Customer Reviews

Social Dancing in America: A History and Reference, Volume 2, Lindy Hop to Hip Hop, 1901-2000

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As the author, I definitely wanted to write a scholarly contribution to the very much overlooked American cultural development of Social dancing, however, I wanted to present it in a writing style that would appeal to the average individual. I have discovered in my time within dance clubs, especially the swing dances, that many individuals enjoy dressing in period costume and are quite interested in the history of their favored dance style. So as it turns out, to date this is the first book of its kind that has put together both a general interest reader and a scholarly work that discusses social dancing in a complete social, cultural, economic, political, and historical context. Many social dance books of the period simply provided descriptions and step-by-step instructions on "how to dance" as opposed to why people dance. My book also provides a consistent theme that contemporary dances and the associated music and fashion were more often attacked by forces of social morality and often labeled the newest dance trend as "scandalous."

This book is not a book to teach people "How to Dance" there are literally thousands of publications and hundreds of dance studios available to do just that. This book is an attempt to provide a clear understanding of what was involved in the basic patterns and rhythms of the dance, the origins, the popularity, but most importantly to place each in a historical and social context. This book is about the dances themselves and their importance in a social context. Therefore, each chapter contains a brief introduction of the social, political, and cultural climate. The book is about how individual Americans; mainly couples interacted in a social dance setting.

I don't know if it is the best reference book about social dancing, but it is a very good one. I also don't know another reference book about social dancing to compare. I especially appreciate knowing that Arthur Murrey did indeed changed the social dancing for the worst, making the original dance as ridiculous and snobish instead to take its true reality (in the context of the dance) mainly because he wanted to make the dance more proper or acceptable, but to accept a dance not in its proper context is ridiculous and idiotic, a feeling I have for a long time and this book did confirm it.
By the way, I am a dancer, choreographer and performer in social dancing for more than 30 years,,,so I know what I am talking, but I wanted to read the book to be sure that my life experience as a dancer was close to the reality of what's going on.This book did confirm I am right on target if I can believe its contents.
Chgeck me if you like at http://www.myspace.com/pleibzig
The famous "dancing with the stars" seemss a joke compared with the real thing (meaning social dancing), except if you consider this show as "ballroom dancing".

This is the only book (well, two-volume set) I know of that attempts to provide a comprehensive history of social dancing in the United States. For that reason alone, it is a must-have for social dance fanatics like myself despite the high price tag. It is a great reference book and provides interesting information on the cultural and historical background of each time period. It also provides some amusing trivia on the social dance practices in America before the 20th century. However, I found that this book was much better in covering the swing dances, which is probably natural given that the author's dance background is mostly in swing. Being a Latin dance enthusiast myself, I found the Latin dances were not adequately covered and in some cases were not a good reflection of the history and importance of these dances. Some of the most fundamental aspects of Latin dance history in the U.S. was left out; bachata, for instance, was not even mentioned. However, this two-volume set is a tremendous leap forward in providing a reference and resource for social dance lovers. For this, it is a must-have.

Lawrence Looks at Books: Gale Virtual Reference Library

Professional architect-turned-social historian Ralph Giordano has transformed his enthusiasm for dancing into an entertaining survey of this popular social activity. The author divides his history of American dance into 11 periods of varying length. He devotes the most detail to the twentieth century with essays describing periods from 10-20 years. For each chapter, an introduction details the chief political and social movements of the time. A second section enumerates and describes both styles and particular dances, frequently including specific steps. "Places to Dance," describes the settings where dances might occur from assembly rooms and cotillions to dance halls, discos and clubs. The encouragement of dance by developing media like film, radio and television is also described. The portrait that emerges is not simply a sketch of popular pastimes, but a narrative of debates over religious doctrines and changing mores, as well as the development of new means of communication, media and entertainment. From the Virginia reel, the waltz and the polka to the Charleston, the twist and breakdancing, each new dance and musical movement reflected changes in attitudes and cultural perceptions. Giordano captures both the enthusiasm and concern these changes caused a variety of people at many times in our history. His guide is well illustrated and his text makes frequent reference to sources listed in the wide-ranging general bibliography. Each volume is separately indexed and includes period-specific bibliographies. Supplementary materials include a filmography by type of dance plus a list of online dance manuals. This detailed survey will serve both academic and public libraries.