Social Dancing in America [Two Volumes]: A History and Reference (Hardcover)

by Ralph G. Giordano (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
Who would have thought that the topic of social dancing was so complex and nuanced or that it is so interesting? This beautifully composed, stylishly written examination of the social value of public dancing, as well as its function in reflecting changing values, begs to be read start to finish. The first chapter in volume 1 provides background on the history of social dance and American dance to 1740. The remaining four chapters cover the years 1740–1820, 1820–1865, and 1865–1900. Volume 2 is divided into seven chapters treating categories of twentieth-century dance, including the Charleston, swing, disco, and break dancing. Each chapter begins with a section on the political, cultural, and social climate and goes on to cover the dances themselves, followed by the venues where dancing typically took place. The discussions are deep and far ranging, dealing with political and religious controversies that dancing either expressed or stirred up. The text is laden with quotations from primary source material, and sidebars contain some choreographic information, such as diagrams and verbal instructions for the longways set and the quadrille. Highly informative black-and-white period reproductions and photographs extend the text perfectly. For example, photographs of both the Charleston and the shimmy shed light on the contemporary outrage over these dances. Both volumes conclude with bibliographies and detailed volume indexes. In addition, volume 1 has a "Select Bibliography of Online Dance Instruction Manuals Available from the Library of Congress," while volume 2 contains a "Select List of Hollywood Movies by Dance Type." This fascinating and readable work is suitable for any large performing-arts collection as well as collections on social history. It is a worthy companion to Maureen Needham's I See America Dancing (University of Illinois, 2002), which covers much of the same turf using primary source readings. Welton, Ann

Review
“Giordano provides readers with a broad historical perspective on dance as it has commingled with American society throughout the history of the US. Divided into chronological order, the chapters begin with an overview of the time period, including the events and the social, political, and cultural characteristics that affected each era's dances and participants. This orientation provides a good background for each dance entry that follows. This set's strength is in tracing the origins of particular dances and noting their evolution within the contextual fabric of American culture. Entries are written in an accessible style, often punctuated with nicely captioned photographs and/or basic step patterns, leaving readers with a more complete image of the movement involved in the dances as well as the proximity of partners. Commendably, the author includes Native American dance entries alongside those nonindigenous dances that influenced American culture. The bibliography and index are helpful, as is the select bibliography of online dance instruction manuals provided via the Library of Congress. Recommended. Lower-/upper-level undergraduates and general readers.”–Choice

“Social dancing has never enjoyed the cachet conferred on ballet or other theatrical dance forms, sometimes even when it comes to reference books. That is about to change with Giordano's comprehensive study of the subject spanning the centuries in the context of American social history. Volume 1, subtitled 'Fair Terpsichore to the Ghost Dance, 1607-1900,' illustrates the part social dancing has played in Americans' lives. It also contains the 'Select Bibliography of Online Dance Instruction Manuals Available from the Library of Congress' (available online at http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/dihtml). Volume 2, subtitled 'Lindy Hop to Hip Hop, 1901-2000,' continues the story, connecting social dancing to societal developments throughout the 20th century. The text is enlivened by numerous illustrations, including sheet music and dancing manual covers, contemporary images, and period photographs. Each volume features an extensive bibliography. The popularity of television programs such as Dancing with the Stars (ABC) and Championship Ballroom Dancing (PBS) and the general resurgence of interest in ballroom dancing make this straightforward, detail-packed, and readable work an appropriate choice for public and academic collections.”–Library Journal

“There are two good reasons to buy this book. First, it clearly fills a gap in the existing literature; second, the research that makes up the two volumes is both scholarly and carefully detailed....The work illustrates and illuminates how social dancing paralleled the social, economic, and cultural characteristics of each era....Social Dancing in America constitutes the most comprehensive examination of the subject available....[G]reat for public or academic libraries.”–Reference & User Services Quarterly

“Who would have thought that the topic of social dancing was so complex and nuanced or that it is so interesting? This beautifully composed, stylishly written examination of the social value of public dancing, as well as its function in reflecting changing values, begs to be read start to finish....This fascinating and readable work is suitable for any large performing-arts collection as well as collections on social history.”–Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin

“Most take him for a minuet man, but George Washington very well could have waltzed on his first Inaugural Day. Clog dancing was "made easy" in publications by 1873, and at any time of the day or night someone on this planet is donning a long-beloved white polyester suit and shooting a right forefinger into the air. Giordano takes a good long look at how we danced, why and with whom across the years from the "fair terpsichore" and "set dances" so complicated they required flash cards to country dances, the Virginia Reel, the polka, the cake walk, the two-step, and the much more seriously intentioned Buffalo Dance and Ghost Dance, followed by ragtime, the Charleston, jitterbug, swing, the Latin dances, rock and roll, disco, breakdancing, and recent revivals of classic dances.”–Reference & Research Book News

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 808 pages
• Publisher: Greenwood Press (November 30, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 031333756X
• ISBN-13: 978-0313337567
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 7.4 x 2.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #888,028 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Author's Comments, February 4, 2007

By	Ralph Giordano (Staten Island, New York USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

REVIEWS: Social Dancing in America: A History and Reference
Ralph G. Giordano, 2 vols. Greenwood 2007 - ISBN 0-313-33756-X


"Giordano knows what he's talking about. . . . Throughout, the lucid and entertaining entries juxtapose sociopolitical events of the day, with their corresponding developments on the dance floor and elsewhere in the culture." Michael J. Fressola, Staten Island Advance, Sunday, February 04, 2007 Section D, p. 1.

"There are two good reasons to buy this book. First, it clearly fills a gap in the existing literature; second, the research that makes up the two volumes is both scholarly and carefully detailed....The work illustrates and illuminates how social dancing paralleled the social, economic, and cultural characteristics of each era....Social Dancing in America constitutes the most comprehensive examination of the subject available....Reference & User Services Quarterly Fall 2007

"Professional architect-turned-social historian Ralph Giordano has transformed his enthusiasm for dancing into an entertaining survey of this popular social activity. . . . 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. . . . Giordano captures both the enthusiasm and concern these changes caused a variety of people at many times in our history."
Lawrence Looks at Books: Gale Virtual Reference Library, 2007. http://www.galegroup.com/reference/lawrence/200707/dancing.htm

"Social dancing has never enjoyed the cachet conferred on ballet or other theatrical dance forms, sometimes even when it comes to reference books. That is about to change with Giordano's comprehensive study of the subject spanning the centuries in the context of American social history. . . . The text is enlivened by numerous illustrations, including sheet music and dancing manual covers, contemporary images, and period photographs. . . . the general resurgence of interest in ballroom dancing make this straightforward, detail-packed, and readable work an appropriate choice for public and academic collections." LIBRARY JOURNAL by: Carolyn M. Mulac March 1, 2007 Reference, page 18.

"Giordano provides readers with a broad historical perspective on dance as it has commingled with American society throughout the history of the US. . . . This set's strength is in tracing the origins of particular dances and noting their evolution within the contextual fabric of American culture. Entries are written in an accessible style, often punctuated with nicely captioned photographs and/or basic step patterns, leaving readers with a more complete image of the movement involved in the dances as well as the proximity of partners. Commendably, the author includes Native American dance entries alongside those nonindigenous dances that influenced American culture. --CHOICE June 2007

"Who would have thought that the topic of social dancing was so complex and nuanced or that it is so interesting? This beautifully composed, stylishly written examination of the social value of public dancing, as well as its function in reflecting changing values, begs to be read start to finish. . . . The discussions are deep and far ranging, dealing with political and religious controversies that dancing either expressed or stirred up. . . . Highly informative black-and-white period reproductions and photographs extend the text perfectly. . . . This fascinating and readable work is suitable for any large performing-arts collection as well as collections on social history." Ann Welton, BOOKLIST July 1, 2007, Vol. 103 No,.21, p79, 1p; (AN 25808876)

"Giordano takes a good long look at how we danced, why and with whom across the years from the "Fair Terpsichore" and "set dances" so complicated they required flash cards to country dances, the Virginia Reel, the polka, the cake walk, the two-step, and the much more seriously intentioned Buffalo dance and Ghost dance, followed by ragtime, the Charleston, jitterbug, swing, the Latin dances, rock and roll, disco, breakdancing, and recent revivals of classic dances." REFERENCE and RESEARCH BOOK NEWS February 2007 Vol. 22, No. 1, p. 98.

5.0 out of 5 stars One of a kind - but has its limitations, March 20, 2008

By	Karin Norgard "www.joy-in-motion.com" (Anchorage, Alaska, USA) - See all my reviews

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.

5.0 out of 5 stars I Found This "GREAT" Review!, August 18, 2007

By	Thelma Olsen "Thelma Lynn" (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.