Complete Book of Ballroom Dancing (Paperback)

by Richard M. Stephenson (Author), Joseph Iaccarino (Contributor) "Dancing is an integral part of life itself..." (more)
Key Phrases: taking partial weight, measures per minute, one full count, Closed Position, New York, Promenade Position (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
A fully illustrated guide to social dancing, now in paperback, provides easy, step-by-step instructions for the most popular ballroom dances, including the waltz, fox-trot, tango, cha-cha, polka, and many more. More than 500 black-and-white illustrations and photos.

From the Publisher
More than 500 photographs and illustrations anchor this guide to social dancing that offers easy, step-by-step instructions for most popular ballroom dances: the waltz, fox-trot, tango, cha-cha, polka, and many others.

B & W photographs and illustrations throughout

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Main Street Books (August 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385424167
• ISBN-13: 978-0385424165
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #227,564 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Completely Wrong !, July 27, 2000

By	Dance [e-mail] (Dance Teacher from Florida) - See all my reviews

This book is a perfect example of what is wrong with much of the dance instruction in the USA - anyone can teach, as there is no required credentialing or licensing to do so! Teachers answer to no one - no authority in dance or the educational system in general. If the packaging is "slick" enough, the unarmed and unaware public will by into it. To teach dancing and not error is a difficult profession. It requires years of experience. Unfortunately, to just show steps as this book does requires none. I find no credentials for the authors and no mention of any dance society that they have been tested by and this is reflected in the gross amount of error that exists in every single step pattern. This is probably why this book until now has not been reviewed by a competent professional ballroom instructor. A book as a tool for dance education is one of great value especially if it is reliable, not one like this, that conflicts with the accepted standards of every dance society that belongs to the National Dance Council of America and good principles of movement. It is apparent that the authors have taken someone's approved listing of dance steps called a syllabus and edited it without understanding leaving gross errors in footwork and complete omissions of how correct dance movement is created. This book leaves the unsuspecting reader with instructions that if followed, would produce flat-footed, awkward, unbalanced, non-musical, and non-rhythmic movement. But many so-called dance instructors quickly find out how easy it is to fool the consumer into believing that if the can dance a little bit, they must also be able to teach. The funny thing about The Complete Book of Ballroom Dance Error and what struck me immediately is that the couple that poses for the pictures throughout the book looks as awkward and uncomfortable as one would expect following this books directions.

Here are some of the many errors in technique found in this book that would create problems for the newcomer to dancing and needless to say any other level:

Throughout the book starting with the "Techniques," page 59, 62, 63, 64, 79, 81, 83, & on from there the Dance Positions are show with the man's right hand too low in the small of the lady's back against soft tissue. Two major problems can occur resulting from this improper arm & hand position. The 1st problem is too much hand pressure would have to be exerted to lead any rotation particularly in the rhythm or Latin dances because of the weak slouched position of the man's right upper arm which leaves that arm limp with lack of proper relationship to his own body's rotation. The 2nd problem is actually dangerous to the lady's health because that is the area of her kidney and the likelihood extending too much pressure over the period of several dances can have the same impact as a strong kidney punch in boxing. Done properly, at least the middle finger of the man's right should be place on at least part of the lady's shoulder blade and the elevation of his right elbow should be the same as his left. Good teachers stress that the elevation of the right hand and arm is MORE important than the left!

Another of the many glaring errors starts on the very first figure of this book in the Waltz section. This pattern has many errors and it, unfortunately for any reader, is the most fundamental in all of Ballroom dancing. For instance on step # 3 for the man the author writes: "Close left foot to right foot; transfer weight to left foot, continuing in rise position until end of Count 3. Any musician would have told these alleged dance instructors that Waltz begins its diminishment at the half waypoint of count 3 which is why many count Waltz: 1,2,3 &. Splitting the 3rd beat between crescendo and diminishment: The good news is that Ballroom dancers do the same thing! Done Properly: they begin a controlled lowering at the end of the third beat followed by a toe lead with the right foot to prevent any lurching backwards necessitating hanging on your partner. Then the authors tell us on step 4 to reach back (obviously from this risen position since they have already missed the moment of lowering) to the BALL of the right foot. This would have the impact of taking a backward step off a platform 2 feet from the floor (this error is repeated many times in this book of miss-instruction)! I can just see a Bride & Groom doing this on their 1st dance and the Groom hitting the floor with her on top of him! That would be one for video bloopers, in the same way this book is. If you can't get the descriptions right in the Waltz, the most fundamental dance, there is little hope for improvement from there. It would take another book to correct the errors of omission and commission this book contains and I've run out of space!

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars You Decide  A Double Review, November 6, 2000

By	Diane Howard (Northeast, USA a dance instructor) - See all my reviews

My name is Diane Howard. I have been a dance instructor for over 10 years in the Northeast corridor. I take great exception to the negative reviews of Mr. Allen's book Quickstart to Social Dancing, especially in comparison to another book that I own by Mr. Stephenson called The Complete Book of Ballroom Dancing. Here is why:

1. Quickstart guides the beginner and helps develop the most important basic dance skills in systematic and incremental fashion. Foundational skills like correct postural movement with a partner, rhythmic movement, and leg action both for the smooth, swing, and Latin dances are wonderfully described in Quickstart. They are either completely omitted or where included, erroneously described the so-called Complete Book!

2. Quickstart guides you through a primary development with easy to use physical instructions and analogies with a direct goal in mind. That goal is to be able to dance, WITHOUT ERROR, the most fundamental patterns in six major social dances. The Complete Book starts at stages beyond the beginner with a syllabus that assumes that a dance couple already KNOWS HOW to move together. They do not and will not simply by reading a syllabus, all competent dance instructors know this!

3. Quickstart does a terrific job in addressing these primary and necessary functions. The Complete Book leaves you to your own devices.

4. The Complete Book designed for the next stage of dancing, diversity in patterns, unfortunately is laden with serious error that the beginner would certainly not be aware of in their attempt to follow its syllabus. Quickstart does not pretend to be more than it is, simply the best guide for the beginning stages of your social dance experience.

Perhaps these are the reasons why Quickstart to Social Dancing seems to be applauded by dance professionals and others who are willing to provide their names and email addresses for correspondence. I know I recommend it to students and teachers alike.

By contrast, you cannot contact even one negative reviewer of Mr. Allen's books nor can you find any reviews by competent dance professionals on the back cover or web page of Mr. Stephenson's book. In his book, Mr. Allen provides you with his contact information for questions and further help. Mr. Stephenson's book leaves none and suggests that you go elsewhere. You decide!

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Don't buy this book!, September 19, 2000

By	Ravi M Kumar (Nagano City, Nagano Japan) - See all my reviews

I have been taking ballroom dancing for almost two years. I started my study of ballroom dancing in Japan, and as a result of language and cultural barriers, I thought I needed a book, written in English, that would compliment my study of dance. So, I purchased this book. It was the worst purchase I have ever made! The pictures are not the least bit useful for learning steps. The description of the steps and the foot diagrams are confusing (and in some cases wrong). The only good thing about the book is the section on the history of ballroom dancing, but except for that the book is extreamely limited. Don't waste your money like I did, there are alot of good ballroom dance books out there, but it is certainly not this one!