Title:
Writing The Dance
Authors:
Richard Kent & Josie Bray
Age
group: teen+ all students of dance can benefit
Published
by: Published in cooperation with the National Writing Project
@ Thew University of California/ Berkeley
Theme/Topic:
Reflecting on dance; dancers journal
Genre:
Non fiction; journal
Opening
Synopsis: Writing
the Dance
provides dancers and dance students of all abilities with an
opportunity to immerse, think broadly, and connect deeply to the
inner life of the dancer. Within this book you'll find a wide variety
of reflective activities that can optimize a dancer's performance,
including prompts and analysis pages for classes, rehearsals, and
performances. This workbook-journal allows dancers to come to know
their work in the studio and on stage in a more intimate and detailed
way.
Quick
sum up: This book is a
dancer's journal into self exploration. It provides a platform for
dancers to learn and improve by using their own self reflection.
Journals help you to focus, think, explore, address issues and to
really see yourself, in your own words. A virtual mirror, not a
physical reflection of yourself-seeing yourself from the outside
looking inwards, instead a journal allows a view from the inside out.
Writing The Dance
provokes, clarifies, coaxes, prioritizes and harmonizes your thoughts
on your dance. There is no wrong way to express Writing
The Dance
and it is for your eyes only.
Why
I like it + disclaimer:
I really enjoyed Writing
The Dance.
The journal prompts, the dance reflections, performance feedback and
dance study sections all opened the way for meditation and are
effective exercises for introspection. I found the book to be a very
useful tool for my own journey as a flamenco dancer, choreographer
and teacher. I believe that Writing
The Dance
is
a valuable addition to all dancer's book shelves (or should I say
bedside tables!).
Full
Disclosure: Josie Bray provided a copy of Writing
The Dance to
review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Additional
resources:
http://www.writingthedance.com/,
https://www.facebook.com/writingthedance
http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Dance-Workbook-Journal-Dancers/dp/0986019135
Title: Thelma's
Tap Notes. A Step-by-Step Guide To Teaching Tap: Children's Edition
Author: Thelma
Goldberg
Publisher: Thelma
Goldberg 2013
Theme:
Non-Fiction. Instructional Manual for teaching tap dance to children
ages 6-12.
Guiding
Principles: Release, Relax, Rhythmic Progressions and Full Bodied Rhythm-Making (TM)
Review by Eve
Costarelli
This is my first
official book review! My dear friend, Thelma Goldberg, sent me a copy
of her newly self-published book Thelma's Tap Notes. A
Step-by-Step Guide to Teaching Tap: Children's Edition.
This is a beautifully laid out manual and I love the catchy and
useful sticky note style highlights throughout the book (I also
received an accompanying sticky “Tap Notes” pad-which made it
very easy for me to jot down my own notes as I went along the book.)
Right from the very beginning, Thelma lays out exactly what her
approach is to teaching tap to children ages 6-12 and she
methodically breaks down her methods level-by-level.
I
appreciate how Thelma refers to herself as a student as well as a
teacher. I have had the pleasure of taking classes with Thelma, so I
know first hand what a dedicated and enthusiastic student she is. I
also have seen a number of her studios productions over the years and
can equally say she is a committed, passionate teacher, choreographer
and leader. Because of this, I can say that Thelma is deeply rooted
and she never stops growing!
Thelma's
Tap Notes is guided by four principles: Release, Relax, Rhythmic
Progressions and Full Bodied Rhythm-Making (TM). In the first part of
the book, Levels, each age group: 6 & 7, 7 & 8, 8 & 9,
9-11, 10-12 is broken down into goals, review, musical rhythms, class
outline, next step, combos, choreography ideas and improvisation
activities. The second part of the book, Series, brings in more tap
series needed for the growing dancer: Rudiment Series (courtesy of
the Condos Brothers)-basically the ABC's of tap dance; Double Heel
Series-to execute clear and specific single sound movements; Shuffle
Series-to get loose and increase crispness of sound; Slap and Flap
Series-do I hear a challenge??; Paddle and Roll Series-a very
advanced series needed for really good technique; Spank Series-to
embody the principle of release; and Time Step Series-a series that
spans classical steps through present day creations. Thelma gets into
the nitty-gritty needed to develop dancers feet, musicality and
expression.
The
closing of the manual brings in various tap dancers biographies,
tying the deep seated tradition of jazz tap to its modernity. Thelma
has created not only a clear, accessible teacher's guide but a great
reference manual for avid students and seasoned teachers. To note, I
too am a children's dance teacher (flamenco, tap and yoga), and I
found that this guide will be a great addition to my practices of
teaching-especially in helping me to lay down my own step-by-step
approach. Bravo Thelma! Encore!
Thelma
adds: I
invite you and others to send me questions and comments so that I can
continue to clarify my method in a way that helps other teachers
understand my suggestions. Video support will be coming slowly to the
website www.thelmastapnotes.com
to demonstrate the 'series' exercises that are at the core of my
approach.
