The Essential Guide To Contemporary Dance Techniques

The Essential Guide to Contemporary Dance Techniques explores the multifaceted learning processes and underlying principles behind the technical skills and abilities of a contemporary dancer. The depth and complexity of this challenging sensorial, intellectual, reflective and creative process is presented with clarity, to support every training dancer in achieving the most from their learning experiences. Insights into three major technical forms: Graham technique, Cunningham technique and Release-based technique, reveal the distinct approaches, processes and experiences possible in contemporary dance training. Essential technical and performance considerations are covered, including: breath; alignment; core activation; connectivity; dynamic qualities of motion; use of the body; use of space; action and finally, relationships to the audience. With personal contributions from respected teachers at top dance institutions, this practical guide offers a unique insight into the expectations and processes of professional training classes as well as the success you can achieve with them. With images from real-life technique classes and dynamic performances, this is an essential companion for all contemporary dance students.

Each unit contains core ideas, a series of journaling and discussion topics, improvisation experiments, biographical sketches of the choreographers, and a presentation of-class material. At the end of each chapter, questions and experiments offer basic ideas that you can use to further your understanding of the choreography presented. --

Ballet is a detailed guide to creative practice and performance. Compiled by ten leading practitioners, each chapter focuses on an aspect of ballet as a performing art. Together they outline a journey from the underpinning principles of ballet, through an appreciation of different styles and schooling, into the dance studio for practice in class and beyond. With additional insights from highly acclaimed dancers, choreographers and teachers, this practical guide offers advice on fundamental and advanced training and creative development. As well as providing information from dance science research into training well-being, this book supports the individual dancer in their artistic growth, offering strategies for exploration and discovery. Topics include: principles, styles and schooling of classical ballet; fundamental technique and advanced expression; developing versatility and creative thinking; advice on injury management, nutrition and lifestyle; choreography and music and, finally, best practice in the rehearsal studio is covered. 'A wonderfully accessible and comprehensive resource about the individual disciplines involved in ballet', Leanne Benjamin OBE, former Principal of The Royal Ballet and international coach.

Jazz dance and its inherent music is recognized as one of the original and most potent art forms of the last two centuries. From its African roots to our present-day global dance community, the jazz idiom has afforded a cross-fertilization with all other artistic, cultural and social representations within the arts industry, providing an accessible dance platform for dancers, teachers and creatives to enjoy both recreationally and professionally. The Essential Guide to Jazz Dance offers a practical and uncomplicated overview to the multi-layered history, practices and development of jazz dance as a creative and artistic dance form. It covers the incredible history and lineage of jazz dance; the innovators, choreographers and dance creatives of the genre; specifics of jazz aesthetic, steps and styles; a detailed breakdown of a practical jazz dance warm-up and technical exercises; creative frameworks to support development of jazz dance expression and aesthetic; performance and improvisation; jazz music and musical interpretation, and finally, choreographing and creating jazz works. With over 230 colour photos and a wealth of tips and advice, this new book will be an ideal reading companion for dancers of all abilities, dance teachers, choreographers as well as all jazz dance enthusiasts.

This third edition of the bestselling text ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO DANCE is thoroughly updated to meet the new AS/A2 specifications and relevant Applied A-levels, BTEC and other Dance qualifications. Now in full colour, highly illustrated, and packed with tasks and activities to cover all aspects of current courses, this text will appeal to both teachers and students. Students are brought right up to date with clear explanations of choreography, performance and appreciation of Dance, as well as recent examples of new set works and choreographers. With further video and photo interactive analysis tasks, the addition of short revision tests and updated professional examples alongside many contemporary photographs, ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO DANCE Third Edition provides students with comprehensive support and guidance. With its emphasis on the practical aspects of Dance and its interactive features that encourage effective learning, ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO DANCE Third Edition will be essential for all students of Dance and their teachers. Linda Ashley has extensive experience as a writer, choreographer, performer and teacher of Dance. Linda is currently Dance Research Leader at AUT University, New Zealand, Linda has written several Dance titles, published in the UK and New Zealand, including the two previous bestselling editions of ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO DANCE, both published by Hodder.

The Irish Dance genre is an essential part of the heritage and culture of Ireland. From its early roots in Celtic history, to the global growth inspired by shows such as Riverdance, to the modern- day competitive championships and Feisanna, it continues to be a vibrant and evolving dance form. The Essential Guide to Irish Dancing delves into the history and culture behind the world of Irish Dance, offering technical instruction from beginner-level to advanced, including how to prepare exciting set dances and choreograph innovative sequences. Topics covered include: Irish dance music; the fundamentals of solo dancing; traditional dance movements and set dances; Céilí dancing; competitions and careers; choreography, and finally, physical fitness and mental health.

Choreography is the highly creative process of interpreting and coordinating movement, music and space in performance. By tracing different facets of development and exploring the essential artistic and practical skills of the choreographer, this book offers unique insights for apprentice dance makers. With key concepts and ideas expressed through an accessible writing style, the creative tasks and frameworks offered will develop new curiosity, understanding, skill and confidence. The chapters cover the key areas of engagement including what is a choreographer; getting started; improvisation and ideas; context, stage geometry and atmosphere; movement as dance in time and space; solo, duet, trio and group choreography and finally, structure and the 'choreographic eye'. This is an ideal companion for dancers and dance students wanting to express their ideas through choreography and develop their skills to effectively articulate them in performance. It is superbly illustrated with 143 practical colour and black & white photographs and diagrams. Kate Flatt has over forty years' experience as a choreographer, mentor and teacher.

"Organized chronologically by the decades in which innovators were born or dance organizations were founded, [this history] covers more than 110 choreographers, companies, institutions, and dancers from both modern dance and ballet, and from around the world. Readers can view clips of dances from over 220 Internet search addresses that illustrate the text. Videographies are provided at the end of each chapter for viewing complete dances and documentaries."--P. [4] of cover.