Summer is generally a time when dance teachers can sit back, relax and actually have a few free moments to read. If you are in any way like me, you look forward to the undisturbed moments when you can read and absorb without distraction.

I always tell my students that in order to progress you must look back at people (and their ideas) that have gone before you. Nowadays, students are generally not interested in anything further back than last weekend, so it is a constant challenge to us as teachers to get our students interested in their bodies and the history of dance.  It is also important that we ourselves keep learning and adapting our classes with all the latest information to produce the safest and yet most exciting information to our students.

My suggested summer reading library includes books that I feel are not only stimulating, but that also have valuable information, offering different perspectives on different styles of dance. Even if you do not have the time over the summer to read them all, keep them in mind for the future.

DANCE ANATOMY by Jacqui Greene Haas

This book has good descriptions of the way the body works and ways to maximize its effectiveness. It describes the dancer in motion and gives helpful ideas and useful tools to enable your students to work at their highest capacity.

DYNAMIC ALIGNMENT THROUGH IMAGERY by Eric Franklin

This book provides great ways to use imagery and get your student’s minds working in positive and productive ways. I have always found that using imagery and letting the dancers feel their alignment from the inside out enables them to have a better understanding of what works for their bodies. The end result is that they become stronger and better dancers. You’ll find some interesting views and ideas to help you to get through to your students.

BALLET AND MODERN DANCE: A CONCISE HISTORY by Jack Anderson

An extremely interesting historical journey taking us from the beginning of Ballet to that of Modern Dance, this book covers a lot of ground and I found it fascinating to read. I plan to use some of the content to help my students understand more than just the 'today' of dance.    

INSIDE BALLET TECHNIQUE: SEPARATING ANATOMICAL FACT FROM FICTION IN THE BALLET CLASS by Valerie Grieg

This book helps to clarify some of the myths surrounding the teaching of dance technique. And is definitely a worthwhile read for anyone who teaches Ballet. The book contains good, useful anatomical breakdowns and explanations helpful to teachers of dance everywhere.

HIP HOP: THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF BREAK DANCING, RAP MUSIC AND GRAFFITI by Steven Hagar

The author takes you back 25 years ago to when Hip Hop first began and serves up a background history of the social and political scenarios that helped to develop this style of dance. Hip Hop is here to stay and, as with any style of dance, is constantly evolving and so I found it enlightening to read and understand better what Hip Hop is all about.

ICONS OF HIP HOP edited by Mickey Hess

This book gives you a rundown of who’s who in the Hip Hop world. It shows through the diversity of the people and the interesting characters involved how they have contributed to and made Hip Hop what it is today. It makes for very informative reading.

Here’s wishing you a wonderful summer and hoping that you have a chance to look at some of my selections. We certainly need these moments to refresh our ideas and formulate new class plans with some different approaches for our students.