage to those who came before us –like the African tribes–and really influenced what we have today in jazz dance,” said musical theater major Shelby Brown, who will do a solo improvisation.

Creating in the midst of a pandemic has had its challenges –modifying choreography to maintain social distancing and requiring the dancers to wear masks.

“Even with rehearsals for ‘Tribute’ and even in classes during the day, we are all in masks, and we have altered spaces so that everybody can stay 10-feet apart from each other,” Beck said. “We sanitize in; we sanitize out. We make sure that there’s no touching in the show.”

Beck, who teaches jazz and dance for musical theatre, said she encourages everyone to remember the positive things that can come out of a pandemic. For example, Beck said the dancers will improve their cardiovascular capacity by having to dance with the masks.

“When we’re in the theater world, you have to sing and dance and act at the same time, so your diaphragm gets quite a workout,” Beck said.“ I always tell them just remember you’re building a new, strong muscle on those lungs and that heart by having to wear these masks sometimes for a little bit of an aerobic workout.”

Beck, who has performed all over the world, also expects the audience to be impressed by the versatility of the dancers who have overcome the pandemic challenges to create such vibrant work.

“Sometimes I’ve taught people who are hard of hearing or speak a different language, but somehow in dance that all goes away and we can just translate and speak one language through the movement of the body,” she said.

The livestream of “Tribute” starts at 7:30 p.m. on March 13. Tickets are $10 for Ball State students and faculty, and $15 for the general public.

Xinhui Shen is a reporter for a Ball State University arts journalism class.