(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best dance books

tldr: scenes are different, rave is massive even if the undergrounds are not, I love musical diversity.

"scene" vs. "music scene" vs. "rave scene"

A "scene" is a term used within a subculture - a sub-group seeks identity within a smaller group, but also maintains its identity with mainstream culture (contrast this with a "counterculture" which actively seeks to differentiate itself with commercially provided cultures, and seeks a separate identity from the mainstream). I haven't studied this term too much honestly, but I think "scenester" or "scene kid" was originally used as a negative way to refer to people who were interested only in the fashion or physical appearance of other subcultures (for example, people that would dress in a "goth style" but not actually listen to/enjoy "goth"/industrial music).

Over time this "scene" term was absorbed by some people - it is no longer a universal derogatory remark, but instead a way to refer to the subculture's collective image, principles/tenets, actions, interactions with mainstream culture, etc.

A "music scene" is not always a subculture, but overall it represents the musicians, audience, events, venues, and other productions within a music community, plus aesthetics derived from or associated with the music and any external/social responses. There can be a "Beyonce scene" (artist/celebrity cult-centric) just as much as there can be a "death metal scene" (music genre) or a "Manchester scene" (geographically-based).

Regarding OP's prompt:

> what the rave scene is and what we want it to be

The "rave scene" exists at multiple levels, and also as a part of wider communities. "Rave" is a music subculture, arguably existing as part of a wider community "electronic dance music scene" or "EDM" scene. For at least a decade, academia has used "EDMC" (electronic dance music culture) to describe the various types of communities that have spawned from original disco/house parties in the 1980s.

Honestly I don't think it's possible to address what the "scene" consists of in a reddit post. Entire books have been written trying to parse the different elements of EDMC and the "what the rave scene is" prompt is asking no less than that.

But I'll play along.

What is rave

There is a sound system, and it is playing electronic dance music - "EDM" being an umbrella term for electronic music created with the intent to be danced to (or is danced to by a majority of its listeners). Beyond that, a rave is when a community re-appropriates a space to have a music and art gathering where there typically would not be such a gathering.

The space re-appropriation admittedly uses some elements of TAZ; I really believe TAZ concepts are vital in EDM/rave culture's ability to provide powerful, meaningful experiences.

Anyways, if I drag my sound system out to the woods, or break into an abandoned soap factory, and I call my friends together and we gather in these places and blast techno into the sky, then that is rave. The trees didn't get together originally to host dance parties, and the factory sure wasn't built to house a sound system.

This is why I still call things like Ultra and EDC "raves" - these physical spaces do not exist because someone had the idea of having a sound system party there. The spaces are re-appropriated to do so. To that end, I've raved in people's apartments too.

At the same time, while I don't consider most nightclubs to be "raves" proper, I do consider them essential in the EDM community as a whole, and many nightclubs seek to mimic and implement elements of rave party aesthetic (sound system, visual elements). So I can kind of give a pass to incorporating some "club scenes" as part of the "rave scene"

So we have a bunch of people that get together and listen to this music. An old, negative take on "scene" would say that a rave scene "occurs" when that community of ravers grows to such a point that people - who otherwise are not interested in the music and other rave principles (whatever they may be) - end up going to raves, talking about themselves as "ravers," maybe even calling down their own interpretations of rave.

Aspects of the rave scene

But "the scene" makes better sense using the definition from above.

• Music - primarily electronic music made to be danced to, but also all the music that - at the time - fits in the context of the rave (could be lounge jazz in the chillroom to the spontaneous drum circles that form at some festivals)
  
• Musicians - people that create the music (producers, musicians), people that play and share the music (the DJs)
  
• Audience - people that listen and dance to the music (whether at home or out at a club or at some festival)
  
• Venues - clubs, unannounced secret locations, parks, cruise ships - wherever people meet to share in the music and the identity
  
• Events - raves, festivals, private house parties, whatever - the gathering as a whole, including its promo/marketing
  
• Aesthetics - kandi kids, black-garbed hipsters nodding to techno, junglists in camo... and these are just the physical ones. For example, the Burning Man aesthetic goes beyond just how people dress (e.g. 10 principles)
  
• Related external/social responses - sound policies and city ordinances, protests utilizing rave music to energize a crowd, concerned parents writing local lawmakers to adjust curfews, the price of renting a warehouse in a gentrifying area and/or being forced to drive further away from a big city to find a place to play loud music
  
• Other productions - people that write/draw/sing/craft about raves, rave philosophy and PLUR... something like this subreddit would fall in here
  
  Rave as we know it (~Detroit/Chicago to the first UK acid house parties) is nearly 30 years old, and I bet many people on this sub could probably have parents that could have gone to go to early raves. What rave is will flux throughout time, but I think this definition will last.
  
  Not only is the Second Summer of Love almost 30, but the idea of people listening to and dancing to music together is thousands of years old - the music may be futuristic in mindset, but the gathering is a tradition as old as civilization.
  
  What I want it to be
  
  Well, tbh I think my local scene is fine where it is.
  
  I always say that at the end of the day, if you can't stand the music, you won't keep coming back. I don't worry about the (hundreds of) thousands of people that go to massives because in a couple years, if they don't really care for the music, they won't be back anyway. Maybe some people come in and then get burned out on the ecstasy, but if they love the music and talk about it and share it then I would accept them as part of the culture and the scene. I meet a lot of 30+ year olds who are returning to rave after 5 or even 10 years of "taking a break" - maybe they're chasing the dragon in some fashion but I notice that all of them can tell me their favorite genres, DJs, or even pick out the tunes they love. All other differences aside, the music is the unifying factor for me.
  
  So, with music as the focus, my main concern in throwing raves is to introduce an audience to a diverse spectrum of electronic dance music (and by extension, its associated cultures). Before I hosted raves, I was doing indie music shows and putting stoner metal bands, folk singers, and jazz combos on the same lineup, hoping that the crowds would mingle at some point or another. If I could realistically play every style of music on a list like this at one event, I would.
  
  Beyond this, I know (especially from doing calendars over the last ~4 years) that there is a lot of diversity as far as specialized shows go - big room, trance, drum and bass, techno, house, even psytrance ... you can find events that do just that kind of music. I think it would be great for someone to come to a rave, be like "oh what's that kind of music, I really dig it" and then find out there are weeklies/monthlies devoted to just that kind of music. I honestly don't think this is that different from what could happen at massives like EDC. One of my favorite experiences is talking to "newbies" at festivals and about the different kinds of music going on. Not all mainstream events are like this, though, and it's a little bit harder to promote the "diverse vibe" at those kinds of events. But it's still worth checking out, for me.
  
  On the same token, I also love talking to people who only go out to club nights and gab about all the little warehouse parties going on - some of them might not know anything about these otherwise. Either way, I want to share this tradition and find people who can keep it going with me.
  
  Finally... the people that actually throw and host raves consistently over many years tend to be plugged into mainstream society in some way or another, even if it's just because they need a decent day job. I tell young people to travel, experiment, explore their world, think about the big picture - and I need to work with dreamers and visionary-types to balance out my own personality - but I also think it's important for a rave scene to be able to fund venues - and yes, a lot of that is about money and having a consistent, good wage, or at least having time to scout.
  
  anyways, I could talk about rave culture forever but would honestly not get anything else done today typing it all out. cheers
  
  P.S. I've recommended this a million times before but if you're interested in EDMC Technomad by Graham St. John is the best book I've ever read about the culture as a whole.

Depends on the size of the space, but you can usually practice fundamentals like driving, balance, etc. in a small space. Waltz is a good vehicle for practicing all of these; try doing a single half natural/half reverse or change step and then reset. To train your balance, do a half natural/reverse slower than normal and make sure that you lower at the 'and' of count 3. If it's too easy to stay balanced, try turning down the tempo.

If you follow (and even if you don't), heel turns are also a good thing to practice, and they can be practiced in a small space.

If you are doing standard, I also recommend a copy of either The Ballroom Technique, Ballroom Dancing, or both. These are by the same author and have roughly the same content, but the first is more of a quick reference (and does not include a section on V.Waltz). You can also look up the same content on Ballroom Guide's workshop page for free.

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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Some sources you might enjoy reading:

• Mark Twain's magazine-style description of Chang and Eng Bunker, the Siamese twins, who retired from show biz and bought a plantation and slaves (meaning: they were pretty well off), and then the Civil War broke out and their fortunes were considerably diminished.
  
  Twain's piece seems to largely be fictionalized, actually - lots of gags and inaccuracies. But the fact that they were that much in the popular imagination says something about their standing, I think.
  
  
• A Cabinet of Medical Curiosities by Dr. Jan Bondeson, which takes a medical perspective of some famous cases, but includes personal information. Julia Pastrana is the little hairy woman on the cover.
  
  That might be the best starting point.
  
  
• Especially pertinent to American Horror Story is the case of Grady Stiles. There was one good book on his case, but I honestly can't remember which one it was. I think it was Fred Rosen's Lobster Boy: The Bizarre Life and Brutal Death of Grady Stiles Jr. but can't swear to it. (Might also be Erik Hedegaard's Cruel & Unusual: the Bizarre Life and Ugly Death of Grady Stiles, the Lobster Boy - they both have pretty similar covers, and really similar subtitles.)
  
  
• Shocked and Amazed: On & Off the Midway by James Taylor is also a pretty good introduction to sideshow lore and the life of the carnival. It's a collection of articles from Taylor's sideshow magazine, produced in conjunction with his sideshow museum (and website).
  
  "Treated well or exploited" is kind of tricky. I mean, exploitation is part of the deal, but some performers made fairly good money.
  
  There was a hierarchy within the sideshow. At the bottom was the Geek, who was usually a bum who dressed up as a wild man or beast man and who had an act that climaxed with biting the head off a live chicken.
  
  Not much skill, and no physical oddities. Skilled performers like blockheads (Jim Rose is one) were higher up, and so were oddities, with, like, acrobats and trapeze artists pretty far up the pecking order.
  
  ---
  
  Less formally, I know that in Sarasota, in an otherwise normal suburban neighborhood of 1940s-era tract houses, there are two houses that look like miniature castles. The story goes that they were built for the husband-and-wife dwarves who performed with the Ringling Brothers circus in the 1930s.
  
  This is denied by the Ringling family, but the houses are definitely there, definitely featured in tours and definitely stand out - it seems like they were built first and the rest of the neighborhood sprang up around them. (Just west of 41, east of Bayside and north of Myrtle, if you're curious - walking distance from the Ringling estates.)
  
  (EDIT: Getting my directions right - Sarasota always seems backwards to someone raised on the Atlantic coast.)
  
  
  
  
  

Wow that's really cool! I have always wanted to try silks and maybe with all this upper body strength I am getting from pole I can someday get into that.

I'm personally of the opinion that there is nothing wrong with pole dancing being sexy. I know pole fitness studios tend to do their best to separate it from exotic dancing, but I think it delves into the much deeper issue of female sexuality and empowerment being something that people are afraid of and quick to dismiss since it is threatening in some way. A very good read on this subject is Claire Griffin Sterrett's PoleStory. At the same time, I understand pole fitness studios and instructors want to be regarded as legitimate. It seems to be a really delicate balance of the public's opinion of you and what you do, as well as standing up for what you believe in and expressing your sexuality as you desire.

Mestre Acordeon's book is a trip but is not technique-based. It's a story of heroism and selfishness like none that I've ever read. In the realm of Capoeira I have nothing but respect for the man but as a family man, if what he writes is true, well...

Anyhow, here is a book that is pretty nice.

And also this is very good for beginner's.

Historical

• Women in Old Norse Society - Probably one of the most balanced looks at the roles of men and women before, during, and after Christianization.
  
• The Dancing Goddess: Folklore, Archaeology, and the Origins of European Dance - Wonderful look at some of the origins of tradition that are rooted in dance from an Indo-European perspective.
  
• Norse Magical and Herbal Healing - Written in Iceland around the year 1500, the little book now known only as AM 434a is a treasure trove of medieval medical knowledge. It contains a number of magical spells, charms, prayers, runes, and symbols to bring health, wealth, and good fortune. The roots of the healing traditions in AM 434a go back thousands of years before the book itself was written.
  
  General Heathen Cultural Interest
  
  
• Gods of the Blood: The Pagan Revival and White Separatism - Really in depth book about the racialist Pagan movements, their origins, and how they think.
  
  
  The following are a bit controversial, but I feel they are worth reading:
  
  
• NeoPagan Rites by Isaac Bonewits - This is a rather religiously agnostic book, but it speaks to how to create rituals that work.
  
• Seeking the Mysteries: An Introduction to Pagan Theologies - I honestly found this book useful to be able to understand theological construction from a non-Christian POV.
  
  

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.

Super Flashy Instant Gifts! Well that sounds just peachy. thanks for the contest!

ETA instant gifts like an ebook?

If she's both a good dancer and attractive, she probably has leaders falling over themselves at the home milongas to get a dance with her. When that becomes the norm, anything less might feel like people don't want to dance with her. Also, she probably doesn't have to develop dance-getting skills at the home milonga.

Another idea...do guys from your group sit next to her? Often, if a guy comes in with a girl and they sit next to each other, even if they're just friends, it can be a dance-repellent.

I'd recommend this ebook for your group: https://www.amazon.com/Enjoy-Getting-Dances-You-Want-ebook/dp/B01N2K8E0G
It specifically addresses the phenomenon that dance skill and dance-getting skill are two separate beasts.

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.

Well , you want to look up dancing, cadence as it relates to dancing, fighting, and so on. The last time I saw a thread like this, or I inquired about it I came across these materials here and this here

I hope that's helpful to you :)

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!!

The above is solid advice.

This is one of those, "let's sit down over a beer and talk" subjects. I wrote an entire book, simply so that I don't have to condense it into a few paras.

You can get the first chunk of it free on the Amazon preview.

https://www.amazon.com/Enjoy-Getting-Dances-You-Want/dp/152146104X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1521640389&sr=8-1&keywords=oliver+kent

The only thing I would add is have a treat waiting for you at home. If the night sucks, it's good to know you've got a favourite dvd or chocolate waiting for you.

FIVE DOLLA!

For you

For me

Because, glitter!

>#61. Short sections on women or racism in capoeira, long sections on family trees, and great illustrations.  A review of a classic capoeira book.
>
>The Little Capoeira Book by Nestor Capoeira
>
>The Capoeira Guidebook by Varal