Reddit mentions: The best classical dancing books

It’s more of a hobby, not a business, we did those events on volunteer basis 90% of the time. But I’m working on starting an Etsy shop to sell my fiber arts (mostly embroidery, but who knows maybe one day I will sell yarn!)

Yeah, and port de bras are a bit different, the lines of the body are a bit different than in Cechetti (ie, instead of pointed feet, winged feet). This book would be great to check out if you’re interested: https://www.amazon.com/Classic-Ballet-Basic-Technique-Terminology/dp/0375710779

Yeah, for sure, not everyone is cut out to be a pro stage performer. (I’m not, anyway!) you went to an art high school? That’s really cool!!

Oh I never took any exams outside of the studio, and those were technically for level placement (although really I’m sure our teachers could place us fine without them, it was also about getting us used to a formal audition like setting I think).

That sounds awesome!! Do you know if they offer drop in classes? (I mean, like could I come once or twice without buying a whole session?) I ask because I live a few hours away in Michigan and I’m actually planning to visit Toronto this summer for a short trip, fingers crossed (I’ve heard waaaaay too many stories about good Asian food, and have a few friends in the Waterloo area, but ballet tourism is up my alley haha!)

Yeah, it’s not so bad because I have many friends in the town where that YMCA is, and I volunteer there, etc, so I can make a Saturday trip there worth my time.

That is simply a poorly written article.

Dance theory, choreography, and general concepts of contemporary dance are quite well defined and clearly articulated.

In the history of dance, there have been a number of approaches to formalize specific principles and vocabulary, even actual dance notation (Labanotation) was created to record specific choreographic movement in order to be reproduced. The availability of film and especially video made this obsolete.

Ballet is still actually the foundation of modern dance, which introduces variations of technique and extended vocabulary. It would literally be impossible to be a professional performer or choreographer in the contemporary sphere without not only a solid ballet foundation, but other well known principles set out since the Denishawn school (school founded by Ted Shawn and Ruth St. Denis that is considered the origin of contemporary dance's break with ballet).

Anyway, here are some essential reads that I would strongly encourage anyone that is interested in choreography or staging, especially in the context of marching arts, to read:

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The Art of Making Dances - Doris Humphrey (<<< critical read!)
https://www.amazon.com/Art-Making-Dances-Doris-Humphrey/dp/0871271583

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The Intimate Act of Choreography - Lynne Anne Blom & L. Tarin Chaplin

https://www.amazon.com/Intimate-Choreography-Lynne-Anne-Blom/dp/0822953420/

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Anatomy of Movement - Blandine Calais-Germain

https://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Movement-Revised-Blandine-Calais-Germain/dp/0939616572

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Dance and the Specific Image - Daniel Nagrin

https://www.amazon.com/Dance-Specific-Image-Daniel-Nagrin/dp/0822955202

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Technical Manual and Dictionary of Classical Ballet - Gail Grant

https://www.amazon.com/Technical-Manual-Dictionary-Classical-Ballet/dp/0486218430/

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The Routledge Studies Dance Reader - Alexandra Carter

https://www.amazon.com/Routledge-Dance-Studies-Reader/dp/0415485991

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Every Little Movement: A Book About Delsarte - Ted Shawn

https://www.amazon.com/Every-Little-Movement-About-Delsarte-ebook/dp/B01N1YQQXX/

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What Is Dance?: Readings in Theory and Criticism - Roger Copland & Marshall Cohen

https://www.amazon.com/What-Dance-Readings-Theory-Criticism/dp/0195031970

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The Illustrated Dance Technique of José Limon - Daniel Lewis

https://www.amazon.com/Illustrated-Dance-Technique-Jos%C3%A9-Lim%C3%B3n/dp/0871272091/

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There are so many more!

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Also recommended, free OCW course from MIT:

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Dance Theory and Composition

https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/music-and-theater-arts/21m-675-dance-theory-and-composition-fall-2003/

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There are a lot of courses. Any specific topics you're interested in?

Edit: I'll just list a few anyway that I've used in classes (this may not reflect all professors' choices for the same subjects).

Tonal Harmony: Kostka-Payne - Tonal Harmony

Counterpoint 1: A Berklee book by the late professor Rick Applin. Some also use this Fux translation/adaptation

Counterpoint 2: Bach Inventions & Sinfonias (any edition, really)

"Advanced" Counterpoint: The Well-Tempered Clavier (again, any edition)

Early Twentieth-Century Harmony: Persichetti - Twentieth-Century Harmony

Post-Tonal Theory/Analysis: Straus - Intro to Post-Tonal Theory

Instrumentation/Orchestration: Adler - The Study of Orchestration &
Casella/Mortari - The Technique of Contemporary Orchestration

Western Music History - Burkholder/Paiisca - A History of Western Music (8th or 9th edition)

Conducting 1 - Notion Conducting

Conducting 2 Notion + Stravinsky's Petrushka

Berklee's own (jazz-based) core harmony and ear-training curricula use Berklee textbooks written by professors which, as someone else mentioned, come unbound and shrink-wrapped at the bookstore. You can find older (PDF) versions of the Berklee harmony textbooks here. Of course this list only represents explicit book choices - there are a lot of excerpt-readings, and there's a lot of instruction that isn't found in these books even in the associated courses.

Ok, so here's the thing. There is a ton of strength and technique that mostly isn't taught. Most of the bunions you see are there because of poor strength and technique. Very, very few teachers teach pointe in any way that builds towards a solid foundation.

https://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Pointe-Book-pointe-dancer/dp/1452857407

My point being, adding more classes may not be the best path. Spending more time building strength is the better path.

I have a copy of this book and whenever I look at it I go back and forth between starry eyed admiration and crushing envy. I took ballet classes for about 10 years and was not a natural talent, though I got competent through sheer repetition. But he's just incredible. Everything perfect, down to his fingertips.

1. I think you need this or this.....or perhaps this!
   
   
2. This is very close to five dollars, I do have some kindle books that are under 5 though!
   
   
3. Clearly that nail polish is what unicorns wear on their hooves when they go through that teenage goth phase ;)
   
   
4. FIVE DOLLA! Thanks for the contest!!

Maybe A Child's Introduction to Ballet? Amazon has a pretty long preview of the book.

FIVE DOLLA!

For you

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Because, glitter!