Ballet and Modern Dance: A Concise History

Ballet and Modern Dance: A Concise History by Jack Anderson addresses the importance of studying dance history and relates this history to the cultural trends that shaped it. This book covers the entire scope of dance: the choreographers, dancers, musicians, set and costume designers, and the critics and scholars who are part of the dance world. Anderson is uniquely qualified to combine scholarship and love of the art to inspire appreciation of dance as a living and changing medium. In a series of brief, highly readable chapters, Anderson describes the pleasures of dance history; ancient Greek, Medieval, and Renaissance dance; dance at the royal courts; the professionalization of ballet; the imperial Russian companies; Diaghilev, Fokine, and the Ballet Russes, the rise of American Ballet, the growth of modern dance and the dancing world of today. Each chapter concludes with a selection of source readings that bring the narrative into perspective. The bibliography and index help the reader quicly located needed information. Another unique feature is the short profiles section which summarizes the personalities and dance companies mentioned in the text. Readers will find this is a useful guide to enlarge their knowledge of dance. Three photo sections present the sweep of dance history, from ancient Greek theater to Pina Bausch.