Dance Books

I knew very little about ballet before diving into this book, and while reading it, I didn't feel that I was at a disadvantage. Reading it is like sitting next to a trusted friend at a ballet, having her point out bits of backstory, criticism, and praise. You can tell that Goldner really loves Balanchine's ballets, and without having seen most of these, I loved them too.

Ms. Goldner's response to Balanchine is almost as much a pleasure to read as Balanchine's ballets used to be to watch. She brings forward the intricacies of physical movement musicality and emotional intent inherent in the choreography without missing a single element's importance and depth. She does it succinctly easily and pleasurably, in a kind of way Balanchine himself would have done. He must have been looking over her shoulder.
How she makes me miss dancing these wonderful ballets. For the dancer who knew Balanchine she offers a joyful nostalgia at what in his work is immortal. If you have never seen a Balanchine Ballet read this first. If you go to New York City to see the Company go to the Lincoln Center Performing Arts library as well just so you know what she and I were looking at during the time Balanchine was there.

Writer Wellness: A Writer's Path to Health and Creativity This is a valuable and unique work of dance history from the keen eyes of dance critic Nancy Goldner. While there are many books on the life of Balanchine, this is a first for a book that explores and explains many of his greatest choreographic achievements. Dance students, dance history scholars, all libraries, and any person interested in Balanchine's legacy will appreciate the concise writing and interesting details that Goldner includes.

This book is written and researched with care and detail. The author has a superb degree of observation and understands the subject matter, as well as being familiar with the person for whom the book written.

Wonderful book. Very nicely put together. Offers an intelligent introduction to all aspects of Balinese artistic life with gorgeous illustrations throughout.

Excellent book for both those who are Bali newbies and those who already know about it, although it might be a little too detailed for some novices. Informative, with fantastic photos and drawings.

This excellent book provides an extensive, reader-friendly overview of Balinese dance, music, drama and culture. It's the book we've all been waiting for. Written in an informal and high accessible style with wonderful pictures and illustrations it will no doubt be treasured by academics, Baliopihiles or anyone wanting to visit Bali and more deeply experience it's powerful culture. Rucina and Dibia (I know them both) are extraordinary and passionate lovers of all things Bali and have written and taught extensively for decades. If anyone was to write this book, they were the obvious choice.

There are dozens of books on this subject - most far too academic and inaccessible - including some of the classics. They got the information right, found the right expressive tone, and the layout is stunning.

A wonderful experience throughout!

Michael Wiese, filmmaker, publisher and Baliophile

Extensively illustrated with over 200 full-color photographs, Balinese Dance, Drama and Music: A Guide to the Performing Arts of Bali takes the reader on a captivating tour of the history, style, and function of Balinese gamelan music, dance, drama, and puppetry. Suitable for all ages, Balinese Dance, Drama and Music covers how performing arts are learned in Bali, the principal Balinese values that artistic media passes on, and discussion of individual forms of performing arts, such as Gameland Gong Kebyar, Lgong Keraton, Baris, Wayang Kulit, and the relatively recent phenomenon of women's and children's performing groups. A bibliography and discography round out this superbly captivating survey, written by expert dancers and choreographers.

It gave me great pleasure to purchase and now to review Diana's book. I had tried to find copies several years ago but everywhere I looked it was out of stock. Although I have not seen her for many years and never had the pleasure of seeing her dance with the NYC Ballet, I am very proud of her accomplishments and of being able to purchasing copies for my siblings. Now, I will be ordering copies for my grandchildren. The girls will love receiving copies. It is an excellent book for anyone, young or old, who appreciates others who have fulfilled their dreams. The drawings and pictures are wonderful. I recommend this book to anyone who has a child, enjoys ballet or loves to read a wide variety of inspirational books.

My daughter enjoyed this book, but there seemed to be a little too much detail to hold her interest completely (she's 8). Overall, she liked it though. It had nice pictures that helped to make it interesting.

I'm not a ballerina--I am one of those who took a few years of dance and never had the drive or desire to work at it--but I love this book!

White shows that she had to work to achieve her dream, that she sometimes made mistakes, that it helped to have suport of other people but that ultimately it was up to HER.

Wonderful!

This book, although short and recommended for ages 4-8, is inspiring for ages 4-104 (lol). It's great to read when you're discouraged about anything (not just ballet), because it motivates you to get your butt out there and try again! Now on a personal note...Diana is my teacher and has inspired me time after time to work even harder than I thought possible. Get the book and keep it around for when you're down, because it'll help you through almost anything!

This resource is worth 5 stars - it is specifically for adults and is easy to read, easy to access. All steps are described and illustrated. Worth purchasing especially if you are a beginner.

This book provides a good solid basic technique overview. It has been used as a textbook at some colleges, and was highly reccomended by my former headmistress. I found the text interesting and helpful, and the illustrations sufficient. Of course, no book can replace a talented instructor, but as a supplement to a dance program, this book is superior.

Finally a good ballet instruction book that's encouraging and doesn't talk down to adult beginners. The more ballet classes I take, the more I realize how well this book distills the important aspects of ballet. Sketches and photos showing correct (and incorrect) body positioning are appropriately used. When I started ballet, I picked up a handful of books, and I always reached for this one when I had 10 minutes to learn a new tidbit. The brief history of ballet in the final chapter is added bonus. If you're an adult beginner, start with this book and the David Howard videos, plus a good teacher once or twice a week. You won't be auditioning for the American Ballet Theatre, but you'll become a proficient dancer pretty quickly.

I have the 3rd edition of this book, which was required for a college Ballet I class. As a beginning, adult, male student, I found the book to be very detailed - which I like. She gives you illustrations of steps, with the French name & pronunciation, why your doing it (e.g. to stretch certain muscles), a description, etc..

Initially, working at the barre (e.g. how to stand, plie', positions of the feet) Sandra gives correct & incorrect drawings. Of course, no book or video can replace being in class nor should it. With ballet you need a teacher to correct what your doing wrong so you can learn from it. Then having good books, videos, etc. as reference material helps you learn.

The book is written for us beginner adults, not children and not the pro's, which is really nice. Since we don't have nearly the flexibility of them. It also includes some history in the back of the book. Illustrations show men as well as women. Also included is what to wear to class, what to expect in class, how you should act, etc..

Get her other book once you get beyond the basics.

This book is fantastic! I loved reading about my favorite show. I was able to get the book the last time I was in Ireland and I was so excited when I saw it. The book gives you all the information you ever wanted to know about Ballkissangel. The book has amazing pictures of everyone in the cast. It has pictures of the cast from different episodes and showing them when they are not in front of the camara. I recommend this book for anyone who is a big fan of BallyK.

This is a great book! It gives you a wonderful variety of behind the scenes photos and information, as well as, giving a photo and brief synopsis of each episode of the first two seasons. There is also a similar section on each character. The cover art is beautiful! It is definately worth the price and I feel you'll enjoy it as much as I have or more.

With plenty of participation and anecdotes from all involved in the production (the producer, writers, directors and actors), this lovely little book provides a delightful behind-the-scenes look at this warm-hearted comedy-drama.

The book deals with how the idea for the series came about, how a town was chosen to represent Ballykissangel (whose name, incidentally, is Gaelic for "The Town of the Banished Angel"), the impact that the series has had on that town (Avoca, in County Wicklow) and its inhabitants. The book also touches on how a few of the effects were achieved, like the burning of Kathleen's house and the statue crashing through the roof of Ambrose's car. Included are brief 2-3 page bios of the actors and the characters they portray. Finally, there is an episode guide covering the first two series (the last episode of which is "Chinese Whispers").

Written by Geoff Tibballs, this beautiful little book is a 7 1/2" x 10" 128-page hardcover printed on thick, high-quality paper, and it is loaded with colour pictures (mostly scenes from the series).

In conclusion, this is a thoroughly enjoyable and informative little behind-the-scenes look at one of the most charming and gently amusing comedy-drama series around. Highly recommended.

If you are a fan of the show, this book is a MUST. It has bios of each member of the cast and the creator, information on the location, filming and creation of the show, and synopsis' of the first three series(seasons).

It was really easy to read and get the main idea the first time around. The low price was cool too.

Having had Mr. McLean as a teacher, I was able to enjoy his book even more than if I had just read it. While his book is easy to read and has real life examples of everyday communication, it was great to actually talk to him about what he had written. College books are usually pretty expensive and he made sure his was reasonably priced so all college students will have a chance to take a communication class and learn about what we all do everyday - communicate!

This is the first textbook I've ever enjoyed reading. I didn't have to read it 100 times to understand it! I'm amazed at how communication is everywhere and the impact it has on my life. I learned a lot and look at things differently now.

I have already begun to apply the ideas I have learned in communication to solve problems. The ideas, discussions and diagrams found in The Basics of Speech Communication will remain with me forever. In the beginning I was intimidated by the people who I thought were smarter than me. Now I understand that with effective communication skills those barriers won't stand in my way.

THIS IS A SYNOPSIS ABOUT SEASON 2 OF B G. IT COVERS EACH EPISODE, CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, COSTUMES, SPECIAL EFFECTS AND SO ON. THIS IS A GREAT BOOK WITH ALOT OF BEHIND THE SCENES INFO ALONG WITH WHY THE PRODUCERS AND WRITERS DID WHAT THEY DID. ALSO INCLUDED ARE INTERVIEWS WITH THE ACTORS WHO DISCUSS THE SHOW AND THEIR CHARACTERS AND WHERE THE SHOW MIGHT EVENTUALLY GO. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS FOR ALL B G FANS. I READ THE FIRST SEASON AND WILL READ THE 3RD AND 4TH (WHEN AVAILABLE). THIS IS A MUST READ. SO SAY WE ALL.

Compared to official guides for other shows, the companions to BATTLESTAR GALACTICA simply cannot be beat for enhancing the enjoyment of the episodes. Most official guides tend to do two things. First, they provide a critically neutral description of the episodes individually and the season as a whole. Second, they tend to repackage pretty much whatever one as a viewer can pick up on their own.

If you look at the official guides to BUFFY or FARSCAPE you'll see what I'm talking about. The best route with BUFFY is to get the unofficial guides. These unofficial guides are written without much contribution by the creators, producers, writers, or cast, but they at least have an independent point of view. The BSG official companions, however, while not critical from the author's viewpoint, are remarkably frank in providing critical assessments by the producers and directors and actors and writers as to what did and did not work in an episode. Any fan of BSG will recognize upon watching that "Black Market" and "Sacrifice" are not highlights of the show, but it is incredibly refreshing to read statements by Ron Moore and David Eick and Jamie Bamber that indicate that they, too, believe "Black Market" was not a successful episode. Take the official guide to BUFFY and read what it says about "Beer Bad" or "Some Assembly Required." You'll get no hint that these are considered among the worst BUFFY episodes ever. But in the BSG companions you'll not only see the creative team agreeing with you on the weaker episodes, but they will provide additional insight into why they don't work. So on the first of the two points mentioned above, the BSG guides are head and shoulders above other official guides.

On the second point, i.e., the regurgitation of stuff you can get yourself on an alert viewing, the BSG companions also shine. Probably 80% of the contents of the books are not directly accessible to a fan of the show. For instance, in reading about the casting of Admiral Cain, I was unaware that they first approached Sigourney Weaver, Jessica Lange, and Angelica Houston before asking Michelle Forbes if she was interested in the role (though I have to add that it is inconceivable to me that any of those fine actresses could have been more effective than Forbes, who was simply outstanding). As with the first companion, there are substantial interviews with all the concerned parties about how an episode came together.

My lone disappointment with this volume is that it possibly contained less information not directly concerned with specific episodes. The reason for this is obvious. Whereas the Season Two companion was restricted to the same length as the Season One companion, the second season featured 20 episodes as opposed to the first seasons 13, along with the miniseries. This volume thus had more episodes to discuss.

Still, I think many fans will find this as enjoyable as I have. I'm aware that there are some who prefer the kind of guide that I abhor, one that gives a glossily regurgitated summation of what happens in each episode. I generally find these kinds of guides worthless. Give me one like BSG any day! I want behind the scenes scoop, not a repetition of what I can easily see for myself.

Companion books on the shelf are a key indicator of "nerd-hood". I think BSG (nerd) is one of the best shows on TV. It's more than Sci-Fi, it's a drama that happens in space. This book is a useful reference tool should you develop an interest in what goes on beyond the screen.

my short and sweet opinion of this book is a great have for the Battlestar Galactica Fan. A lot of Sci-Fi and Tech information with great information and wonderful pictures. If You are thinking of a low-cost gift for a BSG Fan, this book along with the Season One Book is a great buy.
So Say We All

Great mirrored cover, a must for the completist.Very entertaining!

"Wise men say, only fools rush in. But I can't help falling in love with you." That should help put you in the mood for reading this review. "You ain't nothin' but a hound dog!"

Although this book is about impersonating Elvis, I was intrigued about the many details about how Elvis achieved his effects on his audience.

The author is an Elvis impersonator who is president of the Elvis Impersonators International Association. You will learn almost everything you need to know to look, sound, and act like Elvis in a way that will stimulate those who meet you. After this book is widely read, Elvis sightings should definitely soar!

You get instructions for creating your own Elvis costume for around $170 (if you do your own sewing and can rent some blue suede shoes). If you are like me, you didn't know that Elvis used lots of make-up in his stage appearances. You will learn how to put that make-up on yourself, as well as dye your hair the right color (yes, Elvis dyed his hair, too).

If you are simply a loyal Elvis fan, you can be more like him by using only the products he did (Brut, Colgate toothpaste, Wella Balsam shampoo, Neutrogena soap, Scope and Listerine), so you can smell as nice as he always did.

The book contains instructions for making your entrance, putting together songs in the way Elvis would have done, and making a splashy exit. I never would have thought of hiring people to pretend to be your bodyguards.

You are cautioned to keep your act and costuming in sync.

If you do decide to become an impersonator, you get lots of marketing advice as well.

After Elvis died, many people resented impersonators. Since then, many people hunger for more Elvis and the impersonators have gotten better. Somewhere between 3,000 and 10,000 people now do Elvis impersonations. After this book, that number and quality will surely grow.

There is a lot of good humor in the book about what it is like to be an impersonator. Sometimes you can pick up tickets left for Elvis at the box office. Other times you may get a chance to advise on or appear in a movie, as the author did.

The many wonderful photographs of Elvis make this book fun to look at for Elvis fans.

There was only one let-down. The author says, "I firmly believe Elvis is dead." Maybe I'll have to go see an impersonator show after all.

You can enjoy this book as a serious look at Elvis, as a serious look at being an Elvis impersonator, or simply as good humored fun. In any dimension, you'll enjoy yourself!

After you have finished reading and enjoying your Elvis reveries, I suggest that you think about what else may be missing from your life that you once greatly enjoyed. How can you recapture that? This may mean revisiting old haunts, taking on new "old" experiences, or making new friends who share the old preferences. In any event, allow yourself to be real about what you once enjoyed. You can enjoy your youth at any age!

"Uh, thankya, thankya . . . very much!"

Being from Jacksonville, and a big fan of Rick's, I recommend this book for everyone whether you want to be Elvis, Priscilla or Lisa Marie!! Full of memorable pics of Elvis, Rick performing and pics of him with Celebs like Sarah Jessica Parker from "Honeymoon in Vegas". The book is colorful, entertaining and fun for any library! Rick is the "King" of showman himself, so slip into your blue suede shoes, lean back relax and enjoy "Be Elvis" - it rocks just like Rick and the forever King!

As a collector of the unusual , I found this highly entertaining. I have seen plenty of Elvis impersonators in my day, and this struck me as amazing that there is a how to book...

A great gift for an elvis fans everywhere

It is nice to see that along with Ludwig Van Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Peter Tchaikovsky that author/illustrator Mike Venezia is also looking at 20th century types like Duke Ellington, George Gerswhin, Igor Stravinsky, and the Beatles for his Getting to Know the World's Greatest Composers series. In case the young readers who come across this book do not know, Venezia points out that from 1964 to 1970 the Beatles were the most popular musical group in the world. Unlike most of the other great composers Venezia looks at the Beatles never had any real musical training and were pretty much self taught. Venezia talks about the origins of rock 'n' roll and the influence of particular artists on the Beatles. He then provides early biographies for John, Paul, George and Ringo, with each of the Fab Four getting their own cartoon, before providing a brief history of the band.

The actual compositions of the Beatles are dealt with in only general terms. The only songs that get mentioned are "She Loves You," because of the cheery "yeah, yeah, yeah" part, Hello Goodbye" because there is a photo of them performing it, and the 40-second final piano chord of "A Day in the Life" from the "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album. Venezia does provide some basic music appreciation lessons talking about the Beatles experimentation with different kinds of instruments, bringing in musicians from symphony orchestras, and such. However, this is no substitute for actually listening to the group's music. Of course, once you start talking about great Beatles songs, where do you stop? Just have your young reader put on a Beatles album while they read the book.

The biographical sections on the early years of the four Beatles and their early days trying to make a name for themselves will prove of most interest to young readers. My only real complains about this volume would be that it really does not talk about the impact the Beatles had on popular culture, which was immense, and that except for the difference in Ringo's nose you cannot tell the Fab Four apart in Venezia's cartoons. I was sort of looking forward to better caricatures than this, to be honest.

This book is a terrific, entertaining, concise history of the Beatles that is easy for children to read. Being a huge Beatles fan myself, I found the book covered all the bases without leaving too much out. I would recommend this book for any aspiring elementary music teacher.

This is a book I would have given ANYTHING (within bounds of reason) for as a child. I love it! This is a delightful read that will hopefully introduce this next generation to the Beatles and the social and musical impact they had on the world. It is an excellent teaching tool for parents and educators.

I have always believed, from the time I was a very little girl, that the Beatles have set new standards in music. I think this book does an excellent job of introducing the act you've known for all these years to the next generation. The Beatles are timeless.

A stunning revelation -- indeed, the time has come for our culture to embrace the meshing of education with fun! Thank you, Mike Venezia for engaging us in this clever strategem which challenges the mind by simultaneously making light on the fringe and exerting a powerful exactitude on the mainframe.

I can still remember the first time I watched Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes. "At last" I said, "we finally have an actor who plays Holmes as Conan Doyle wrote him!"
I had been a fan of the Great Detective since I was a boy, reading and re-reading the adventures as much for the details of Victorian London as for the thrill of the chase, which, after the third or fourth reading, fails to create any real suspense. No, it was Holmes, Holmes all Holmes! What man does not aspire to be a "reasoning machine" free of distracting emotional entanglements? This is the Holmes I loved, and this is the Holmes that finally found its true expression on the little screen, the Granada series staring Jeremy Brett. Here, I thought, they had got it right.
My affection for the program is what let me to purchase this marvelous little book, "Bending the Willow" by David Stuart Davies. Unfortunately, it's now out of print; I hope they print it again soon.
As stated in its first chapter, this is not a biography of Jeremy Brett, but rather a portrait of an actor at work, pushing against the boundaries of a fictional character without its losing its shape, or, as Brett said, "Bending the willow without breaking it." There is much of Brett in his Holmes, but I never knew until I read this book just how much of a convergence there was between the actor and the character. It was Brett's struggle with Bi-Polar Disorder (then known as Manic-Depression) that illuminated much of the character of Holmes, for although Brett bristled at the notion, Holmes also was probably a Manic-Depressive. That, of course, is open for debate. What is obvious, though, is the energy that it gave to Brett's interpretation of the role.
This is not just a story about an actor in a television program; it is also a peek behind the scenes at a major television production studio in the process of bringing to the screen, and eventually diminishing, a series based on a major literary canon. What it took to produce these remarkable films in the face of conflicting schedules, a diminishing budget and unreasonable studio demands is incredible. It makes me appreciate the series all the more, even at those times when, as in "The Mazarin Stone" and "The Hound of the Baskervilles" it failed to live up to its great promise, and in the case of the final series, the Memoirs, the results were unremarkable. In these cases, it is mostly our admiration for Brett that keeps us watching.
Ultimately, this is Brett's story filled with personal memories and bits of interviews with Brett, who gave the author unprecedented access to him. What emerges is a sensitive portrait of a charming, brilliant and troubled man who comes to realize and accept that his Holmes is probably going to be his greatest legacy. This is a must read book for any fan of the Granada series.

For many of us, the late Jeremy Brett supplanted Basil Rathbone as the definitive Sherlock Holmes. Whereas Rathbone faithfully represented - in a somewhat Jack Webb/Joe Friday manner - Holmes as the master detective, Brett added nuances to the character that were both faithful to the original yet bold and contemporary. That he did this while struggling with manic-depression and degenerative heart disease is a tribute both to his skill as an actor and to his courage as a human being.

Is love possible from a distance, without ever having actually known or met the object of one's love? The worlds of literature and film answer "yes" to this question, and many of us do indeed love both Sherlock Holmes and Jeremy Brett, along with Dr. Watson and his eminent portrayers, David Burke and Edward Hardwicke. David Stuart Davies' tribute to Brett, Burke, Hardwicke and all those associated with the Granada TV series is truly a labor of love.

Based on personal interviews with Brett and many others associated with the series, this book gives insight into Jeremy Brett the actor and the man, as well as his co-stars and supporting actors. There is much substance here, as well as the delightful "trivia" of how and why things were done or not done, and of the contributions of the actors to various nuances of the stories. This book is thus - for me - the Bible of the Granada Holmes series.

But it is not an uncritical, fawning tribute. Errors are acknowledged and lamented, as in the less-than-sterling version of "The Hound of the Baskervilles," or the questionable decision to film the later episodes when Brett's health was in serious decline.

But if you are a fan of Brett's Sherlock Holmes, this book is a must, even if somewhat pricey and hard to find. It is rapidly becoming a collector's item, and get it while you can.

For anyone who appreciates Jeremy Brett, free from sensationalism and determined by fact and friendship, this book is for you. The pages document what life was like during production of the Granada series, and first hand situations are recounted by those who worked side by side with Mr. Jeremy Brett to help create a masterpiece for television.

Especially satisfying to read are the accounts of Edward Hardwicke, who provides anecdotes and thoughts for every chapter. A real cameraderie existed off camera between these two men, enhancing their performance for the world to see.

Mr. David Stuart Davies presents us with a simplified version of the fluctuating madness of Jeremy Brett's affliction, and the reader cannot help but hold up their hands and applaud the strength and courage of this dearly missed actor.

If you're a fan of both Jeremy Brett and Granada's Sherlock Holmes series, then this book is a must-read.

As the author stresses, this book is not a biography. Only about a page is spared to very briefly give on overview of Jeremy Brett's life before he became the definitive Holmes.

The book is a WONDERFUL behind-the-scenes look at the Granada Holmes production. It talks about each of the 40+ productions and gives interesting tidbits about what went on during the filming of certain episodes. If you like learning about those type of things, this book will certainly hold your interest.

One of the best things about the book is that the author himself had met and interviewed Jeremy Brett several times. This allows for many long direct quotes from Brett himself.

Thankfully, Jeremy Brett turned out to be a nice person in real life, seems to have gotten along well with co-stars, and cared greatly about his role of Holmes. Unfortunately, as Jeremy Brett became more ill with heart failure and manic depression, things with the Granada productions began to sour. This book does a good job of discussing those years in Brett's life.

Overall, it is a caring tribute to a genius of an actor, the Granada series, and provides a lot of interesting tidbits.