Partner Dancing

Describes the history of ballroom dancing; presents photo-illustrated instructions for the waltz, foxtrot, tango, Viennese waltz, rumba, merengue, samba, cha-cha, mambo, East Coast swing, and hustle; discusses such topics as timing, rhythm, practice, and expectations; and includes an eleven-track audio CD.

This book is designed to take the questions out of ballroom dancing. This book is designed for anyone who is interested in taking the mystery out of ballroom dancing. It explains many of the questions that arise while learning ballroom dance that your instructor may or may not be able to address appropriately. Many dance instructors dance great; however, they are unable to help you adjust your dancing by explaining what they are doing. Those instructors generally show you a figure and continue to show you the figure until you get it. This is very time-consuming and expensive to the student. The goal of this book is to simplify some of these intricate movements as well as explain the dance connection in dance. This book also helps give new students a better understanding of how dancing works, which will help them improve their dancing a lot more rapidly. The book also gives some examples of bad dancing habits versus good dancing habits. There are specific exercises in the book to help improve connection, body movement, and self-control with specific steps. The book points out the kind of qualities you are looking for in an instructor, which include excellent dance knowledge, professionalism, enthusiasm, etc. There are many typical questions that every new ballroom dancer has while learning the dance. There are questions provided that, if asked, will provide you (the student) with some insight about your instructor's knowledge of ballroom dancing. This is critical because an instructor cannot correct your dancing if they do not understand how to do it correctly themselves. Finally, the book has been written in an effort to raise awareness of good ballroom dancing. It is open to interpretation and vulnerable to criticism as well as other dancers' opinions. Keep in mind, every ballroom-dance organization has dissenters in their organization about how things should be done. This, in part, is what creates different styles of dance. The end result is improved dancing knowledge for all concerned. Always keep one thing in mind: If what you are doing hurts, stop doing it. Dancing correctly will not hurt.

This book presents an engaging sociological investigation into how gender is negotiated and performed in ballroom and Latin dancing that draws on extensive ethnographic research, as well as the author’s own experience as a dancer. It explores the key factors underpinning the popularity of this leisure activity and highlights what this reveals more broadly about the nature of gender roles at the current time. The author begins with an overview of its rich social history and shifting class status, establishing the context within which contemporary masculinities and femininities in this community are explored. Real and imagined gendered traditions are examined across a range of dancer experiences that follows the trajectory of a typical learner: from finding a partner, attending lessons and forming networks, through to taking part in competitions. The analysis of these narratives creates a nuanced picture of a dance culture that is empowering, yet also highly consumerist and image-conscious; a highly ritualised set of practices that both reinstate and transgress gender roles. This innovative contribution to the feminist leisure literature will appeal to students and scholars of anthropology, dance, sport, gender, cultural and media studies.

Discover the incredible world of social partner dancing. Complete beginners welcome. Learn in your living room or on an enormous dance floor. This is the second edition of a book previously called the Partner Dance Handbook. It teaches a “social” style of dancing common on dance floors around the world. This is different from the “formal” style seen in shows and on television. This social style is easier to learn for beginners, is arguably more musical and interpretative and can offer variations if you are already a formal dancer. Note that most other books and videos teach the formal style. The author’s experience is that at social dances this social style is far more common; obviously though this can vary from place to place. The author, Dr Duncan James, has taught thousands of people to dance in person at his classes and thousands more to dance via his YouTube channel. You can learn with Duncan for free on YouTube with his 44 free instructional videos. However, the videos and this book were created at the same time to work together; getting this book will give you a richer learning experience. Note that this book has no illustrations as it relies on the videos which are linked for free from the text. The particular benefit of this book is that it goes into much greater depth, appropriate for keener students. This book and the videos are designed to work even if you only have a small space available for dancing. How to Partner Dance Socially will guide you from complete beginner all the way to popular social dancer in the ballroom dances of foxtrot, quickstep and waltz and the latin dances of rumba, salsa and cha cha. A unique, practical approach means you will quickly learn to navigate a crowded dance floor, feel the music, improvise and enjoy dancing with your partner. A couple who have never danced before can realistically join a social dance (and not look out of place) after only an hour of practice with one of the complete beginner lessons. Advanced dancers can use some of the simple social moves as variations, work on the connection with their partner, learn to recycle moves between dances and discover ways to improvise to the music. If you are a teacher this book has detailed teaching advice and lesson plans. Remember this book is teaching a “social” style of dancing and not the “formal” style. The 44 companion videos can be watched on YouTube for free (via links in the text) or downloaded for free as a zip file (a link to this is also included in the text; the download is provided by the author and is limited by his internet host to a certain number of downloads every month). Buy How to Partner Dance Socially now to join in the fun on the dance floor!

This early work on dancing is a fascinating read for any dance enthusiast. Extensively illustrated with 72 diagrams and photographs to complement comprehensive step-by-step guides to a variety of dance steps. Contents Include: The Quickstep, The Waltz, The Foxtrot, The Tango, Popular Dances, Old Time Dances, Ballroom Novelty Dances and Games, and The Practical Side of Teaching. 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.

This early work on dancing is a fascinating read for any enthusiast. Its 148 pages are extensively illustrated with diagrams and intended to help beginners and average dancers in particular to acquire a sound knowledge of ballroom dancing. Contents Include: Introductory Section; The Quickstep; The Waltz; The Foxtrot. 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.

Originally published in 1932, this is a wonderfully detailed guide to ballroom dancing by the then reigning world champion dancer. The book covers everything that is essential in connection with ballroom dancing, from a detailed description of the standardised figures down to the finer points which proclaim the expert dancer. It is a book that will make its appeal both to the novice and to the experienced or professional performer. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Hesperides Press are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. Contents Include A Complete Syllabus for a Ballroom Examination General Knowledge Questions and Answers The Slow Foxtrot The Waltz The Quick Step The Tango Charts Giving a Complete Description of Every Standing Figure

Provides an introduction to ballroom dancing including its history, competitions, and different dances.