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Born
Gus Giordano was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1923. -
Introduction to dance
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", introducing him to jazz music and dance. After this trip, Giordano was fascinated. He returned to St. Louis and studied with local dance teacher Minette Buchman. -
The War
During World War 2, he joined the marines and was stationed at camp Pendlton near Hollywood. He joined a performing group with other marines and performed at the Hollywood Canteen and at military bases throughout the country. After the war he met his future wife Peg, and joined a performing group at the Roxy Theatre doing four shows a day, seven days a week. After the show's run ended, he and Peg were married. -
Moving to New York
After college, Giordano moved back to New York City. After six months of auditioning, Giordano landed a job in the Broadway musical Wish You Were Here. He also performed in Paint Your Wagon, On the Town and several television variety shows. -
Moving to Chicago
Not finding fulfillment with Broadway, Giordano found out that the equity office was in need of someone to stage a film festival in Chicago; he applied and was accepted. In 1953, he moved back to Chicago and opened a dance studio where he could teach and choreograph. His students included many people from Northwestern University. Giordano taught dance at his studio and staged the film festival at the same time. -
His Company is born.
Ten years after his studio opened, a dance critic asked Giordano to perform with his classes for visiting Bolshoi Ballet dancers who wanted to see what jazz dance looked like. Giordano took his senior students and choreographed a number for them to perform. The Bolshoi dancers were impressed, and Giordano's students were invited to tour Russia the next year. Thus, Giordano Dance Chicago, his company, was born in 1963. -
Giordano wins an Emmy
In 1980, Giordano's television show The Rehearsal won an Emmy, the PBS award and the Ohio State award. -
The Jazz Dance World Congress
Giordano founded the Jazz Dance World Congress, a five-day event celebrating the uniquely American art form of jazz dance. At the Congress, jazz dance enthusiasts take classes from world-class Master Teachers, see performances by internationally-known dance companies, witness the judging of new jazz dance choreography in competition for the Leo Award, and discuss any topic of interest to jazz dancers in formal panel discussions and informally throughout the Congress. The Congress also incl -
Acknowledgment
In 2005 he received the Heritage Award from the National Dance Association for his contributions to dance education. -
Death
Giordano died on March 9, 2008 of pneumonia. He was 84 years old.
