Ballroom Dance Pack [Hardcover]

Walter Laird (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 17, 2005

Glide your way through the most popular ballroom dances‹the Latin Cha Cha Cha, Rumba, and Samba; as well as modern classics like the Waltz, Quickstep, and Tango‹in this accessible and entertaining dancing guide. With a partner or on your own, the Ballroom Dance Pack is all you need to master the 6 most popular dances in the privacy of your own home.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Like its forebears featuring heavy vinyl (or maybe it was shellac--they weighed a ton) records, this forthrightly named dance pack will require an inspection something like a customs luggage search every time it's returned to the library. But libraries where dance instruction sets remain popular will do well to add this one that, modernly enough, substitutes a light, shiny CD for the old platters. It also includes dancing shoe templates to photocopy and put on the floor for solo rehearsal and his-and-her cards (loose, so you'll have to put them in a paste-in pocket or something) with the basic footwork for the six dances that are featured in four-color photos in the book component of the pack. The six include three Modern (that's a formal name, hence the capital M) dances--waltz, quickstep, and tango--and three Latin dances--cha-cha, samba, and rumba. Laird's commentary is enlightening, his instructions are clear, and Dorling Kindersley has packaged the whole product quite handsomely. Ray Olson

About the Author

Walter Laird began dancing professionally in 1946. For five years, from 1960-65, he and his dance partner were never beaten in international competition, winning him worldwide renown. He coached some of the world's leading dance couples and wrote the seminal book The Technique of Latin American Dancing.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 80 pages
• Publisher: DK ADULT (January 17, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1564584836
• ISBN-13: 978-1564584830
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 9.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #598,244 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #7 in Books > Arts & Photography > Performing Arts > Dance > Ballroom
  • #51 in Books > Arts & Photography > Performing Arts > Dance > Reference

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Very basic, British style, nice practice music., September 17, 1997

By 

[e-mail] "Disappointed" (Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ballroom Dance Pack (Hardcover)

Teaches the most basic moves of a few flow and latin dances. A colorful book that shows two dance couples displaying proper form for each move, but it does not get very far. While it has "templates" showing footwork for the most basic form of each dance, it lacks for more common footwork diagrams for the other dance moves. This book is British (male - right foot first), so "Natural Turns" etc. will all be backword for most American students. The practice music CD is nice to have when you are learning the basics.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars BALLROOM DANCING MEANT TO BE READ AS A NOVEL !!, November 6, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Singapore) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ballroom Dance Pack (Hardcover)

Enthusiasts keen to ballroom dance , the English way will be thrilled with their find ! The instructions , though simple coupled with the profuse figures and variations are informative and easy to follow. Covers all 3 standard dances (though disappointing not to see the 'Slow Foxtrot' in this book)and 3 Latin dances. A good start to built fundamental knowledge of the basic steps and rhythmn in the movements ,but not without practice.The learner will never be lost .

The hour-long CD alternates between 'practice' and 'actual play'including the feet templates account for the bumper sized book which needs to wrapped up !

Wonder if W.Laird is planning on an Intermediate book.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Model Of Simplicity, February 18, 2003

By 

Rosemary Brunschwyler (Homewood, Alabama, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ballroom Dance Pack (Hardcover)

THE BALLROOM DANCE PACK is a model of simplicity. Walter Laird presents basic instruction in the Waltz, Quickstep, Tango, Cha-Cha, Samba and Rumba. He starts each lesson with a demonstration of a solo exercise and pictures of the appropriate close hold. The emphasis throughout the book is on the basics.

Laird teaches the British style with the man leading with his right foot. Americans consequently will have to reverse the process. I find this requirement to be only a minor inconvenience. If you are seeking the bare fundamentals, this manual is a good place to find them.