The Contemporary Choreographer’s Handbookby Nardi Simpson: A practical guide for choreographers, with tips on how to create compelling dances that resonate with audiences. World Dance Cultures Dance Anatomyby Jacqui Greene Haas: An in-depth look at the anatomy of dancers, with a focus on how different muscles work together to create movement. Expanding Your Dance Vocabulary and Creativity

The Timeless Teacherby Mary Taras and Dori Lewis: A collection of essays and anecdotes from some of the most celebrated dance teachers of all time, offering insights and inspiration for dance educators at all levels. The Art of Dance Criticism and AnalysisI also liked the characters, but apart from Evie and X, the others were too flat for me to actually care (this especially applies to the friend group and Shirley). I loved X to death though, so that kind of made things better. A Technique Of Advanced Latin American Figures" also by Geoffrey Hearn, the technique of advanced latin dance figures contains developments and definitions of individual Latin figures, with logical methods of dance technique, clear descriptions of body mechanics and requirements of the physical laws of movement and musicality. I was of course drawn to this book because it's about a giraffe, but fortunately it doesn't end there. Giraffes Can’t Dance would be a great book to show students they can do anything if they put their minds to it.

Evie Thomas doesn't believe in love anymore. Especially after the strangest thing occurs one otherwise ordinary afternoon: She witnesses a couple kiss and is overcome with a vision of how their romance began . . . and how it will end. After all, even the greatest love stories end with a broken heart, eventually. The young girl is an inspiration for other kids wanting to do something or accomplish a goal and not knowing how they could ever do it because . . . Dance Technique & Injury Prevention" - Justin Howse - in this third edition, you will find a lot of useful dance tips that will prevent your body from getting any dance injuries and will improve the way you practice The magical-type-mysterious-woman encourages Evie to take home the book called “Instructions for Dancing”— and take dance lessons.Learning from the greats is an important part of any dancer’s journey. These books offer insights into the lives and techniques of some of the most influential dancers of all time: Balanchine’s Complete Stories of the Great Ballets I like this book as it has a positive message to deliver to children about finding your own style but also not to expect others to have the same abilities. It encourages them to be more open minded when they meet new people and enjoy the diversity of the world. Children will be able to identify the various creatures detailed in the book. The characters are loveable and humorous and the book has wonderful creative illustrations that set out the scenes. This rhythmic celebration of dancing is written by an educator who has developed programs for students with disabilities. I love illustrator Julianna Swaney’s eye-catching watercolor and graphite illustrations. The girls are buoyant and remind me of Alison Lester’s work from thirty years ago. The young characters vary by color, body shape, and abilities. There’s a lot of waving rhythm to the artwork, a lot of bounding energy. Minus points for giving Evie’s cheating father and the other woman too much of a pass in the end. I’m not saying she shouldn’t forgive him, I’m saying, don’t justify cheating. It’s a non-starter for me. It is incredibly important to note that when she imagines herself dancing, she is still in her chair, she is still in her body. And when she does dance, she uses her body and her chair; there is zero dissonance. I took Dance Theory once and wrote a paper on a scene from the TV show Glee where Artie imagines himself like his peers, dancing without his chair. His dream projection, his idealized self—it was a dancer without a wheelchair. [a question of virility is involved as well.] This episode, paired with outside discussions about how the actor Kevin McHale was actually the most trained and talented dancer on the show was in a wheelchair casted role, elicited pity. The wheelchair was an obstacle to overcome. Fortunately, importantly, I Will Dance makes no such offensive rhetorical suggestion. Wholeness is not the issue, access is. Flood’s dancer finds it and flourishes.

A little girl with cerebral palsy makes a birthday wish that she gets a pink tutu and can dance. When Eva was born, she wasn’t expected to survive more than a short while, but she is now ten years old. She wants to dance but can’t move more than her head and her arms and fingers. Eva can’t use her legs to run and move like other children can. Then her mother discovers a new dance program for people of all ages and all abilities. Still, will they let her join in even though she is in a wheelchair? Yes! When Eva arrives there are children of all sorts of ages, sizes, and who have a variety of assistive devices they use. Soon they are not only dancing but creating a performance where they do more than pretend and imagine. They dance! Am I saying this because I've already read - and loved - her other books or because it's not what I expected? I don't know. The only thing I know for sure is I would have liked it to go in a different direction. Dance theory is the foundation of all dance movements, and understanding it can greatly enhance your skills as a dancer. Some of the best dance books on this topic include: The Ballet Companion

Ohhhh my poor, broken heart! It hurts like hell! Don’t get fooled by this beautiful, vivid, inspirational cover promises you sweet, soft, entertaining YA romcom! In a clever turn, our protagonist wonders what it feels like to have the movement of other kids; even as the reader/listener must wonder what it is like to be her, with such limited movement and a motorized chair. Flood invites curiosity. If you’re a dance teacher looking to refine your skills and inspire your students, these books can help: Dance Teaching Methods and Curriculum Design