A concise introduction to the study of dance ranging from the practical aspects such as technique and choreography to more theoretical considerations such as aesthetic appreciation and the place of dance in different cultures. This book answers questions such as: Exactly how do we define dance? What kinds of people dance and what kind of training is necessary? How are dances made? What do we know about dance history? Featuring a glossary, chronology of dance history and list of useful websites, this book is the ideal starting point for anyone interested in the study of dance.

This book provides a comprehensive and concise overview of choreography both as a creative skill and as a field of study, introducing readers to the essential theory and context of choreographic practice. Providing invaluable practical considerations for creating choreography as well as leading international examples from a range of geographical and cultural contexts, this resource will enhance students’ knowledge of how to create dance. This clear guide outlines both historical and recent developments within the field, including how choreographers are influenced by technology and intercultural exchange, whilst also demonstrating the potential to address social, political and philosophical themes. It further explores how students can devise and analyse their own work in a range of styles, how choreography can be used in range of contexts – including site-specific work and digital technologies – and engages with communities of performers to give helpful, expert suggestions for developing choreographic projects. This book is a highly valuable resource for anyone studying dancemaking, dance studies or contemporary choreographic practice and those in the early stages of dance training who wish to pursue a career as a choreographer or in a related profession.

Teaching Dance Studies is a practical guide, written by college professors and dancers/choreographers active in the field, introducing key issues in dance pedagogy. Many young people graduating from universities with degrees – either PhDs or MFAs – desire to teach dance, either in college settings or at local dance schools. This collection covers all areas of dance education, including improvisation/choreography; movement analysis; anthropology; theory; music for dance; dance on film; kinesiology/injury prevention; notation; history; archiving; and criticism. Among the contributors included in the volume are: Bill Evans, writing on movement analysis; Susan Foster on dance theory; Ilene Fox on notation; Linda Tomko addresses new approaches to teaching the history of all types of dance; and Elizabeth Aldrich writing on archiving.

If the saying “To be the best, you must learn from the best” holds true, then this book is gold for all aspiring dancers. Dance Composition Basics, Second Edition, doesn’t just feature the works and brilliance of dance and choreographic legends Alonzo King and Dwight Rhoden—it is completely based on the choreographic operations and forms in three of their original works: Chants and Dreamer by King and Verge by Rhoden. All compositional exercises in the book are based on those three works, and the book itself is expertly crafted by Pamela Anderson Sofras, who has 34 years of experience teaching dance at the university level. Dance Composition Basics, designed for beginning dance composition courses, introduces dancers to choreography through a series of problem-solving activities. The activities are starting points for novice dancers to embark on their own attempts at choreography. Useful Tools The book offers several useful tools for instructors: 27 lesson plans that draw from and highlight selected portions of original compositions by King and Rhoden 33 reproducible assessment and self-evaluation forms An instructor guide that includes a sample course syllabus plus written exams for each chapter PowerPoint presentations to guide students through each lesson A web resource featuring online videos that are closely tied to the lesson plans and provide a richer learning experience for students; students can access this resource inside or outside of class Highly Valuable Video Resource The videos give students access to Alonzo King and Dwight Rhoden, highly successful and respected choreographers, who share their processes and techniques. Many video clips show the choreographers working on the same movement concepts featured in the corresponding lesson. Students will see the choreographers in action with professional dancers as they develop the movement material for each dance. Because students get to see the choreographers and dancers struggling with the same creative concepts they have been assigned, these clips add tremendous value to Dance Composition. Book and Web Resource Organization The text is split into five chapters, each of which features several lessons based on that chapter’s choreographic concept. Each lesson contains the following: An introductory statement and a vocabulary list A warm-up to prepare the body and focus the mind Structured improvisations that help dancers understand the movement concepts of the lesson Problem-solving activities that allow dancers to apply the concepts presented in the improvisations Discussion questions to engage dancers and promote understanding Assessment rubrics to guide evaluation of each dancer’s learning At the end of the book, a glossary provides definitions for the vocabulary terms introduced in the chapters. The main menu of the web resource corresponds with the five chapters in the book. To guide students’ use of the videos, icons have been placed throughout the book, referring readers to additional information in the web resource. Reviewing the videos will provide further insight into the choreographic assignment. The web resource also contains all the discussion questions, assessments, and evaluations found in the book. Instructors can distribute these to students electronically or print them out. Instructors can also adapt the forms to meet their specific needs. The web resource is included with all new print books and some ebooks. For ebook formats that don’t provide access, the web resource is available separately. The Learning Process Dance Composition takes students through a systematic learning process: reading about a concept, discussing the concept, seeing the concept played out on video with professional choreographers and dancers, and exploring the concept through their own movement ideas. Through this process, which includes structured improvisations, students discover a movement vocabulary and original dance phrases. They then more fully develop their movement ideas, with specific movement assignments, and are given feedback by their peers and the instructor. Invaluable Resource Dance Composition Basics, Second Edition, is an invaluable resource for dancers of all styles, from ballet to modern jazz, as it introduces them to some of the compositional structures used by professional choreographers. Through the carefully designed lessons in the book and the expert examples on the video clips, students can use this resource to take their first confident and exhilarating steps into the craft of choreography.

Ballet: Beyond the Basics is for adult students who have studied ballet basics and find themselves in that in-between area - no longer beginners by not yet advanced dancers. The aim of this book is to provide intermediate dancers with a reference source for their expanded growth as dancers. It is meant as loving encouragement to students and teachers who are dealing with this most challenging phase of ballet training, the period beyond the basics. -- from back cover.

Anne Green Gilbert’s Brain-Compatible Dance Education, Second Edition, strikes the perfect balance between hard science and practicality, making it an ideal resource for dance educators working with dancers of all ages and abilities. Gilbert presents the latest brain research and its implications for dance educators and dancers. She makes the research findings accessible and easy to digest, always connecting the science to the teaching and learning that takes place in classrooms and studios.

The Routledge Dance Studies Reader has been expanded and updated, giving readers access to thirty-seven essential texts that address the social, political, cultural, and economic impact of globalization on embodiment and choreography. These interdisciplinary essays in dance scholarship consider a broad range of dance forms in relation to historical, ethnographic, and interdisciplinary research methods including cultural studies, reconstruction, media studies, and popular culture. This new third edition expands both its geographic and cultural focus to include recent research on dance from Southeast Asia, the People’s Republic of China, indigenous dance, and new sections on market forces and mediatization. Sections cover: Methods and approaches Practice and performance Dance as embodied ideology Dance on the market and in the media Formations of the field. The Routledge Dance Studies Reader includes essays on concert dance (ballet, modern and postmodern dance, tap, kathak, and classical khmer dance), popular dance (salsa and hip-hop), site-specific performance, digital choreography, and lecture-performances. It is a vital resource for anyone interested in understanding dance from a global and contemporary perspective.