Aerial Dance

Jayne Bernasconi & Nancy Smith

Human Kinetics, 2008

$61.95pb

Aerial Dance is the first book to showcase this newest dance genre. The book traces the historical roots of this latest art form, which is rapidly gaining in popularity. It also defines its place in the lineage of modern dance and addresses aesthetics, philosophical approaches to teaching, and safety issues. 
Aerial Dance will be of great interest to all those associated with or attracted to this emerging art form. Whether a novice or professional, a practitioner or educator, they will learn from those who helped shape aerial dance into what it is today. Through this book and DVD package, readers will

·       gain insight from essays written by leading choreographers in the field;

·       gain a greater understanding of and appreciation for aerial dance choreography through “Look Up!” features that provide cross-references to video performance clips on the DVD; and

·       view high-quality photographs that illustrate the origins of aerial dance. 144 pages (plus DVD)

Anatomy of Exercise and Movement for the study of dance, pilates, sport and yoga

Jo Ann Staugaard-Jones

Lotus Publishing, 2010

$42.00 pb

The Anatomy of Exercise & Movement serves as a bridge between biomechanics and the practice of sport, pilates, yoga, and dance, providing the reader with a complete understanding of how the body functions whilst being exercised. Jo Ann Staugaard-Jones' background in movement sciences has led to a deep interest in the ability of the body to heal itself, specifically through knowledge of muscles and what they can do. Awareness of this potential is key to the prevention of injuries, obviating the need for joint surgery, and the power to maintain health, weight, posture, strength, and performance. 192 pages

Anton’s Dance Class: How to Dance

Anton Du Beke

Kyle Cathie, 2008

$59.95pb

Anton Du Beke shares his passion for ballroom dancing. Far more than just the basic steps, it is about the feeling of getting movements perfect, of building a relationship with your partner, of creating an emotional connection with the dances and of beautiful costumes too. For each of the 5 ballroom dances - from the waltz to the foxtrot - and of the 5 latin dances - from the jive to the cha cha - Anton Du Beke describes its origins and story, how to approach it and some tips and techniques, as well as showing the movements in intricate detail. A fantastic free DVD accompanies the book's step-by-step instructions.

224 pages (plus DVD)

The Ballet Companion: a dancer’s guide to the technique, traditions & joys of ballet

Eliza Gaynor Minden

Simon & Schuster, 2005

$49.99hb

The Ballet Companion is the first complete, illustrated reference book for the dancer. With more than 150 stunning photographs of ballet greats Maria Riccetto and Benjamin Millepied demonstrating perfect execution of positions and steps, the book brims with everything today's dance student needs including:
* Practical advice for getting started, such as finding the right teacher, fitting a pointe shoe, tying a ballet bun
* Training safely through a sensible diet, injury prevention, and cross training with yoga and Pilates
* Inside information on backstage and studio etiquette and auditioning
* Technique secrets from stars of American Ballet Theatre
* Glossaries and lavishly illustrated sidebars on ballet history and 'Must See' ballets
Whether a budding ballerina, serious student, or adult returning to ballet, dancers will find a graceful mix of ballet traditions and essential, new information. 352 pages

Ballroom Dancing

Alex Moore

A&C Black, 10^th ed., 2002

$49.95hb

This classic and comprehensive handbook describes the standard technique of ballroom dancing - for beginners, for competition dancers and for students of ballroom dancing courses and examinations.

The 10th edition has been revised throughout and includes up-to-date information on the International Viennese Waltz which is now the version approved for all championships. 320 pages

The Body Speaks: Physical Expression for Performers – a practical guide

Lorna Marshall

Methuen, 2^nd ed., 2009

$39.95pb

Seventy percent of everyday conversation is conveyed through body language, twenty percent through the voice and only ten percent is the meaning of the words. In The Body Speaks, expert RADA trainer Lorna Marshall, shows how to recognise and lose unwanted physical inhibitions that our background, education or family have taught us and presents a fundamental re-thinking of our relationship to the body and its role in performance. Good performers - be they trapeze artists, Shakespearean actors, Butoh dancers or film stars - are able to reach their audience and engage with them because they have learnt to use their bodies to best effect. Through a series of practical exercises, Lorna Marshall shows us how to unleash our potential, discover new possibilities for the body and express ourselves more clearly. This new edition has been fully revised to include the latest thinking on the subject as well as more exercises specifically for performers in TV and film. 240 pages

The Cambridge Companion to Ballet

Marion Kant (ed)

Cambridge University Press, 2007

$49.95pb

Ballet is a paradox: much loved but little studied. It is a beautiful fairy tale; detached from its origins and unrelated to the men and women who created it. Yet ballet has a history, little known and rarely presented. These great works have dark sides and moral ambiguities, not always nor immediately visible. The daring and challenging quality of ballet as well as its perceived 'safe' nature is not only one of its fascinations but one of the intriguing questions to be explored in this Companion. The essays reveal the conception, intent and underlying meaning of ballets and recreate the historical reality in which they emerged. The reader will find new and unexpected aspects of ballet, its history and its aesthetics, the evolution of plot and narrative, new insights into the reality of training, the choice of costume and the transformation of an old art in a modern world. 394 pages

Choreographing From Within: developing the habit of inquiry as an artist

Diana F Green

Human Kinetics, 2010

$52.25pb

Choreographing From Within: Developing a Habit of Inquiry as an Artist presents an inquiry-based approach to creating movement. Students explore the elements of energy, space, and time; discover how to synthesize those concepts using music, transitions, and formulas; and experiment with discoveries to find the unique artist within. 320 pages

Conditioning for Dance: training for peak performance in all dance forms

Eric Franklin

Human Kinetics, 2004

$36.95pb

Even the best sense of rhythm, the most careful technical training, and the most astute dance intuition aren’t enough to make a dancer truly excel; you also need focused strength, balance, and flexibility to execute the movements with power and grace. Conditioning for Dance improves your technique and performance in all dance forms by strengthening the body’s core (abdominal and back muscles) while improving coordination, balance, and alignment and optimizing flexibility. The result is more lift without tension, deeper pliés, higher jumps with less effort, tighter turns, and improved extension and turnout.

248 pages

Dance Composition

Jacqueline Smith-Autard

A&C Black, 6^th ed., 2010

$45.00pb

Dance composition, the discipline that translates ideas into dances, is an important part of dance education. This book, a bestseller for over twenty years, is a practical guide to creative success in dance making and is a popular textbook for all those who are interested in dance composition, from secondary school to university.
This new edition has been revised, redesigned and expanded. It also includes a DVD with video taken from Choreographic Outcomes, a groundbreaking advanced technology resource pack aimed at comprehensively improving students' choreography. References to the DVD examples are made throughout the book and there are new assignments based on the video material.

256 pages

Dance Composition: an interrelated arts approach

Janice Pomer

Human Kinetics, 2009

$60.00pb

Dance Composition helps students investigate dance movement from a multidisciplinary perspective—something that no other dance text or package does. 
This interactive package contains a book, music CD, and companion Web site with these features: *28 improvisational exercises that provide perspective on the shared characteristics among the arts for inspiration and motivation for dance making * 6 in-depth interviews and 24 arts connections that highlight artists from disciplines and cultures around the world * 3 independent dance projects that encompass numerous elements: music, composition, story adaptation, costumes and props, artist’s statements, and reflections on the creative process. 208 pages (plus CD)

A Dictionary of Ballet Terms

Leo Kersley & Janet Sinclair

A&C Black, 2001

$27.95pb

With over 100 drawings, this text offers explanations for over 250 ballet terms. In order to soften the aridity of technical terms, references are made to ballet steps in actual performance. The authors run their own ballet school in the UK.

128 pages

Dance Techniques and Injury Prevention

Justin Howse & Moira McCormack

A&C Black, 4^th ed., 2009

$75.00pb

Injury in dance is often not an accident but a fault in technique that has not been identified at an early stage, or a variation in physique where the implications have not yet been understood. Appropriate treatment is vital and not always easy to find. Now in its 4th edition, this is an essential guide to dance techniques, injury prevention and treatment. It focuses on five main areas: anatomy and physiology; general injuries; specific injuries, their cause and treatment; strengthening exercises; technical faults and anatomical variations.
This latest edition has been completely re-designed throughout and contains numerous updated photographs and diagrams. There is also a new illustrated section covering the latest physiotherapy treatment. 256 pages

Dance Workout: 15 Minute workout + DVD

Caron Bosler

Dorling Kindersley, 2009

$35.00

Featuring four great dance styles; salsa, ballet, jazz and street dance. Clear at-a-glance fold-out pages show you exactly what to do and the live action 60 minute DVD demonstrates each of the four key exercises so you can master techniques. A total fitness package - exercising at home has never been easier or quicker!

128 pages (plus DVD)

Exploring Dance Forms and Styles: a guide to concert, world, social and historical dance

Helene Scheff

Human Kinetics, 2010

$98.45pb

Exploring Dance Forms and Styles: A Guide to Concert, World, Social, and Historical Dance introduces students to 60 dance forms across the four categories. It features worksheets and teacher information sheets in the book and as printable PDFs on the bound-in DVD, and it includes 39 dance performances and resources for 21 more dance forms.  344 pages plus DVD

An Introduction to Community Dance Practice

Diane Amans (ed)
Palgrave Macmillan, 2008

$49.95pb

This book is aimed at undergraduates studying community dance. Drawing on high profile contributors, the book is packed with case studies, interviews and examples that students can use to explore issues in community dance practice. A resources section includes session plans, evaluation tools and questionnaires.

‘A rich stock of case studies and personal experiences - often moving - bring theoretical concerns to life...this is an inspiring read that will give courage to all those dancers who work with community groups. There should be a well-thumbed copy in every dancer's kitbag.' - Francois Matarasso, Arts Professional

224 pages

Preventing Dance Injuries

Ruth Solomon, John Solomon, Sandra Cerny Minton

Human Kinetics, 2^nd ed., 2005

$68.00pb

Recognized as a foundational publication in 1990, Preventing Dance Injuries has been updated in this second edition with significant new material to guide dance medicine specialists and educators in promoting the physical and psychological well-being of dancers. 256 pages

Rhythmic Activities and Dance

John Price Bennett

Human Kinetics, 2^nd ed., 2006

$52.50pb

Rhythmic Activities and Dance, Second Edition, is a collection of some of the most popular recreational dance forms, geared for teachers of K-12 students and for recreation directors and leaders who want to teach easy rhythms and dances for fun and fitness.  272 pages plus CD

The Routledge Dance Studies Reader

Alexandra Carter & Janet O’Shea (eds)

Routledge, 2010

$69.95pb

Represents the range and diversity of writings on dance from the mid-to-late twentieth century, providing contemporary perspectives on ballet, modern dance, postmodern 'movement performance' jazz and ethnic dance.

424 pages

Shall We Dance

Brian Lanker

Chronicle, 2008

$69.95hb

Tango, waltz, square dance, hip-hop, ballet, swing, jazz, chorus line, afro-cuban-dance has come from every culture and corner of the world. Almost every known culture on the planet has a dance tradition. Photographer Brian Lanker travelled across America for one year documenting numerous manifestations of dance. This beautifully photographed book features interviews with dancers, some famous and some not, and examines the importance of the art form in their lives. 177 pages