Overview

Dance Appreciation is an exciting exploration of how to understand and think about dance in all of its various contexts. This new edition has been revised and updated to include contemporary considerations of the art of dance along with enhanced discussion questions and prompts for the dance student. This book unfolds a brief history of dance with engaging insight into the social, cultural, aesthetic, and kinetic aspects of various forms of dance. Dedicated chapters cover ballet, modern, tap, jazz, hip-hop dance, and social dance complete with summaries, charts, timelines, discussion questions, movement prompts, and online resources, all designed to foster awareness of and appreciation for dance in a variety of contexts. This wealth of resources helps to uncover the fascinating components that make this art form so diverse and entertaining, and to answer the questions of why we dance and how we dance. Written for the novice dancer as well as the more experienced dance student, Dance Appreciation enables readers to learn and think critically about dance as a form of entertainment and art. Online resources are provided for students and instructors, with videos of dance tutorials, additional online references, PowerPoint slides for each chapter, updated quiz and exam banks, and reflective questions and assignment ideas. These resources are available at www.routledge.com/cw/clark.

Full Product Details

Author:   Amanda Clark ,  Sara Pecina
Publisher:   Taylor & Francis Ltd
Imprint:   Routledge
Edition:   2nd edition
ISBN:  

9781032884974

ISBN 10:   1032884975
Pages:   394
Publication Date:   16 April 2026
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Tertiary & Higher Education
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Forthcoming
Availability:   Not yet available  
This item is yet to be released. You can pre-order this item and we will dispatch it to you upon its release.

Table of Contents

Part I: What is Dance? Introduction 1 Purposes of Dance What is Dance? Ceremonial Dance Political Dance Social Dance Therapeutic Dance Competitive Dance Promotional Dance Theatrical Dance Chapter Summary 2 Viewing Dance Through a Cultural Lens Bharatanatyam: A Dance of Devotion Kabuki: From Commoners to Cultural Treasure Dama: Sacred Rites Lindy Hop: Breaking Cultural Boundaries Chapter Summary 3 Crafting the Dance Choreographic Craft Elements of Dance Form Additional Considerations Production Elements Dance Notation Choreography Copyrights The Dancer’s Role Chapter Summary 4 Perceiving Dance Lens of Perception The Role of the Audience Writing About Dance Chapter Summary Part II: Exploration of Western Theatrical Dance Forms Introduction 5 Ballet Ballet as a Dance Form The Historical Development of Ballet American Ballet Companies Ballet Commercialized Contemporary Issues within the Field Chapter Summary 6 Modern Dance Modern as a Dance Form Recurring Themes in Modern Dance Current Approaches Contemporary Dance Chapter Summary 7 Tap Dance Tap Dance as a Form Tap Dance Roots American Dance Onstage Selected Tap Dance Styles Tap Highlights Chapter Summary 8 Jazz Dance Jazz as a Dance Form Jazz Dance in Show Business Codification of Jazz Dance Styles of Jazz Dance Chapter Summary 9 Hip-Hop Dance A Culture of Expression Hip-Hop as a Dance Form Commercialization of the Art Form Types of Hip-Hop Dance Chapter Summary 10 Social Dance Social Dance as a Form of Dance Key Influence on Social Dance Evolution Chapter Summary Part III: Behind the Scenes Introduction 11 Dance Media and Technology Technology in Live Performances Dance on Camera Screen Dance Digital Technology Chapter Summary 12 Training and Education Training Opportunities in Dance Dance in Education Inclusion and Accessibility Chapter Summary 13 The Dancer The Journey to Professional Dancer Chapter Summary 14 Dance Health Dance Injuries Nutrition Mental and Emotional Health Chapter Summary 15 Careers in Dance Performance Choreography Teaching Therapy Writing and Preservation Administration Production Chapter Summary

Reviews

Praise for the first edition ""A wonderful combination of readable, user-friendly and important information, without oversimplification."" Karen Reedy, George Mason University, USA ""This book is an outstanding resource for dance appreciation. It simultaneously covers the history of each form of dance, while discussing the aesthetics of the form, to the practicalities of what that form look like in the studio while taking a class. There is a very thorough discussion of the origins of dance, which also help us understand the relevance of dance in society in the 21st century. Additionally, the movement prompts help the student to understand the concepts presented in their own bodies. I highly recommend this text, it has everything needed to appreciate dance from all perspectives."" Jennifer Mizenko, University of Mississippi, USA

Author Information

Amanda Clark is a Professor at Western Kentucky University, USA, where she teaches all levels of jazz and tap dance technique, along with dance theory coursework. She received an MFA in Dance from the University of Oklahoma and a BPA in Dance Performance from Oklahoma City University. She has taught dance and presented choreography nationally and internationally. Her primary research interests lie in the history and pedagogy of jazz and tap dance as reflected in her text Dance Pedagogy (Routledge, 2024). Sara Pecina is the Director of Dance at Berry College, USA. She received her MFA in Dance from the University of Oklahoma and graduated with a BA in Dance from Western Kentucky University. She has presented research on the history and pedagogy of jazz and tap dance both nationally and internationally at various dance conferences, including both the National Dance Education Organization and the Dance Studies Association annual conferences. Sara is a certified mat Pilates instructor and has also trained to teach Dance for Parkinson’s Disease with Mark Morris Dance Group and is in the American Tap Dance Foundation’s Rhythm Tap Teacher Program.

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