5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Every Man's Survival Guide to Ballroom Dancing, June 16, 2010
This review is from: Every Man's Survival Guide to Ballroom Dancing: Ace Your Wedding Dance and Keep Cool on a Cruise, at a Formal, and in Dance Classes (Paperback)
A great book for any man (or woman) who has experienced reluctance to go out on the dance floor. Not only does it provide the beginning dancer with answers to questions they didn't know they needed to ask, but it gives much needed encouragement and support. The author, tho now an experienced dancer, clearly remembers the beginnings of his dance career, and writes with empathy and understanding for those going through this stage. He provides an excellent analysis of music and movement along with practice exercises Though a person can't learn to dance from a book, this provides an adjunct to classes where a person can learn in the privacy of his/her home, avoid the self consciousness that makes us loose our concentration, and learn to gain confidence as a dancer.
In addition, the book is enjoyable to read. It is written with humor, warmth and a nonjudgmental relaxed attitude - all the qualities we need when we dance.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great book about making connections, not mastering dance, November 29, 2010
This review is from: Every Man's Survival Guide to Ballroom Dancing: Ace Your Wedding Dance and Keep Cool on a Cruise, at a Formal, and in Dance Classes (Paperback)
Here's something new: a guide to dancing that doesn't pretend dancing is easy. That's the basic idea behind James' Joseph's Every Man's Survival Guide to Ballroom Dancing. Joseph claims he is a recovering dance-aphobe, but with his user-friendly rhetoric, step-by-step guides to various rhythm patterns (including charts and graphs), and kindly hints, one would think he has been dancing for years. Indeed, it seems he has, with a wealth of knowledge about the pursuit of learning how to dance. An extra bonus is his interactive website, ihatetodance.com, which provides videos and a continually updated blog to help out those with additional needs. It's also a very entertaining read, with quotes about dancing from the likes of Emmitt Smith, Herman Hesse, and Mr. Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation.
What really makes this book a great read for the average schlub is that it is truly designed for those who do not dance and do not care to dance. It is to help those people get by, and in that sense, this book succeeds wildly. Joseph recognizes that most people do not have natural dancing ability. By emphasizing important concepts like rhythm and posture, Joseph is able to convince the reader that complicated choreography is not needed to woo a lady (or man, for that matter), and could possibly even be detrimental. The idea here is personal connection, or a partnership in dance rhetoric, and this is what dancing is supposed to create. This guide is not a key to dancing, but a key to connecting on the dance floor. For most guys, dance is an obstacle to finding a connection with that special someone. However, with this book, and a little confidence (which you might just get from reading this!), dance may begin to feel less like a chore, and a little bit more like foreplay. That in itself is an accomplishment.
More than anything, Joseph emphasizes relaxing, finding humor in your mistakes, and getting by on the dance floor with a few basic set of tools. The teaching methods used are easy enough to understand, and Joseph's writing voice conveys an ease that is soothing to the reader. A great book for those looking to conquer their fear of dancing, or just an entertaining read for building your confidence in making connections with someone you've just met.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A choice pick for every man who wants to avoid tripping up the woman of their dreams, May 9, 2010
This review is from: Every Man's Survival Guide to Ballroom Dancing: Ace Your Wedding Dance and Keep Cool on a Cruise, at a Formal, and in Dance Classes (Paperback)
Class is an after thought to the modern man. "Every Man's Survival Guide to Ballroom Dancing: Ace Your Wedding Dance and Keep Cool on a Cruise, at a Formal, and in Dance Classes" is a non-dancers crash course in understanding the basics of dance so they don't look like a fool on the dance floor. Understanding rhythm, finding the beat of the music, and how to practice when you don't want to totally reveal your ineptness, "Every Man's Survival Guide to Ballroom Dancing" is a choice pick for every man who wants to avoid tripping up the woman of their dreams.
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