Jazz is a medium that is constantly evolving.
New elements, taken from modern, street, and daily life experiences are constantly being added to the vocabulary. It is very important to keep an open mind to new ideas and to experience and learn from as much as possible from them. For the dance student, it is very important to keep an open mind and be free to learn from every source possible. If you are afraid to attempt a style that feels foreign, afraid to try something that you KNOW will make you look like an idiot on your first few attempts, you will be seriously limiting yourself. At conventions, take every single master class you can fit into your schedule.