Customer Reviews (2)

Comprehensive Guide to Jazz Dance Methods
Frank Hatchett and Nancy Myers Gitlin have provided a thoroughly comprehensive guide to jazz dance.Whether enthusiastic novice or experienced jazz dancer, this book is a tremendous resource on the methodology of jazz dance.The unique expressive nature of Frank Hatchett's jazz style is captured and broken down, with detailed warm-ups and movements, truly helpful technique tips and anecdotes from the authors.The history of this unique style of jazz dance is documented, which is a great resource for those studying dance at the collegiate level.What I found particularly helpful is understanding the various elements of Frank's style, known as VOP, and becoming comfortable with now teaching this to my students.The book even has an introduction by one of Frank's star students---Brooke Shields!Nancy Myers Gitlin has done a great job collaborating with this dance legend to document this influential jazz dance style.I would recommend this book HIGHLY!

Frank Hatchett's Jazz Dance
This book is every dancers dream. It is wonderful and very touching. ... Read more

Book Description
The Judson Dance Theatre explores the work and legacy of one of the most influential of all dance companies, which first performed at the Judson Memorial Church in downtown Manhattan in the early 1960s. There, a group of choreographers and dancers--including future well-known artists Twyla Tharp, Carolee Schneemann, Robert Morris, Trisha Brown, Yvonne Rainier, and others--created what came to be known as " postmodern dance." Taking their cues from the experiments of Merce Cunningham, they took movements from everyday life--walking, running, gymnastics--to create dances that influenced not only future dance work but also minimalism in music and art, as well as the wedding of dance and speech in solo performance pieces.
Judson's legacy has been explored primarily in the work of dance critic Sally Banes, in a book published in the 1980s. Although the dancers from the so-called "Judson School" continue to perform and create new works--and their influence continues to grow from the US to Europe and beyond--there has not been a book-length study in the last two decades that discusses this work in a broader context of cultural trends. Burt is a highly respected dance critic and historian who brings a unique new vision to his study of the Judson dancers and their work which will undoubtedly influence the discussion of these seminal figures for decades to come
Performative Traces: Judson Dance Theatre and Its Legacy combines history, performance analysis, theory, and criticism to give a fresh view of the work of this seminal group of dancers. It will appeal to students of dance history, theory, and practice, as well as all interested in the avant-grade arts and performance practice in the 20th century. ... Read more

Book Description
A videotape showing Kurt Jooss and Isa Partsch-Bergsohn in conversation is available with this book.
The United States took the lead in modern dance innovation during the 1960s when artists such as Martha Graham, Josea Limoan, Paul Taylor, Alvin Ailey and Alwin Nikolais overwhelmed European audiences. Subsequently, the New German Tanztheatre revitalized German theatre traditions with its new content and application of some of the United States modern dance techniques. This book discusses both parallels and distinctions between the history of modern dance in the United States and Germany.
Examining the problems encountered by the artist in a particular social-cultural context, Isa Partsch-Bergsohn follows the closely related and yet distinctive histories of modern dance in Germany and the United States between 1920 and 1968. She analyses the initial movement in Europe with the philosophies of Dalcroze, Laban, Wigman and Jooss, the effects of the Third Reich on the artists,the sub ... Read more

Book Description
The Y located at 92nd Street and Lexington Avenue in New York City is the largest and oldest continuously operating YM-YWHA in the US. Many of the most important figures in modern dance premiered on its stage, but until now no one has thought to ask why this should have been so. As Naomi Jackson shows in Converging Movements, the Y's particular conception of Jewishness laid the groundwork for the establishment of a center for dance in the 1930s.William Kolodney, who served as the Y's education director from 1934 until 1969, expanded its educational and arts programming to include a great deal of nonsectarian material, and as Jackson shows, modern dance epitomized Kolodney's humanistic ideals regarding the uplifting role of the arts.Together with his dance advisors, most notably Doris Humphrey, John Martin, and Louis Horst, Kolodney oversaw a program characterized by a broad mix of Jewish and non-Jewish performers from Alvin Ailey, Katherine Dunham, and Ruth St. Denis to Anna Sokolow, José Limón, Erick Hawkins, Hanya Holm, Pearl Primus, and national and folk companies from Israel, the Philippines, Russia, Mexico, and elsewhere. Drawing on the Y's extensive archives and illustrated with rare photographs, Jackson's book locates modern dance at the heart of the Jewish encounter with America."Ms. Jackson does not merely present readers with the facts, she uses these documents to illuminate the significance of the Y's influence on Jewish and American culture as well as the world of dance." -- The Forward"One of Jackson's most interesting points is how, under the direction of William Kolodney, the 92nd Street Y's support of dancers from around the world foreshadowed modern multiculturalism." -- Library Journal"In her pathbreaking book, Naomi Jackson situates modern dance at the heart of the Jewish encounter with America. Her history of the 92nd Street Y's dance program compellingly chronicles the reasons for the Y's renown as an influential and pioneering cultural institution. Jackson writes with verve and energy as she tells the story of New York Jews' improbable love affair with dance, Modernism, and Zionism. This eminently readable account uncovers the multicultural roots of America's modern dance movement."-Deborah Dash Moore, author of At Home in America: Second Generation New York Jews"Through letters, course catalogues, board minutes, photographs, choreographic analyses and class and performance records, Ms. Jackson's exhaustive study documents the symbiotic relationship between the Y and modern dance. But Ms. Jackson does not merely present readers with the facts, she uses these documents to illuminate the significance of the Y's influence on Jewish and American culture as well as the world of dance . . . Ms. Jackson's book gave me -- a Jewish woman who has studied modern dance in a serious way -- a context in which to view my involvement with this art form, as well as insight into my Jewish identity. Yes, I see modern dance as a spiritual endeavor . . . Ms. Jackson's book has helped me understand that my own sense of Jewishness exists within the tensions of differing constructs of Jewish identity, including Zionism, religious Judaism and the humanistic model represented by the Y." -- The Forward"In Converging Movements, Naomi Jackson tells a remarkable story that will be of interest to scholars of American cultural history and that reinforces the importance of the committed individual and institution in the enhancement of the arts." -- Theatre Journal ... Read more

Book Description

The most compelling reason for the publication of International Dictionary of Modern Dance is that no other reference offers a comprehensive and up-to-date examination of this art form. Existing works are smaller trade titles of a general nature and are of little value to students, scholars and artists interested in authoritative biographical, bibliographical and musicological information on modern dance.

Modern Dance follows the format of other St. James Press volumes on performing arts. In a single, easy-to-use volume, it offers alphabetically arranged essays selected, written and reviewed by subject expert contributors and members of our advisory board, representing librarians, scholars and critics.The work presents 425 signed entries that focus on artists, works, companies, periods, performances and schools of modern dance from its origins in the late 19th century to the present day. In addition Modern Dance includes the following, value-added features:

• Overview Essay: Focuses on the beginnings and evolution of modern dance, and discusses modern dance in relation to other modern art forms
• Timeline: Highlights key events in the history of modern dance
• Illustrations: More than 200 photographs augment the text
• General bibliography: Lists key print, video and electronic sources without duplicating citations found at the end of entries
• Indexes: Opening access and broadening comparative research, indexes allow users to isolate nationalities, professions, institution type, works, companies and illustrations

Because of its unique coverage, scholarly presentation, currency and comprehensiveness, International Dictionary of Modern Dance will serve the information needs of students in dance and theater programs, librarians fielding ready reference inquiries and practitioners of modern dance who want to learn more about this evolving art form. ... Read more

Product Description
New Dance has revolutionized British dance its choreography, its techniques, its institutions, its audiences. Out of Line looks at the history, characteristics and practitioners of this important movement, and is thus the first book to cover all these aspects of New Dance.

The history of New Dance is traced from its beginnings in the 1960s through to the present day, looking at the individuals, companies and organizations which helped to shape the movement. The range of concerns that have characterized New Dance is then examined concerns that go beyond choreography and performance to include issues such as institutional organization, criticism, funding, feminism and politics.

This is foflowed by a survey of some of the choreographers and companies associated with or influenced by New Dance, including Michael Clark, DVS Physical Theatre, The Cholmondeleys, Rosemary Butcher, Laurie Booth and Second Stride. A selection of their important work is also described.

Out of Line is an accessible introduction to the New Dance phenomenon, and shows how it has profoundly affected not only the current British dance scene, but also the way we view, practice and think about dance. It is essential reading for anyone who wishes to understand contemporary British dance. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Brilliant, Informative - a fine supplement!
This is really a brilliant book. It has everything you need to know about jazz from basic to advanced. No matter if you are a student, dancer or teacher.
A.Gaarden,dancer,teacher& choreographer ... Read more

Book Description
The only scholarly book in English dedicated to recent European contemporary dance, Exhausting Dance: Performance and the Politics of Movement examines the work of key contemporary choreographers who have transformed the dance scene since the early 1990s in Europe and the US.
Through their vivid and explicit dialogue with performance art, visual arts and critical theory from the past thirty years, this new generation of choreographers challenge our understanding of dance by exhausting the concept of movement. Their work demands to be read as performed extensions of the radical politics implied in performance art, in post-structuralist and critical theory, in post-colonial theory, and in critical race studies.
In this far-ranging and exceptional study, Andre Lepecki brilliantly analyzes the work of the choreographers:
* Jerome Bel (France)
* Juan Dominguez (Spain)
* Trisha Brown (US)
* La Ribot (Spain)
* Xavier Le Roy (France-Germany)
* Vera Mantero (Portugal)
and visual and performance artists:
* Bruce Nauman (US)
* William Pope.L (US).
This book offers a significant and radical revision of the way we think about dance, arguing for the necessity of a renewed engagement between dance studies and experimental artistic and philosophical practices. ... Read more

Book Description
After years of teaching and performing, Emi Hatano wanted to share her philosophies and theories on dance creation in a structured, definitive way.In this book (also available in Japanese and German language editions), she discusses in the first section the history of Japanese dance and modern dance, and what it means to be a Japanese modern dancer.The second section is a rich description of techniques for creating definitive, intelligent dance.Case studies, diagrams and photographs illustrate Hatano's thinking and theory.This book was originally written for dance students and those in other branches of the arts: poets, designers, actors, painters, etc.Its fluid prose and clear vision also make it an excellent book for non-dancers to help them understand and appreciate modern dance and all dance styles. ... Read more