I am a reader, and a lot of dancers I meet are readers too! Lately I’ve seen some really interesting and intriguing books coming out from dancers and dance educators. Here is my current list of books I want to read to move my teaching and dancing forward.
1. The Dance Anatomy Coloring Book, by Tricia Zweier, illustrated by Samantha Stutzman. I am currently very interested in improving my knowledge of anatomy for teaching. When I danced in the Alonzo King Lines Ensemble, I had a teacher that made a world of difference to me because of her knowledge of anatomy. She told me to get the anatomy coloring book, and now we have one for dance! Fantastic!
2. Let's Talk About Fifth: Teaching Ballet in the 21st Century by Deborah Engerman. While I have taught several modalities, ballet is currently my primary focus when I think about developing my teaching skills. I've followed Deborah for years via social media, and I'm very much looking forward to reading her book. She's trained some successful dancers, and I look forward to learning from her though her experience.
4. The Art of Making Dances by Doris Humphrey. This book is one I've read a few times, but I always get something from it and am currently rereading it as I teach our Fundamentals of Choreography course at the University. It is a simple read, not too heady, that gives a lot of insight to the theory of choreography.
Do you have any particular books on your reading list for dancers? I would love to hear about any gems you've found while learning more about this craft!
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