Jump into Jazz: The Basics and Beyond for Jazz Dance Students [Paperback]

Minda Goodman Kraines (Author), Esther Pryor (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2, 2004 | ISBN-10: 0072844043 | ISBN-13: 978-0072844047 | Edition: 5

In an accessible, easy-to-read style, this text provides students with well-illustrated descriptions of all basic jazz steps and movements, including valuable information on alignment, improvisation, injury prevention, nutrition and fitness, and history of jazz dance. Throughout the text, "Movement Tips" boxes help students with particularly challenging movements, and "Precaution" boxes help students utilize correct techniques to avoid injury.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Minda has been a full time dance and Physical Education instructor at Mission College since 1979. Since that time she has set up an entire dance program, giving full length dance performances and having students continue their study of dance at 4 year universities. Since 1989, she has shifted her emphasis to fitness and developed a 12 unit program for the Fitness Specialist that trains students as personal trainers as well as aerobic instructors.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages; 5 edition (July 2, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0072844043
• ISBN-13: 978-0072844047
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #268,450 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Get up and DANCE!, December 3, 2008

By 

Jody (Northwest Ohio) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Jump into Jazz: The Basics and Beyond for Jazz Dance Students (Paperback)

I really do think it would be possible for a moderately to not at all agile reader to use this book to teach him/herself jazz dance. It covers all the basic moves, with very detailed diagrams and instructions. If you don't have the means or the access to take a jazz class, this is the book for you! It'll get you off the couch, show you how to express yourself through dance, and you'll be doing it correctly, without hurting yourself.

For someone who is hesitating before taking a dance class for fear of looking foolish, get this book and be bold! If you're going to go down--go down in flames! (And it won't kill you. Really!) Dancing is one of the purest joys in life, and this book makes it accessible to everyone.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a great book, December 27, 2007

By 

Denaya (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jump into Jazz: The Basics and Beyond for Jazz Dance Students (Paperback)

I teach jazz dance in a college setting and recommend this book for my students. Jump into Jazz breaks the art of Jazz dance down beautifully. I have found this book to be extremely helpful and concise. The illustrations are easy to understand, and the worksheets at the back of the book are a wonderful way for my students to test their understanding of the ideas presented.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good information, bad pictures, September 19, 2010

By 

Caitlin L. Smith - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Jump into Jazz: The Basics and Beyond for Jazz Dance Students (Paperback)

The information in this book is good and helpful, but the cartoon pictures are terrible. It would have been much better with real photographs.