You're no idiot, of course. You've got tons of talent, but when it comes to bringing it centerstage you feel like you're just winging it. You love the smell of the greasepaint and the roar of the crowd, but you're not sure how to follow your dream. Don't overreact! 'The Complete Idiot's Guide to Acting' will help you hone your thespain skills and step into the limelight! In this 'Complete Idiot's Guide', you get: -Auditioning etiquette and tips on making a strong impression. -Rehearsal rigor, from read-throughs and blocking to taking stage directions and dealing with backstage gossip. -Tips on balancing theatrics with other obligations like school, work, and your family. -Tons more reasons why acting is important, from how it affects your everyday life to how it could help get you a scholarship or a promotion.

From learning about the right tools for the right jobs to looking at a plan and beginning your own project, The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Woodworking teaches the novice woodworker all there is to know about this wonderful hobby. This step–by–step book takes you through the workshop, whether it's a shed in the backyard or a three-foot space in a one-bedroom apartment, showing you how to create beautiful pieces of furniture and decorative items with the right tools. You'll learn how to set up a workspace, buy hand and power tools, set goals within a realistic budget, work with plans and put the finishing touches on your project. Basic plans for a variety of projects are included.

2.3 million brides and grooms will say "I Do" this year, making the wedding industry a $32 billion business. This book will offer sound advice from bridal consultants and brides alike on how to select a perfect dress, find a caterer, use the Internet as a planning tool, handle in-laws and much more!

Ballroom dancing is back! And now anyone can move like a pro. DVD included! In addition to the step-by-step photos, footwork illustrations, and instruction covering all the common ballroom dances, this new edition of the bestselling Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Ballroom Dancing includes a 90-minute instructional DVD featuring award-winning dancer and dance instructor Jeff Allen. It corresponds with the text seamlessly, giving readers the next best thing to one-on-one instruction, at a fraction of the cost. • The #1 selling ballroom dancing book • Includes a fantastic, new instructional DVD and hundreds of illustrations and instructions • Allen is a renowned, award-winning ballroom-dance teacher

Expert advice from an experienced equestrienne packs The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Horseback Riding. Learn simple strategies for mastering basic riding skills, essential information on caring for horses, the differences between Western and English riding styles, caring for the saddle, and much more! Rules of polo and polocrosse are also included.

Interested in the Japanese martial art of karate, but just haven't gotten around to taking a class? The Complete Idiot's Guide to Karate follows up our other proven guides to martial arts. This is one of the most popular sports for young adults and grown-ups alike. This CIG has: -- Lots of instructional photos to take the reader step by step through the process of learning karate. -- Information on using karate for self-defense, fitness, and just plain kicking the blues away. -- Practical advice on how to use karate to control anger and fear. -- Blow-by-blow descriptions of the various black belt ranks and how to achieve them. -- Information on karate schools -- where you can go to get the most "punch" for your dollar. -- Answers on what to do if you feel you've mastered the sport and want to take it to the next level -- competing! -- Background information on the history of karate in Japan, and how it became the popular sport it is today.

Vegas, baby! The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Las Vegas takes the guesswork out of planning the perfect vacation. Readers are given practical advice based on the kind of trip they're looking for. ?A reader-friendly list of visual icons and symbols that make navigating the book easy ?Ultimate itineraries suited to different lengths of stay and special interests ?Everything readers need to know about gambling, shopping, entertainment, restaurants, activities, and hotels ?An eight-page color insert that captures the magic of the city

Plan a visit to the city that never sleeps… without losing any sleep! New York continues to be one of the top tourist destinations in the world—with more than 43 million visitors in 2006 alone. This book dispels the anxiety of planning a trip to such an enormously busy and exciting destination. Readers are given practical advice based on the kind of trip they are looking for, the length of their stay, and what they want to see. The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to New York City provides: • A reader-friendly list of visual icons and symbols that make navigating the book a breeze • Fifty pages of itineraries based on days in town, areas of the city, and Special interests like romantic, family fun, single in the city, and taking it easy • An eight-page color insert that captures the magic of the Big Apple

Any way you cut it, cheese has global appeal. Cheese is one of the most varied and flavorful foods in the world. Its unique appeal lies in its range of textures, aromas, flavors, means of production, and milk sources. With this guide, readers will discover everything they need to know about European and American cheeses, including the growth of artisan cheeses, how to shop for cheese, combining cheese with food and drink, cooking cheese, and making cheese. * Over the past two decades, the quality, availability and popularity of artisan cheeses has grown * Cheese consumption has increased from 11.3 to 31.2 pounds per person over the last 30 years * 1?3 of the supermarkets offer full-service cheese counters with up to 300 varieties

Heal yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually with the ultimate guide to T'ai Chi and QiGong for beginners! T'ai Chi — a martial art used for health, meditation, and self-defense — and QiGong — a large variety of physical and mental training methods based on Chinese philosophy — are widely recognized to heal physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. T'ai Chi has demonstrated its health benefits by being linked with everything from slowing the aging process and increasing balance and flexibility to lowering stress levels and enhancing the body's natural healing powers. In this fourth edition of The Complete Idiot's Guide® to T'ai Chi & QiGong, the authors have streamlined the book, giving it a clearer how-to focus. Nearly 150 video clips complement the 300 helpful illustrations in the book by demonstrating a complete T'ai Chi exercise — all exclusively available to readers on the authors' website.