DANC 200 Introduction to Dance

Since the dawn of human history, dance has been a vital form of expression in virtually every culture. From the minuet to the tango to kabuki theater to square dancing, it is a part of the social fabric of all societies, as well as an important art form. Now, Oxford presents the firstreference to document all types of dance around the world and throughout history. In six volumes, with nearly 2,000 articles written by scholars from over fifty countries, the International Encyclopedia of Dance offers authoritative coverage of the full spectrum of dance, including theatrical dance, ritual dance-drama, folk, traditional, ethnic, and social dance. Extensivehistorical and cultural overviews of many nations appear along with articles on specific dance forms, music and costumes, dance performances, biographies of dancers and choreographers, and much more. The set is alphabetically arranged, with an exhaustive index, full cross-references, and more than2,000 illustrations. Amazing in its scope and dazzling in its diversity, the International Encyclopedia of Dance is like no other reference work on dance. Accessibly written and arranged for use by a wide audience, it will be an essential addition to any arts and humanities collection.

Covering today's most important modern, ballet, contemporary and post-modern choreographers in Europe and North America, this unique guide is a valuable quick reference for students and critics, dancers and general readers in love with dance. Each entry includes a biographical section, a chronological list of works, a detailed bibliography and a critical essay. In entries on choreographers such as Richard Alston, Pina Bausch, Laurie Booth, Christopher Bruce, Jonathan Burrows, Michael Clarke, Merce Cunningham, Anna Theresa De Keersmaeker, Eiko and Koma, William Forsythe,Jiri Kylain, Mark Morris, Twyla Tharp and other leading figures, readers can easily locate each choreographer's style and influence within the development of contemporary theatre dance, and swiftly discern the essential facts in his or her career.

Arranged alphabetically from Adolphe Adam to Jiri Kylian, this reference includes entries on individual artists, individual ballets, and on ballet companies.

In a single, easy-to-use volume, 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. It also includes:

-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 illustration

This two-volume set relates the history of the most popular social dances, where they began, which dances survived the test of time and why, and what attracted American men and women to social dancing in these periods. Unlike other books on social dancing that taught people How to Dance, this set not only describes the dances, but also how and why Americans danced. This two-volume set is the most comprehensive examination of American social dance from the first settlements in 1607 through the birth of the nation in 1776 and into the beginning of the 21st century. Social Dancing in America encompasses the global nature of the ethnic contributions to the formation of many unique American social dances. Those influences included American Indian, Spanish, Caribbean, African, European, and other ethnic cultures that created original American social dances such as the Lindy Hop, Rock 'n' Roll, the Twist, Disco, Breakdancing, and Hip-Hop. The set is also a celebration of the American spirit embodied among everyday individuals as they danced for fun, recreation, and family celebrations such as weddings. Social Dancing in America places social dancing in a historical, social, cultural, and political context.

Volume 1 explores the integral role that social dancing played in the lives of Americans from the first settlements in 1607 through the the 19th century, often in the most unlikely of ways. For example, readers may be surprised to learn that George Washington was a well-known aficionado of social dancing, and that he incorporated the etiquette and manners of dances such as the Minuet as a means of diplomacy to secure European allies during the Revolutionary War. After his death, Americans continued to celebrate his birthday with a grand ball that included dancing.

Volume 2 places social dance in a 20th-Century context, illustrating how social dancing itself paralled the social, economic, and cultural traditions of each era. For example, segregation and the Jim Crow mentality was cemented in place all over the United States, and for much of the century, dancing and dance halls were strictly segregated. Segregation forced a mass migration north, and with it came the transformation of Delta Blues music into an American original—Jazz. Jazz gave birth to the Charleston, and later evolved into Swing, which created the Lindy Hop. Later, with the advent of television, programming such as American Bandstand, Soul Train, Dance Fever, and MTV greatly influenced dance styles and modern trends such as Rock 'n' Roll, Freestyle, Disco, Breakdancing, and Hip-Hop.