The Dance Experience: Insights into History, Culture and Creativity

by Myron Howard Nadel (Editor), Nadel, Myron Howard Nadel, Myron Howard, Myron H. Nadel

Providing an understanding of the history, evolution, and universality of dance as an art form, this guidebook explores the significance of dance in culture, the relationship of dance to other art forms, the contributions of great pioneering choreographers, dancers, and teachers, and the creative process. Highlighting an extensive range of types of dance—including ballet, modern, jazz, tap, folk, ethnic, and social—this comprehensive collection features a variety of engaging essays written by experts in their respective fields. Students of dance, professionals, instructors, and enthusiasts will learn what to look for during a performance, and how to appreciate dance styles from around the world. This newly revised edition includes five new chapters and an extensive, annotated appendix of film resources giving helpful suggestions for viewing that will enhance the dance experience.

Genres: Nonfiction, School

388 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2003

Reviews

[Shawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. For dancers, this is stultifying! Reading about dance feels weird & wasteful of time: Dance is to be seen. This book gives a good run-down of modern dancers but offers little else (e.g. ballet, or folk, cultural, or traditional dances). I skimmed the chapters on lighting, costume, & criticism. The writing is basic, and since there are several authors, some themes are needlessly repeated (e.g. Martha Graham did dramatic dances). The most interesting chapter was on the marriage & divorce of Dance & P.E.. I think this book could've benefited from accounts from professional or veteran dancers. I'd like to have heard stories from ballet dancers, or seen pictures of folk dancers, or learned about the process of choosing modern dance styles over others, or why a middle-aged person would find interest in ballroom dance, or how breakdance grew and became popular (now in Olympics). I did make use of the book by listing the titles of pieces to view. There are many, from MGM films, or silent films, to PBS broadcasts and full-length ballets.

I worked as a dancer in several modes, namely a Broadway production of West Side Story (2008-10), the film "Across The Universe" (director, Julie Taymor), Tokyo Disney Sea, Universal Studios Japan, and modest ballet companies. I've done regional & touring musicals, an opera, have joined two unions (Actor's Equity and Screen Actor's Guild), taught dance at studios, rehearsed student productions and guested in them, and have generally centered my active, professional, occupational life around dance. The book didn't really do much for me. I think that videos or live viewings are the best way to learn about dance, and that books about dance are almost a needless thing.

[Yi-hsin Lin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would be a good text for a dance appreciation class. Individual chapters are decent introductions for individual topics, but I'd probably not recommend reading it cover to cover.