I constantly refer to a number of books, inorder to help a particular student or refresh my memory. I thought I would share some of my "most used" with you.

1. INSIDE BALLET TECHNIQUE Separating Anatomical Fact from Fiction in the Ballet Class by Valerie Grieg

2. Step-by-Step BALLET CLASS The Official Illustrated Guide from the Royal Academy of Dancing. Foreward by Antionette Sibley

3. THE TEACHING OF CLASSICAL BALLET Common faults in young dancers and their training by Joan Lawson

4. THE ART OF TEACHING BALLET Ten Twentieth-Century Masters by Gretchen Ward Warren

5. CLASSICAL BALLET TECHNIQUE by Gretchen Ward Warren
This is an excellent, comprehensive guide to ballet pedagogy valuable to teachers and students alike.

6. DANCING LONGER DANCING STRONGER A Dancer's Guide to Improving Technique and Preventing Injury by Andrea Watkins and Pricilla M. Clarkson

7. DANCE INJURIES THEIR PREVENTION AND CARE by Daniel D. Arnheim.

8. THE POINTE BOOK Shoes, Training & Technique by Janice Barringer and Sarah Schlesinger

9. THE PARENTS BOOK OF BALLET by Angela Whitehall and William Noble

A GOOD DICTIONARY:

10. TECHNICAL MANUAL AND DICTIONARY OF CLASSICAL BALLET by Gail Grant

or

11. Ryman's Dictionary of CLASSICAL BALLET TERMS, THE CECCHETTI METHOD by Rhonda Ryman

Many of these books can be bought, below retail, from E-bay.

Read and enjoy!!!

TUTUFUN

Thank you SO much for posting this Tutufun. I keep meaning to note down your references when I see you mention them in posts, but never get around to it. This is so useful to have them all together here.

I'm off to ebay now to see what I can find.

Austapper, you have no idea of the fantastic selection of dance books available for extremely reasonably prices! I hope you find what you are looking for!

TUTUFUN

I have a lot of those books. They are just fantastic books and I thinks it's so important to have references and a way to expand your knowledge. Thanks tutufun!

If you have adult beginning students The Joffrey Ballet School's BALET-FIT book is an excellent resource for your adult students.

TUTUFUN

Thanks for that list. I'm going to try to get my studio to build up a library so everyone can read these books. (And, I won't have to buy them.) We've got a couple of young apprentices (myself included) who are learning teaching technique, and thise would be so helpful. I can't believe how much more you need to know to teach ballet, not just how to do ballet. I need more help with pedagogy and anatomy.

Thanks Tutu. It is a very comprehensive list!

Wow thanks for the list. Ill be getting some of those books.

Does anyone know of any good jazz books???? or even tap???

JAZZ BOOKS

These two are recommended by Dance Masters:

JUMP INTO JAZZ The Basics and Beyond for the Jazz Dance Student by Minda Goodman Kraines and Esther Pryor.

JAZZ DANCE TODAY (Introduction by Luigi) by Lorraine Person Kriegel and Kim Chandler-Vaccaro

I like: LUIGI'S JAZZ WARM UP and Introduction to Jazz Style and Technique.

TUTUFUN

This is great! I have a few of the ballet books. I love them...do remember though to keep taking your classes....they are just as important as reading up on dance! The books are meant to be an added knowledge, but teachers still need to take or watch other people's classes!

Some tap books that I like are:

The souls of your feet by Acia Gray
and
The Tap Dance Dictionary by Mark Kowles

if you go to amazon.dot....and order one book about dance, they hook you up with a lot of suggested reading that is geared towrd dance!

Thanks
I have some of these books, but I have been trying to get my hands on an RAD book!

Some tap books that I like are
The souls of your feet by Acacia Gray

and

The Tap Dance Dictionary by Mark Knowles

If you go onto Amazon.com and order one book, they hook you up with a list of books geared toward dance...and they have comments and everything on them.

Remember that a book can not replace class. Books are written to add to classes. Even Teachers should get out there and take classes!

ooops, I am so computer illiterate. i thought I lost the first one, so I typed another reply...sorry!

I own or have read a lot of those books, but here is one of my favorites:

Dance Technique and Injury Prevention, I am in the middle of moving and don't know what box it is in and I can't remember the author. It is great. It has a section that is basic anatomy and then applies it to dance (mainly in the muscle groups). It helps you understand what muscles perform what actions. It shows photos and x-rays of properly pointed feet, sickled feet, and over pointed feet. Some of the x-rays are proper placement in point shoes and improper placement in pointe shoes.

There is also a section on different injuries, ways to prevent them, causes, and what general medical treatment would require.

Another section is on anatomical problems - scoliosis, hip and shoulder problems and ways to deal with them in class to help a student dance better.

The final section has different exercises for specific muscle groups.

this is a totally great selection i also have several of these - and they are excellent

i find that not only are they good for me to look at but i share the information with my students, my older students i encourage them to read books about learning how to dance, rather than just listeneing to what i say! also photocopying and enlarging pages and putting them on your wall is a great idea!

you can copy 10% of a book with out violating copyrite!

...and don't forget "The Nutcracker"! Even my older girls ask for this to be read aloud in class each December

Although it covers all dance and not just ballet, I have gotten a lot of use out of Time and the Dancing Image, by Deborah Jowitt.

bg

I have a few books that are mainly contemporary and are very good for your kids to look at if they are interested in this side of dance

This 1st book is excellent for both ballet and contemporary, don't know if it has already been listed but i totally love it!

Dance Imagery for Technique and Performance by Eric Franklin

This book has beautiful dance pictures in it! very good for stimulating brains - especially the merce cunningham photos!

dance2wice edited by patsy tarr and abbott miller
published by phaidon

modern dance forms by louis horst and caroll russell

terpsichore in sneakers : post modern dance by Sally Banes

Duncan dance by Julia Levien, which is excellent for free movement classes in ballet...

This is a great Australian Book... by a dance teacher in Brisbane... It has lots of information and activities for students to complete, writing activities, group building and choreography - you name it its there!

It's called "Dance: Count Me in" by Barbara Snook! Truely excellent text for great high school teaching ideas!

hope everybody is well!

have a groovy day!

The Language Of Ballet..by Thalia Mara. I have a old edition (1966) but I still love it and refer to it when needed. It has beautiful illustrations of dancers showing arms,feet, head movements and body lines and directions. Is truly my favorite dance book !!

Thanks so much, Tutufun! That's a wonderful list of resources for any teacher! I'm about to open a dance school, and I'm worried that I don't know enough yet... looks like I have a way to expand my knowledge! You've been extremely helpful.

I enjoy the following:

* Gail Grant's Technical Manual
* Teaching Classical Ballet - John White
* The Art of Teaching Ballet - Gretchen Ward Warren
* Suki Schorer on Balanchine Technique
* Basic Principles in Classical Ballet - Vaganova
* 100 Lessons in Classical Ballet

Thanks for the book ideas! I always enjoy reading, when I have the time that is! Great post!
Thanks!

Each week I give my beginners a color page to take home. It has a new step for each week and the term typed on the picture. I started this years ago when their was a publication called "Dance Trens" that had great color pages to copy and pass out. Running out of pictures. Even the older ones that have taken 3 to 4 years still enjoy getting pictures. Color books and some online web sites have some to copy. Any other ideas or does anyone remember "Dance Trends" publication??? thanks

Thank you for your list.

I have rated you!

I am sure I am not the only one who will benifit from your help here.

thanks

Ali

Thanks all for the recommendations.

I,too have many of the books, and also wanted to recommend the Eric Franklin books. There are lots of things to think about and use in those, too.

-ginger

That's a terrific list. I have many of those in the studio and will look at the ones I don't have. I keep a library in our waiting room and students/parents can check books out.

Oh...thank you so much. I am currently only using the Gail Grant technical manual and I would love to get some new material. Barnes and Noble has a really sparse selection.