Book Description

Reviews (1)

A great book
I chanced upon this book when I was researching the origins of women's dance in the Middle East. The book was very helpful with this specific topic, and--more importantly--it helped me understand how dance, sex roles, sexuality, and culture intertwine. Hannah covers historic and contemporary dance forms from around the world. Highly recommended! ... Read more

Book Description

In this engaging memoir, Robert Rand tells the tale of how through dancing he helped free himself from the grip of panic disorder. Rand was a serious, shy, and intense scholar who had achieved national recognition in a career in writing and radio production. In the midst of his success, panic attacks overwhelmed him. For more than two years, he suffered their debilitatingeffects; the disease flattened his spirits and stripped him of self-confidence. Then he discovered social dancing, and in particular Cajun and zydeco dance and music. Dancing became a cathartic and liberating endeavor, helping him beat back his panic disorder to discover a world of passion and romance and to gaincontrol of his life. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

One of the best ballet books ever written!
Ballet is being taught incorrectly all over the world today except for in a few great institutions such as the Royal Ballet School. Valerie Grieg has brought to light the lies that fill so many ballet classrooms today. She explains the technique of ballet simply and clearly and why and how it works. As a student of ballet, I have been incredibly fortunate to have had a teacher who cares about the technique immensely, and it is comforting to know that people such as Grieg still care about the art's technique! If you are either a teacher or student of ballet, this book is a must read! You will benefit greatly from what Grieg has to say.

The best ballet book out there.
I am a young dancer and both my teacher and I have benfited from this book. Not only does it have certain tips, but it teaches dancers about their main asset.... their bodies. The portion about the pelvis not only helped my placement, but everything else benefited from that. My turns were better and so were my balances.

A good quide to understanding your body in dance
A well written guide for danceing correctly. The only problem with it is that it is not written for convience or quick reference. Inside Ballet Technique is what every dancer and teacher should know. Buy it, read it and share it ... Read more

Book Description

The collected writings of one of the most influential luminaries of American dance. ... Read more

Book Description

This book is filled with dance games that the whole classroom or family can play and learn from. These noncompetitive games reward children for their involvement, encourage them to use their imagination, and show them how to express how they feel without using words. Black-and-white illustrations add to these simple games that release a child’s spontaneity and self-expression. ... Read more

Book Description

39 Microlectures: In Proximity of Performance is a collection of miniature stories, parables, musings and thinkpieces on the nature of reading, writing, art, collaboration, performance, life, death, theuniverse and everything in between. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Portmanteau of Literary Accomplishment
Matthew Goulish invites the reader to share in his extraordinary life experience in 39 Microlectures. A melding of personal commentary, from dreams as a child, to his own struggle through cancer, Matthew's writing sparkles with insight and understanding. He succeeds in winding the reader's thoughts through narrow passageways- a trip through his own collection and love for architecture, film, theatre and literature. He shares with us his interpretation on the works of Italo Calvino, Eugene Ionesco, John Cage, Rem Koolhaas and countless others. A wealth of knowledge secured in a concise book, bringing the essence of so many important artistic figures together in one edition. Through the inspired writing of Matthew Goulish, interest is sparked and easily developed upon, using the source notes provided within the book. An invaluable reference to a library acquired over a lifetime. I highly recommend 39 Microlectures to any reader searching for an intellectual snowfall. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

This is an amazing book!
I had the honor of studying on scholarship at the Martha Graham School in the summer of 1994. I was given this scholarship by Diane Gray, the director of the school and a woman who was given many of Martha's roles after Martha could no longer dance them. It was such an honor to train in that school knowing it had been founded by such a genius as Martha Graham.

This book itself is, in my opinion, the best record of Martha's art. This is a legendary and important work for the dance world. "The Kick," which is featured on the cover of this book, is perhaps the most "iconographic" picture in dance history. This book even includes pictures of Martha with her then-husband Erick Hawkins, as well as with future Modern Dance legend and innovator Merce Cunningham, in a dance Martha created called, "Every Soul is a Circus." This dance was one of Martha's few forays into comedy.

Martha was a genius who changed dance forever. And this book helps to insure that her legacy will continue.
If you can afford it... and you are an admirer of Martha Graham, I would recommend getting this book.

Two Amazing Woman together...
Barbara Morgan, did a wonderful work with Martha Graham, she captured the essence of the movement, she took so many pictures of the early works, such as Frontier, Lamentation, Primitive Mysteries, that you are able to feel what the piece is about, also the size of the pictures in the book, gives even more credits to the Author. Graham Classics, Satyric Festival Song, and Deep Song, have been reconstructed with the help of Barbara Morgan pictures, in the late 80's, even Martha agreed that the actuals versions of the pieces are close to what she did... This is a book to have in your Library if you are a Friend of the Art, enjoy your new book. ... Read more

Amazon.com

From the moment of his birth aboard a train speeding through Stalinist Russia, until his death of AIDS in 1993, Rudolf Nureyev seemed to travel through life at the velocity of a triple pirouette. His professional accomplishments are stunning. Despite starting his ballet training much later most dancers, Nureyev won a coveted spot at the famous Maryinsky (later the Kirov) ballet school in St. Petersburg and went on to become one of the company's favorite dancers. By the end of his first year in the West--in 1961 he became the first Soviet dancer to defect when he stayed in Paris after the rest of the Kirov returned to the U.S.S.R--he had performed with the major ballet companies in both Europe and the United States, and formed his legendary partnership with British dancer Dame Margot Fonteyn. He reinvigorated contemporary ballet, particularly the importance of male dancers, by energizing his favorite traditional roles with unrestrained sexuality and unparalleled technical virtuosity. His personal life was equally full. He carried on affairs with men and women alike--most notable among these was his intense, decades-long involvement with his professional idol Erik Bruhn and his penchant for sexy young call-boys. He hung out at Studio 54 and crisscrossed the Atlantic with his socialite friends, but he also made time to mentor talented young dancers, including Paris Opera Ballet star Sylvie Guillem.

Biographer Diane Solway, who wroteDance Against Time, a biography of Joffrey Ballet dancer Edward Sterle, has produced an exhaustively comprehensive report on Nureyev's life. The book's most important accomplishment is that it succeeds in correcting many of the myths that still cloak the story of Nureyev's life--she credibly suggests, for instance, that his defection was not premeditated. The flamboyant dancer, known to wear jeweled jock straps, was responsible for propagating most of the stories that grew up around him. He published a ghostwritten autobiography rife with inaccuracies in the early '60s, and much of the information about his first 20 or so years in the Soviet Union has remained inaccessible until very recently. Solway traveled to Russia to piece together her subject's early life with recently declassified documents and interviews with his friends, family, and even a few detractors. She also drew from another rare book, Rudolf Nureyev: Three Years in the Kirov Theater. The result is a biography that objectively addresses the facts and fictions of an extraordinary life to create a vivid and balanced portrait. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

In fairness, a moderate success.......
With all the good reviews this work is receiving here, I feel that I must point out some of its short-comings. While the information in the book is exhaustive (sometimes to the point of seeming pretentious, as when Solway spends a footnote to provide the married name of an informant after having used her maiden name on the same page--why not just use the established convention of writing first, maiden, and last names?), the obvious research seems often tenuous. Solway's sources are frequently not identified; she writes numerous quotations without noting speakers' or informants' names. Are they Nureyev's words? Did one of his friends or family members say them? Did Solway invent them? How is one to know? How is one to credit the accuracy of a statement at all without the author's establishing of the source's credibility?

There is, of course, a great deal of credited information here, probably most that is not related to the dancer's sexual exploits already in print elsewhere. There is much that I did not know about the "hidden years" in Russia and near the end of the dancer's life. If the information is accurate, these bits are a valuable addition to the permanent body of knowledge about Nureyev (the reason for my 3 star rating).

However, I found the tone of the book uncomfortable. While it is presented as a serious biography, it seemed more akin to a (very weighty) gossip column to me. One other Amazon reviewer noted the presence of lots of stories about Nureyev's lovers (about 2 1/2 pages of speculation on whether Dame Margot Fonteyn was one of them--no definite conclusion). There are also the requisite _enfant terrible_ stories. But mostly missing are the stories of Nureyev's sweetness and generosity. I remember hearing one of his female colleagues say that, if you wanted him to dance for free at a gala you were planning, "all you have to do is cry a little" and he would do anything you wanted. I remember witnessing his evident devastated humility when he accidentally overbalanced a young Royal Ballet ballerina and nearly dropped her from a "bum lift" in a performance of _Fille mal Gardee_. This man could hardly have been the one described by Solway.

Solway does give attention to Nureyev's enormous drive, courage, and indomitability. In that, she is fair to him and to his legend. However, despite the length of the book, there is much missing from it, in my opinion.

Gripping, fascinating story of the man who changed ballet.
Diane Solway has researched and written an altogether fascinating biography of Rudolf Nureyev, the dancer who changed classical ballet in the 20th century. He was born to a impoverished family in Russia and untimately died on his private island purchased with the millions he made during his dance career--a true-life rags-to-riches story. But it is so much more...

What a career Nureyev had! As a child he danced to provide an escape from the poverty of his youth. Almost forcing his way into Russian ballet schools, he astonished even his detractors by his grace and vitality. Solway recreates the scene of his defection from Russia in gripping detail. From that moment on, Russia's loss--which they tried hard to ignore, not even allowing Nureyev to see his mother until she was on her deathbed--became the West's priceless gain.

In the West this amazing young man turned into a human dynamo, insisting that contracts be written to allow him to dance every night rather than the customary once or twice a month. Solway follows his transatlantic crossings in dizzying detail as he dances one night in New York, the next night in Paris, and the following night at a festival in mid-Europe. He extended his career far beyond the usual span for a male dancer, eventually forming his own companies so that he could continue to perform. He insisted on learning the stylized awkward steps for modern ballet, and his name filled many houses for benefit performances with modern dance groups. He staged and choreographed many classical ballets, acted in motion pictures, and acted the part of the king in "The King and I" on stage. In his declining years, he learned conducting techinques, and led several European orchestras in concert programs.

My son gave me this book for my birthday, and included with it the video "Fonteyn and Nureyev." What an inspired gift! Words can go only so far in describing dance--even the words of the dance critics whom Solway generously quotes. Nureyev's partnership with Fonteyn is the stuff of legends! This unlikely pair--she supposedly near the end of her careet and he just starting his--packed houses and evoked hour-long curtain calls with their emotion-packed virtuoso performances so clearly evident in the video and convincingly described by Solway.

In this day and age we are fascinated by the details of the sex lives of celebrities. Here, too, Solway does not dissappoint, although almost everything she quotes is not from Nureyev's mouth but from companions who may perhaps put their own personal agendas ahead of the literal truth. Nureyev became a icon for the gay community, and some were angry that he did not use his death from AIDS as a beacon for their cause.

Whatever his motivation, here is the gripping life story of a man who was driven to accomplish more in his half-century of frenzied life than any of us could possibly imagine. I am immensely grateful for Nureyev's richly creative life and, as well, for Diane Solways carefully detailed account of it.

the most detailed account of Nureyev's life
Compared to all the previous books about Rudolf Nureyev, Diane Solaway's "Nureyev: His Life" stands out as the most detailed, most researched and most complete account of the ballet dancer's life. Those who are interested in Russian culture, Tatar history, ballet, lives of gay celebrities, lifestyles of the rich and famous, etc. will find this book totally fascinating.

An excellent and very detailed account of Nureyev's life
ALthough verbose and at times too detailed, this is an excellent read full of interesting historical data (both on Russia and Nureyev's ethinic background: Tatar) and personal information on one of this century's greatest artists. Solway does a wonderful job of engaging the reader from page one onwards.

very detailed account of Nureyev's life
Although verbose and extremely detailed, still enjoyable and a fast read. In just 100 pages I feel I've come to know so much about Nureyev's life and the passion that drove him to become the world's most famous ballet dancer. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (3)

Not the best book on the subject.
Elizabeth Venable's review above is absolutely right about this book.The most authoritative book on Irish Dance is Helen Brennan's "The Story of Irish Dance", Brandon Press, 1999, isbn 0 86322 244 7.

Unreliable, Sparsely Located Information
This, a very frustrating book, links factual information with "myth". His apparent knowledge of the competative system is quite limited. No sources are given, and there is very little information that is specific enough to check. Perhaps a good source for a child's report.

nice
I thought that this book was very interesting, although frustrating because there were no pictures, only illustrations. The best part of this book was the last chapter, in which a step by step instruction shows how to do several moves in the Irish Jig. This book is a must for anyone new to the world of Irish Dancing becuase it gives an overview of the history, future, origins, costumes, etc. of Irish Dancing. ... Read more

Book Description

One of the most dynamic figures of the entertainment industry, Fred Astaire's career spanned most of the twentieth century. For some, he brings to mind the world of Broadway. For others, he represents the golden age of the movie musical. But virtually all of his fans will long remember his effortlessly graceful dance routines. International dance giants have credited his work with inspiring their careers and with giving them a model of excellence. This reference book is a complete guide to Astaire's legendary career. The volume includes a short biography, followed by chapters devoted to his work in stage, film, radio, and television. each of these chapters contains entries for specific performances, with entries providing plot synopses, cast and credits, critical commentary, and excerpts from reviews. An annotated bibliography concludes the volume. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Essential reading for the true Fred fanatic
This book is a treasure house of information, packed with tidbits and anecdotes that will have you reading for hours when you only meant to look up just that one bit of info. The author pulls it off with style in a readable format that makes fascinating going out of what could have been just a laundry list of dates. His passion for the subject, and joy in sharing it, shines through on every page. I was intially put off by the high price myself until I had a chance to look at a copy, and I realized that it was worth every penny, not to mention every minute of painstaking research that went into it.

The Best of All the Astaire Books
This book was recommended to me by Fred Astaire's daughter, who described it as "wonderful." I found it to be all of that and more. The author knew Mr. Astaire personally and made extensive use of the Astaires' papers (both Fred's and and his sister's) that are preserved at Boston University. The book covers the full gamut of Astaire's life and career, including vaudeville, stage, films, radio, recordings, and television. Insightful and meticulously researched, this is a "must have" for any admirer of the man who has been described as "the greatest musical perfomer in the history of motion pictures" and "the premier American dancer of the Twentieth Century."

A must for Astaire fans!
Let me start off by saying that this book is for serious Astaire fans only. If you have seen only one movie of Fred's, enjoyed it and wish to know more about the man, I suggest "Steps In Time". However, if you've seen most of his movies, listened to his music, watched his tv shows, and still want to know more than this book is invaluable. Billman covers all aspects of Fred's work. Each chapter is devoted to a different facet of Fred's career: filmography, radio, television, discography, etc. While giving the facts, Billman also mentions interesting anecdotes about Astaire that give you a glimpse at his character. Its definitely not "clinical" by just saying "Fred did this movie this year with this costar and this director". He does give that information but also mentions any difficulties with dances, how certain things were done, any problems with costars. He also includes a short biography of Fred, short because chances are if you're reading the book in the first place you're already familiar with Fred's life. I've found myself using it several times to check dates, supporting actors, and as a sort of checklist for my Fred collection. I highly recommend it even if it is rather expensive.

For Very Serious Fred Astaire Fans
I believe Larry Billman's "Fred Astaire" is the most comprehensive reference source on Fred Astaire ever printed. The other seven Fred biographies that I own pale by comparison, and only Fred's autobiography is more enjoyable. Anything anyone wants to know about Fred's stage, film, radio, television, recording, and songwriting careers is in this book - cross referenced! In addition, the book offers behind-the-scenes/backstage peeks, comments, anecdotes, interviews, etc. that illuminate Fred's character and personality. This book is highly recommended for very serious Fred fans. ... Read more

Book Description

Veteran performer and choreographer Tina Paul dispels myths and delivers the inside dope about achieving your dream of dancing on Broadway. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

get it. breathe it. work it. good stuff
Talk about ideas. This book has wonderful exercises to explore with friends, a class, and workshops of all kinds. Morgenroth starts with the planning of a session and brings you all the way through time, space, weight dependency, rhythm and breathing to the closure of a session. She details preparation, procedure, variations and observations in a straight forward, to the point maner. The exercises are interesting and stimulate movement in creative ways. I recommend this book to anyone exploring improvisational movement. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

A Passionate martial artists review
A Great book about the history and and philosophy of Capoeira. When I saw that Bira was the Author I had to get it (He was my Mestre, Mestre Acordeon). If you want a book with lots of pictures of moves and stuff, look elsewhere. If you want to know more then just the physical movements I strongly recommend this book.

The classic Capoeira book for english readers
This is a great book for anyone interested in Capoeira. The author is one of the first Capoeira masters to bring the art to the United States, and he presents a complete look at the history, foundations, philosophy, culture, and feel of Capoeira. The only shortcoming I have found is that specific techniques are not presented in-depth, but if you are interested in learning Capoeira you probably will want to study with a teacher anyway! It makes a great companion to classes, or it is great reading just by itself.

100% Capoeira
Mestre Acordeon takes you on a journey through capoeira, sharing his experiences and inviting the reader to use his imagination.
A truely inspirational piece from a truely inspirational master.

Excellent book. Very Informative.
The book Capoeira: A Brazilian Art Form was not only well-written but was interesting as well. This book educates you about the history of capoeira, capoeira practitioners, and even a short summary of how Mestre Acordeon was introduced to the art of capoeira. I would highly reccomend this book to capoeiristas, as it was very helpful to me. Axé.

This is my favorite Capoeira book ever!
Mestre Acordeon is the ultimate master of Capoeira. His stories show you many sides of Capoeira and how it has magically affected his life. This is a must have book not only for Capoeiristas but for anyone interesting in the amazing life of Mestre Acordeon. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

PRACTICAL AND VERY HELPFUL!
Although it is not generally mentioned, a musical performance is more than just the playing of music. The audience notices all kinds of things - what a musician is wearing, what is on the stage, how performers enter and leave, and how they conduct themselves on stage. Poor stage presence can damage or even ruin the performance of even the most accomplished musician. This book highlights the many non-musical things that can seriously affect a musician's performance and their audience's perceptions. It is very enlightening - there are so many factors that you might not have thought of but that really affect what the audience experiences! If you want to win more competitions, have more successful auditions and better attended performances, this straightforward, practical and very helpful text is definitely worth reading. ... Read more

Amazon.com

She was George Ballanchine's muse for 20 years and his wife for 6; together they made the New York City Ballet an essential part of American culture with his choreography and her dazzling, technically bravura dancing in "Firebird," "Swan Lake," and other modern classics. Maria Tallchief's dignified autobiography describes their groundbreaking artistic collaboration with satisfying thoroughness. She is reserved about their personal relationship but candid about the increasing favor Ballanchine showed to younger dancers, which led to her departure from the company in 1966. Her story captures a key moment in ballet history. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A very interesting account of a dancer's life
I had not taken ballet lessons for several years when I picked up this book, but just by reading it, I was inspired to sit up straight, pull my shoulder blades together, and even (occasionally) point my toes. The book is especially intriguing because it integrates Ms. Tallchief's private and professional lives so closely, and because it contains many pages of beautiful photos. I cannot say, however, that this book is impossible to put down; I read a bit of it every few months.

Divine
Before you ever decide to become a ballerina read this book! It tells what being a ballerina is really about! from the begining to the end of her dancing career and the beginning of a whole new life Maria TAllChief is trully a ballet legend! every ballet person past present and future owes Maria a great huge thank you for all the work that she has done to bring ballet into the forefront in the 21st century. She is a true superstar and a great woman.

Wyoming Ballet Students
My 6th grade reading group read this story (excerpt) from the book and we throughly enjoyed the segment. We used the internet to find more information about Maria Tallchief. They found the story helpful especially the two girls who find studying ballet in Wyoming is a less recognized pursuit than elk hunting and snowmobiling. Maria Tallchief's story is timeless and inspiring even 35 years away from her peak fame years. Our group enjoyed reading about a Native American who has made an impact on the arts world. Thanks. Mrs. Clark's 6th grade reading group, Afton Wyoming. ... Read more