Dance at a Glance
by DIANE L. SMITH
3rd edition, 158 pages, $14.95
ISBN 978-0-89641-276-7Dance at a Glance is designed for the beginning ballroom or social dance classes. The material is designed to be used under the guidance of a qualified dance instructor or as additional material for students and instructors. The book is divided into three parts: Part I, the Kinetics of Dance, outlines the reason for dancing, what the student needs to know to get started, the basic dance positions, abbreviations and foot positions. Part II, the Tempos of Dance demonstrate eight of the basic ballroom dances, giving their history or origin, the style, meter, advice for the beginner and basic steps for each dance. At the end of each dance, there is a checklist for the student to evaluate his/her own progress. Part III, the Reference section details the terminology and the bibliography. This book has been used quite successfully at many colleges and universities as a required text for ballroom classes. The book is beautifully illustrated..
CONTENTS
Part I—KINETICS OF DANCE
- Why Dance?
- Dance Folklore
- Getting Started (Posture, Watch Your Step, Learning to Lead and Follow, You've Got Rhythm, Develop Your Own Style)
- Basic Dance Positions (Semi-Open or Conversation Position, Closed Position, Partner Outside, Skater's Position, Varsouvienne Position, Cuddle Position)
- Abbreviations
- Foot Positions
Part II—TEMPOS OF DANCE
- Foxtrot
- Waltz
- Swing/Lindy/Jitterbug
- Cha-Cha-Cha
- Rumba
- Tango
- Samba
- Disco
Part III—REFERENCES
- Terminology
- Bibliography and Selected Record List
- Index
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Diane L. Smith presently teaches ballroom dance at Monterey Peninsula College in Monterey, California. She has studied extensively with the Arthur Murray Dance Studio and has been involved in numerous dance contests and dance exhibitions in and out of California. She received her B.S. (ED) at the University of Idaho and her M.A. (ED) at Stanford University.