Product Description
Everything you need to know about ballroom dancing in one handy guide by arts expert and Pocket Guide Series best-seller, Maureen Hughes, this book on Ballroom Dancing differs to many others on the market in that it does not set out to teach the reader how to dance, for the market is saturated with just such books. No, this one gives an overview of the sport and offers the reader a wide selection of information to support both the enthusiast and the curious. ... Read more

Product Description
Modern Ballroom Dancing, first published in 1944 and here reprinted for the first time, is the most detailed analysis of ballroom technique ever. In nearly 600 pages of text and 310 foot-pattern diagrams, Henry Jacques codifies the major ballroom dance steps of the 1930sand 40s - the Waltz, Quickstep, Foxtrot and Tango -with levels from the absolute beginner to the professional teacher, and covering both basic steps and standardised variations.Jacques was one of the most famous and accomplished ballroom dancers of the 1930s: three times undefeated British Professional Ballroom Champion, and Fellow, Examiner, and Member of the Executive Council of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing. ... Read more

Product Description
Where did big bands and swing music go? They didn't leave. . . but many Americans actually believe they disappeared along with ballrooms, jukeboxes, bobby sox and zoot suits decades ago. Band leader Brooks Tegler, who has recreated the great music of World War II with his Army Air Corps Review Big Band, offers a good response. "In order for something to come back, it needs to have gone away. Big bands have wrongly been put in that category. They never went away." And that's the essence of the chapters of my book about America's big bands, ballrooms and dancing's past and present. And there's a good look at the future through the eyes of a number of young bandleaders from the east to west coast who carry on in the tradition of Guy Lombardo, Glenn Miller, Harry James, Woody Herman, Duke Ellington and a host of other music legends in their own distinctive way. The struggle to survive in the music business hasn't been without losses and a need for life support. It did when Miller, Benny Goodman, James and Ellington were in their heyday. It's a financially precarious business regardless of your talent. Inevitably, music and dancing evolved and matured. The reasons are numerous and linked to our heritage. But like marching bands on the 4th of July, imagine a country club new year's eve without live dance music and a big band. Think about the many community social events and high school and college proms let alone wedding receptions that still insist on having live bands to play the foxtrots and swing numbers people enjoy. My research shows that while there were approximately 800 big bands on the road during the swing era of the 1940s, today there are nearly 1,300 big bands, according to a Google search and a review of hundreds of territory bands. Consequently, neither the bands nor the music vanished. . . they scattered throughout the American countryside. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A must-have book for music history buffs
I grew up to the sound of big bands.I always wondered what it would be like to play in a big band.Even though the chance never came along, I lived vicariously on the bandstands with the likes of Goodman, Miller and many others.For me, Big Bands & Great Ballrooms is a must-have account of music history.Jack Behrens, himself a musician in his youth, brings us an inside look at bands and ballrooms during their heyday of the 30s and 40s.I like his interviews with band members and ball room owners and the insight he brings out from his with research in letters and musicans' archives.He give us an inside look at the challenges the performers and owners faced as they became the icons for a generation of Americans.But ballroom dancing and big bands are not entirely in the past tense, says Behrens.He lists ballrooms in several states where today's dancers go to enjoy the company of a companion and the sounds of great music.The book has an extensive list of websites and sources of music history.If you enjoy music history, you'll want to check out this book. ... Read more

Product Description
This early work on dancing is a fascinating read for any dance enthusiast or historian, and contains much information that is still useful and practical today. Thoroughly recommended for inclusion on the dance lover's bookshelf. Extensively illustrated with diagrams and photographs. Contents Include: Introduction; The Waltz; The Slow Foxtrot; The Quick Step; The Tango. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. ... Read more

Product Description
Offers pointers on learning to dance, choosing shoes,finding dance music, and more. This handbook for the social dancerreveals how to

* speed up your dance training
* lead or follow well
* learn two or more dances for the price of one
* attract more dance partners
* choose quality dance shoes
* collect good ballroom dance music
* play music at dance parties.

Includes an etiquette guide, lists of songs for each dance, links todance and music resources on the internet, and more! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Generous!
Great work Ronnen! You are an extremely generous writer who is passionate about dance!

Good Beginner's Tips and Fun To Read
I am an Intermediate Bronze ballroom dancer.I wanted a book that concentrated more on the etiquette of dancing and not the footsteps.This book provides it all in moderation very nicely. For example, what to wear, how to buy shoes, hygiene, how to stand, how to hold your partner...lots of personal details like that is what I wanted to know.I am lucky in that I have an excellent dance instructor.I don't want to look at dance diagrams.They are impossible to read anyway - it's like trying to take out your own appendix. The author showed some steps, but just a smattering to help you get more versions out of a dance. I was also curious about the type of music he would suggest, and was vastly relieved to see it wasn't all from The Lawrence Welk Show - but an excellent range of modern musicians, movie themes or songs from movies.This was a very user-friendly book for beginners.The writer's warm personality came through nicely and he obviously really loves to dance. I'm glad I bought it.My dance instructor asked to take it home to read after glancing through it for several minutes just before a lesson! I recommend it.

Great Overview for the Social Dancer
This book is replete with insights that allow the reader to avoid the mistakes typically made by the social dancer. Although there is a website I would definitely spend the money and buy the book. The book has more information and is a lot handier to use. There are many guides on dancing, but this book is special in the way it comprehensively covers all the things that make dancing so enjoyable.

Excellent Overview
I have come across many guides on dance steps, but never found a book quite like this that comprehensively covers all the other things that can make dancing so much more enjoyable.This book provides lots of useful tips and insights that allow the reader to avoid a number of the little mistakes that can add a degree of frustration to the process of becoming a social dancer.Skip the website and buy the book; the book has more information and doesn't require you to get online whenever you want to reference the content.

Not that different from website
This is a great book for beginning ballroom dancers, but only if you have not visited his website before buying the book.The book has a couple of sections not offered on the website, but most of these are in the music compilation sections, which are not as useful for beginners anyway.If you have ever visited his website, do not buy the book, it's not worth the $15.If you haven't seen the website, then I highly recommend it if you're a beginner dancer, it has many helpful hints (especially for those in the San Francisco area). ... Read more

Product Description
This early work on dancing is a fascinating read for any enthusiast. Extensively illustrated with 122 photographs to complement comprehensive step-by-step guides to a variety of dance steps. Contents Include: Why Everyone Should Dance, The Secret of Good Dancing, The Slow Foxtrot, The New Waltz, The Quickstep of To-day, The New Tango, The Rumba, The Secret of the Spin, Dance on your Holidays, The Christmas and New Year Party and Dance and Be Merry, and Organizing Dances and Parties. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. ... Read more

Product Description
This concise early work was compiled to give female beginners an outline of the basic steps of Ballroom Dancing, contains much information that is still useful to today's dancer. Illustrated with step diagrams. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. ... Read more

Product Description
This early work is a fascinating read for ballroom dancing enthusiasts. Illustrated with step by step diagrams forming a complete how-to guide. Contents Include: Acknowledgements; Learning from the Book; Preliminaries; The Waltz; The Quickstep; The Slow Foxtrot; The Tango; Further Progress. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. ... Read more

Product Description
This early work on dancing is a fascinating read for any dance enthusiast. Its 129 pages are extensively illustrated with diagrams to complement comprehensive step-by-step guides to a variety of dance steps. Contents Include: Dancing Fundamentals; Explanation of the Diagrams; The Dance Walk; The Fox Trot; The Dance Routine; The Waltz; The Rumba; The Tango; The Samba; The Mambo; The Conga; The Polka; Swing; The "New" Charleston; Etiquette of the Ballroom; The Psychological Value of Ballroom Dancing. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. ... Read more

Product Description
This early work provides a detailed descriptive account of ballroom dancing that is thoroughly recommended for the dance enthusiast or historians shelf. Illustrated with step diagrams. Contents Include: Foreword; Introduction; Anyone Can Become A Good Dancer; How to Gain Self-Confidence; The Correct Dancing Position; First Principles of Dancing; Why Modern Dancing Is Easy To Learn; The Secret of Leading; How to Follow Your Partner; How to Recognize Dance Rhythms; How to Keep Time to Music; Dictionary of Dance Terms; The Fox Trot; The Waltz; The Tango; Collegiate Steps; Etiquette of the Ballroom. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. ... Read more