Read more
Dance Appreciation is an exciting exploration of how to understand and think about dance in all of its various contexts. This new edition has been revised and updated to include contemporary considerations of the art of dance along with enhanced discussion questions and prompts for the dance student.
This book unfolds a brief history of dance with engaging insight into the social, cultural, aesthetic, and kinetic aspects of various forms of dance. Dedicated chapters cover ballet, modern, tap, jazz, hip-hop dance, and social dance complete with summaries, charts, timelines, discussion questions, movement prompts, and online resources all designed to foster awareness of and appreciation for dance in a variety of contexts. This wealth of resources helps to uncover the fascinating components that makes this art form so diverse and entertaining, and to answer the questions of why we dance and how we dance.
Written for the novice dancer as well as the more experienced dance student,
Dance Appreciation enables readers to learn and think critically about dance as a form of entertainment and art.
Online resources are provided for students and instructors, with videos of dance movements, additional online references, PowerPoint slides for each chapter, updated quiz and exam banks, and reflective questions and assignment ideas. These resources are available at www.routledge.com/cw/clark.
List of contents
Part I: What is Dance?Introduction
1 Purposes of DanceWhat is Dance?
Ceremonial Dance
Political Dance
Social Dance
Therapeutic Dance
Competitive Dance
Promotional Dance
Theatrical Dance
Chapter Summary
2 Viewing Dance Through a Cultural LensBharatanatyam: A Dance of Devotion
Kabuki: From Commoners to Cultural Treasure
Dama: Sacred Rites
Lindy Hop: Breaking Cultural Boundaries
Chapter Summary
3 Crafting the DanceChoreographic Craft
Elements of Dance
Form
Additional Considerations
Production Elements
Dance Notation
Choreography Copyrights
The Dancer's Role
Chapter Summary
4 Perceiving DanceLens of Perception
The Role of the Audience
Writing About Dance
Chapter Summary
Part II: Exploration of Western Theatrical Dance FormsIntroduction
5 BalletBallet as a Dance Form
The Historical Development of Ballet
American Ballet Companies
Ballet Commercialized
Contemporary Issues within the Field
Chapter Summary
6 Modern DanceModern as a Dance Form
Recurring Themes in Modern Dance
Current Approaches
Contemporary Dance
Chapter Summary
7 Tap DanceTap Dance as a Form
Tap Dance Roots
American Dance Onstage
Selected Tap Dance Styles
Tap Highlights
Chapter Summary
8 Jazz DanceJazz as a Dance Form
Jazz Dance in Show Business
Codification of Jazz Dance
Styles of Jazz Dance
Chapter Summary
9 Hip-Hop DanceA Culture of Expression
Hip-Hop as a Dance Form
Commercialization of the Art Form
Types of Hip-Hop Dance
Chapter Summary
10 Social DanceSocial Dance as a Form of Dance
Key Influence on Social Dance Evolution
Chapter Summary
Part III: Behind the ScenesIntroduction
11 Dance Media and TechnologyTechnology in Live Performances
Dance on Camera
Screen Dance
Digital Technology
Chapter Summary
12 Training and EducationTraining Opportunities in Dance
Dance in Education
Inclusion and Accessibility
Chapter Summary
13 The DancerThe Journey to Professional Dancer
Chapter Summary
14 Dance HealthDance Injuries
Nutrition
Mental and Emotional Health
Chapter Summary
15 Careers in DancePerformance
Choreography
Teaching
Therapy
Writing and Preservation
Administration
Production
Chapter Summary
About the author
Amanda Clark is a Professor at Western Kentucky University, USA, where she teaches all levels of jazz and tap dance technique, along with dance theory coursework. Amanda received an MFA in Dance from the University of Oklahoma and a BPA in Dance Performance from Oklahoma City University. She has taught dance and presented choreography nationally and internationally. Amanda's primary research interests lie in the history and pedagogy of jazz and tap dance as reflected in her text
Dance Pedagogy (Routledge, 2024).
Sara Pecina is the Director of Dance at Berry College, USA. She received her MFA in Dance from the University of Oklahoma and graduated with a BA in Dance from Western Kentucky University. She has presented research on the history and pedagogy of jazz and tap dance both nationally and internationally at various dance conferences, including both the National Dance Education Organization and the Dance Studies Association annual conferences. Sara is a certified mat Pilates instructor and has also trained to teach Dance for Parkinson's Disease with Mark Morris Dance Group and is in the American Tap Dance Foundation's Rhythm Tap Teacher Program.
