Tag: books

5 Books Every Dance Teacher Should Own

American Dance: The Complete Illustrated History by Margaret Fuhrer Voyageur Press; 288 pages; $45 Legendary dancers and choreographers like Fred Astaire, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Martha Graham jump off the pages of this beautiful coffee-table book on the history of American dance, by Dance Spirit editor in chief Margaret Fuhrer. Being a Dancer: Advice from Dancers […]

Bill “Bojangles” Robinson Biography Returns to Print

Initially released in 1988, Mr. Bojangles: The Biography of Bill Robinson was well-reviewed but fell out of print, relegated to collectors’ shelves. Now, the full-length biography of Bill “Bojangles” Robinson has been re-released, and teachers and dance history buffs can once again get their hands on the story of the legendary tapper. Robinson (1878–1949) was known for […]

When Stravinsky Met Nijinsky: Two Artists, Their Ballet, and One Extraordinary Riot

When Stravinsky Met Nijinsky: Two Artists, Their Ballet, and One Extraordinary Riot By Lauren Stringer 30 pages One hundred years ago, the Ballets Russes debuted a ballet so radical, the audience disintegrated into an angry, brawling mob. On that day in 1913, The Rite of Spring, brightly illustrated in Lauren Stringer’s children’s book, When Stravinsky […]

Music Fundamentals for Dance

by Nola Nolen Holland Human Kinetics, 2013 e-book $22, paperback $39 Several textbooks have been written for beginner music theory students, but very few are tailored specifically to dancers. In Music Fundamentals for Dance (123 pages), author Nola Holland, assistant professor of dance and music theory at Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania, relates musical concepts […]

Pilates Anatomy

Pilates Anatomy: Your illustrated guide to mat work for core stability and balance By Rael Isacowitz and Karen Clippinger Human Kinetics, 2011 204 pages Ideal for a Pilates instructor or general practitioner, Pilates Anatomy is an informative and comprehensive guide to the technique. Examining movement from the inside out, the book shows which muscles are […]

Underground Dance Masters

Underground Dance Masters: Final History of a Forgotten Era By Thomas Guzman-Sanchez Praeger, 2012 169 pages, $48 From the soul and funk boogaloos, to rocking, popping and power moves, Underground Dance Masters explores the evolving styles and movements that dance crews across the United States performed in the mid-1960s through the 1980s. It’s written by […]

Starting Your Career as a Dancer

Starting Your Career as a Dancer By Mande Dagenais Allworth Press, 2012 304 pages When your 17-year-old star student tells you that she’s leaving for Los Angeles to start her career, make sure this guide gets packed in her suitcase. Though written for all dancers, the book will be particularly useful for those embarking on […]

Dynamic Alignment Through Imagery, Second Edition

Dynamic Alignment Through Imagery, Second Edition Eric Franklin Human Kinetics, 2012 429 pages If the purpose of proper alignment is to promote a healthy and efficient way of moving, it only makes sense to improve one’s alignment through movement, rather than static positioning. This is the thesis behind Eric Franklin’s Dynamic Alignment Through Imagery, a […]

Summer Dance

Summer Dance By Lynn Swanson CreateSpace, 2011 260 pages When 13-year-old Sara Sutherland lands a dream spot at the prestigious Lakewood Dance Camp, she knows it’s time to work. Her parents can only afford to send her for one year, and she must win a scholarship for next summer. But with a distracting boys’ camp […]