Summer time is a great time to catch up on all that reading we were eager to get to but were too exhausted to after late nights in the studio. Every year my library seems to get bigger and bigger and the more I read, the more I want to know about dance roots and how it’s evolving.
Below, I have compiled a list of some classics, some newer works and a couple of my favorites to get you started; whether you are interested in a little beach reading and just a general overview of certain topics, are interested in starting a faculty book-club at your studio or wanting to build a reference library for your students. Hopefully from this list, you will continue to add your own collection and pass this along to other dance educators to keep the knowledge and discussions flowing within our beloved field. Remember, the more you know, the more your students know and the more information we are able to pass along to them, the more well-rounded and knowledgeable they are as dancers! Enjoy!
BIOGRAPHIES:
Rivera. C (2023) Chita: A Memoir The New Autobiography by Chita Rivera, Haper Collins
Bird, D. & Greenberg, J. (1997) Bird’s eye view: Dancing with Martha Graham on Broadway. Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh Press.
Copeland, M. (2022). Life in motion: An unlikely ballerina. New York: Aladdin
Gottfried, M. (1990) All his jazz: The life and death of Bob Fosse. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press.
Grubb, K. B. (1991). Razzle dazzle: The life and works of Bob Fosse. New York, NY: St. Martins’ Press.
Kent, A. (2009). Once a dancer: An autobiography. Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida.
Kurth, P. (2002). Isadora: A sensational life. New York, NY: Little Brown & Company.
Schwartz, P & M. (2011). The dance claimed me: A biography of Pearl Primus. Yale University Press.
Vaill, A. (2006). Somewhere: The life of Jerome Robbins. New York, NY: Broadway Books.
Whiteside, J. (2022). Center center. New York: Penguin Books
DANCE HISTORY & INFO
Anderson, J. (1992.) Ballet & modern dance: A concise history. Hightstown, NJ: Princeton Book Company.
Lihs, H. R. (2002). Appreciating Dance: A guide to the world’s liveliest art. 3rd edition. Hightstown, NJ: Princeton Book Company.
Alford, M. (1991). Jazz danceology: Teaching and choreographing jazz dance. Marietta, GA: Dance Press.
Beaman P. (2017). World dance cultures: From ritual to spectacle. London: Routledge
Burridge, S. (2017). Dance, access and inclusion. London: Routledge.
Mordden, E. (1998). Everything’s coming up roses: The Broadway musical in the 1950’s. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Schloss, J. (2009). Foundation: B-boys, B-girls and hip-hop culture in New York. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
EDUCATIONAL THEORISTS:
Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and Education. New York: Simon and Schuster.
Gardner, H. (2004). The Unschooled Mind. New York: Basic Books.
H'Doubler, M. N. (1998). Dance, a Creative Art Experience. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press.
Smith-Autard, J. (1994). The Art of Dance in Education. London: A&C Black.
Mosston, M. (1998). Teaching from command to discovery. Belmont, CA: WadsworthPublishing.
IMPROVISATION & CHOREOGRAPHY COMPOSITION
Albright, A. C. (1997). Choreographing difference: The body and identity within contemporary dance. Hanover, NH: University Press of New England.
Anderson, J. (1998). Art without boundaries. Iowa: University of Iowa Press.
Blom, L.A. & Chaplin, L.T. (1994). The intimate act of choreography. Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh Press.
Bremser, M. (1999). Fifty contemporary choreographers. London: Routledge.
Butterworth, J. & Wildeschut, L. (2009) Contemporary choreography: A critical reader. New York, NY: Routledge.
Franklin, E. (1996). Dance imagery for technique and performance. Champaign, Il: Human Kinetics.
Hackney, P. (2002). Making connections: Total body integration through Bartenieff Fundamentals. New York, NY: Routledge.
Hayes, E. R. (1955). Dance composition and production. New York, NY: A.R. Barnes.
Hodes, Stuart. (1998). A map of making dances. United Kingdom: Ardsley House.
Lihs, H. (2018). Appreciating dance: A guide to the world’s liveliest art. NY: Dance Horizons
Morgenroth, J. (1987). Dance improvisations. Pittsburgh, Pa: University of Pittsburgh Press.
Smith-Autard, J.M. (2004). Dance composition: A practical guide to creative success in dance making. New York, NY: Routledge.
*** MISCELLANEOUS BOOK-WORTHY TOPICS
Curriculum Building
Injury & Prevention
Anatomy & Kinesiology
Laban Analysis & Notation
Nutrition for Dancers
Inclusive Dance
Child & Adolescent Development
Creative Dance
Dance & World Cultures
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