DANCE //

 

This is a subject guide for finding materials on dance in the Greenfield and Music Libraries at The University of the Arts. Reference materials are listed first, followed by a list of suggested subject headings for searching library catalogs. Periodical indexes to magazine articles and newspapers are next, followed by style manuals and finally Web sites.

Call numbers in green are also available in the Music Library. A few dance-related titles are held exclusively by the Music Library; those sources and annotations are taken from the Music and Dance Reference Sources reference guide compiled by Mark Germer, Music Librarian. If you're interested in the musical aspects of dance please see that guide or contact Mark Germer. Interested in dance in musical theater? See Musical Theater Reference Sources

Would you like some help with dance research? Contact Sara MacDonald, one of the reference librarians. She'll be happy to help you get started. If your dance research also involves music, contact Mark Germer, the music librarian.

For a guide to the literature of dance, see Research in Dance: A Guide to Resources by Mary Bopp (G.K. Hall, 1994). This guide describes important library collections and archives around the world, dance book publishers and dealers, dance associations and organizations, as well as the reference literature of dance: dictionaries and encyclopedias, indexes, magazines and journals, bibliographies, and more. An important contribution to the literature of dance.
Greenfield REF 016 .7928 B644r
Music Library REF GV1594 .B66 1994

The sources quoted below some of the reference titles are:

Guide to Reference Books / edited by Eugene P. Sheehy. 10th ed. Chicago : American Library Association, 1986.
GREENFIELD REFERENCE 016 Sh3 1986

The Humanities : A Selective Guide to Information Sources / Ron Blazek and Elizabeth Aversa. 3rd ed. Englewood, Colo. : Libraries Unlimited, 1988.
GREENFIELD REFERENCE 016.0013 B614h 1988

Other quoted annotations are taken from the sources themselves.


REFERENCE MATERIALS

Biographical Information || Dictionaries, Encyclopedias and Handbooks || Career Information, Directories of Companies, etc.

The first place to look when beginning research on a topic is in reference material: specialized dictionaries, encyclopedias or handbooks. These allow you to check names, dates and places, find additional information, look up unknown terms, and check for the proper spelling of words. They are particularly helpful for finding basic background information on a topic, and are often the only place many students may need to look to find answers to their questions. They may include bibliographies (lists of additional materials on a topic, usually considered by the author to be the best materials on that topic) that you can use to find other materials.

Biographical Information

Bremser, Martha. Fifty Contemporary Choreographers. Routledge, 1999.
Greenfield REF 793.30922 B75f
Music Library REF GV 1785 .B74 1999
Each entry consists of an essay by a dance scholar, biographical information, list of works choreographed, and a bibliography.


Cohen-Stratyner, Barbara Naomi. Biographical Dictionary of Dance. Macmillan, 1982.
Greenfield REF 793.30922 C66b -also a copy in Greenfield Open Stacks under the same call number-
Music Library REF GV 1785 .A2C65 1982
"Offers brief biographical sketches of some 2,900 figures from 'the last four centuries of dance history in Europe and the Americas, embracing a wide range of theatrical genres, from the opera-ballet to the Broadway musical, from the burlesque striptease to the television variety show.' [Preface] Includes impresarios, composers, artists, etc., associated with dance, as well as performers and choreographers. Entries emphasize roles danced and works choreographed." quoted from Guide to Reference Books, p. 586.


Chujoy, Anatole and P. W. Manchester. The Dance Encyclopedia. Revised and enlarged edition. Simon & Schuster, 1967.
Greenfield REF 793.303 C477D 1967
A very good standard reference source.


Dictionary of Modern Ballet. Tudor Publishing, 1959.
Greenfield REF 792.803 D561g
"In one alphabet gives descriptions of ballets; famous ballet organizations and companies, etc; and biographical sketches of dancers, composers, designers, choreographers, etc." quoted from Guide to Reference Books, p. 586.


Beaumont, Cyril W. Complete Book of Ballets: A Guide to the Principal Ballets of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries. Putnam, 1938.
Greenfield REF 792.8 B38c
Arranged by choreographer, gives brief biographies of the choreographers, from Dauberval to Balanchine to Tudor, and synopses of their ballets; lists first performance and performers of each ballet.


Craine, Debra and Judith Mackrell. The Oxford Dictionary of Dance. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000.
Greenfield REF 792.803 C846o
Music Library REF GV 1585 .C78 2000
An eclectic range of entries focusing on history and practice. Strong on choreographers (including works lists in some cases), composers, visual artists, and authors known for their collaborations in the theater.


International Dictionary of Ballet. St. James Press, 1993.
Greenfield REF 792.803 In8 volumes 1 and 2
Covers individual artists (dancers, choreographers, librettists, composers, designers), individual ballets, and ballet companies. Although "ballet" is in the title, this sources covers major non-ballet dance figures such as Merce Cunningham and Mark Morris and designers such as Picasso, Matisse, Gontcharova, and Cocteau. Excellent source; entries include bibliographies.


International Dictionary of Modern Dance. St. James Press, 1998.
Greenfield REF 793.303 In8md
Similar to International Dictionary of Ballet above. Includes chronology of modern dance.


International Encyclopedia of Dance. Oxford University Press, 1998.
Greenfield REF 793.303 In8d v. 1-6
One of the most important dance publications of the 20th century. A great place to start any kind of dance research. Check the index in volume 6 to find all entries related to your topic. Entries include bibliographies. Also available online: International Encyclopedia of Dance or go to http://library.uarts.edu/ and select Reference Sources Online, then International Encyclopedia of Dance.


McDonough, Don. The Complete Guide to Modern Dance. Doubleday, 1976.
Greenfield REF 793.322 M145c
"The emphasis of the work is on the choreographers, and over 100 are covered in detail on a variety of levels. Material is arranged in a chronological sequence of five periods... Entries furnish a biographical sketch, accompanied by descriptions of one or more of the major works along with a chronology of all the person's works. ..." quoted from The Humanities: A Selective Guide to Information Sources, p. 225.


The New York Times Guide to the Arts of the 20th Century. Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn, 2002.
Greenfield REF 700.904 N42 v. 1-4
This 4-volume set contains reprints of New York Times articles and reviews from 1900-1999 related to all the arts. An excellent resource for finding a primary source. Use the index in volume 4 to look up your topic.


Robertson, Allen and Donald Hutera. The Dance Handbook. G. K. Hall, 1988.
Greenfield REF 792.809 R545d
Arranged more or less chronologically (use the index!); consists of brief entries on types of dance and biographies of dancers. Interesting.


Encyclopedia of Dance & Ballet. Edited by Mary Clarke & David Vaughan. Putnam, 1977.
Greenfield REF 793.3203 En19
Brief biographies plus definitions of terms, ballet companies, etc.


Dictionaries, Encyclopedias and Handbooks

Balanchine, George and Mason, Francis. Balanchine's Complete Stories of the Great Ballets. Rev. and enl. ed. Doubleday, 1977.
Greenfield REF 792.84 B21c 1977
"Deals with 404 ballets, both those deemed 'of lasting importance in the history of the art' [Preface] and significant works of the 25 years prior to the completion of the book; includes works in the contemporary repertory and those which made a deep impression at the time they were introduced. Gives notes on first production and notable revivals as well as the stories, often with first-person commentary by Balanchine. Includes sections on 'How to enjoy ballet,' history and chronology, careers in ballet, and notes on dancers, dancing, and choreography. Glossary; index." quoted from Guide to Reference Books, p. 586.


Illustrated Encyclopedia of Body-Mind Disciplines. Rosen Publishing Group, 1999.
Greenfield REF 615.503 Il9al
Good starting point for information on disciplines such as yoga, Alexander technique, Pilates®, acupuncture, homeopathy, etc. Use the index to find your terms.


International Encyclopedia of Dance. Oxford University Press, 1998.
Greenfield REF 793.303 In8d v. 1-6
One of the most important dance publications of the 20th century. A great place to start any kind of dance research. Check the index in volume 6 to find all entries related to your topic. Entries include bibliographies. Also available online: International Encyclopedia of Dance or go to http://library.uarts.edu/ and select Reference Sources Online.


Grant, Gail. Technical Manual and Dictionary of Classical Ballet. 3rd rev. edition. Dover, 1982.
Greenfield REF 792.8014 G767t 1982


Knust, Albrecht. Dictionary of Kinetography Laban (Labanotation). 2 volumes. MacDonald and Evans, 1979.
Greenfield REF 793.30148 K785d


Love, Paul. Modern Dance Terminology. Kamin Dance Publishers, 1953.
Greenfield REF 793.303 L941m
An interesting place to look up fall-recovery, contraction-release, kinesthetic response, etc. Love interviewed dancers such as Hanya Holm, Martha Graham and Doris Humphrey for assistance with the definitions.


Mara, Thalia. The Language of Ballet: A Dictionary. Dance Horizons, 1966.
Greenfield REF 792.803 M323L Music Library REF GV 1787 .M37 1987 [reprint]


McDonough, Don. The Complete Guide to Modern Dance. Doubleday, 1976.
Greenfield REF 793.322 M145c
"The emphasis of the work is on the choreographers, and over 100 are covered in detail on a variety of levels. Material is arranged in a chronological sequence of five periods... Entries furnish a biographical sketch, accompanied by descriptions of one or more of the major works along with a chronology of all the person's works. ..." quoted from The Humanities: A Selective Guide to Information Sources, p. 225.


Miles, Allan. The Gail Grant Dictionary of Classical Ballet in Labanotation. Dance Notation Bureau, 1976.
Greenfield REF 792.80148 M593g


National Standards for Dance Education: What Every Young American Should Know and Be Able to Do in Dance. National Dance Association, 1994.
Greenfield REF 793.307 N213n


Oxford Companion to the Body / editors, Colin Blakemore and Sheila Jennett. Oxford University Press, c2001.
Greenfield REF 612.003 Ox2b
This book attempts to cover "the 'art' of the human body--cultural, mythological, religious, historical and artistic perspectives--as well as the science." (from the preface) Arranged dictionary-style, with an index and cross-references, you will find definitions for dance, dance notation, mind-body interaction and yoga as well as migraine, fatigue, and the brain. Listed in "Best Consumer Health Books 2002" by Library Journal.


Raffe, Walter George. Dictionary of the Dance. Barnes, 1964.
Greenfield REF 793.3 R12
"Defines numerous terms relating to dances and dancing in all countries and periods. Describes in some detail specific dances and types of dances. No entries for individual dancers, choreographers, etc. A geographical index lists dances by country and culture of origin." quoted from Guide to Reference Books, p. 587.


Career Information, Directories of Companies, etc.

Dance Annual Directory. Langhorne, PA: Macfadden Dance Magazine, c2003-.
Greenfield REF 790.2025 D195 2006
A bit dated now, but still very interesting and useful. Chapters include "Where to See Dance in New York," "Where to Study Dance in New York," "Dance Companies Based in New York," etc. Update this information by looking in the back of Dance Magazine.


Jacob, Ellen and Jonas, Christopher. Dance in New York: An Indispensable Companion to the Dance Capital of the World. Quick Fox, 1980.
Greenfield REF 793.30257471 J15d
A bit dated now, but still very interesting and useful. Chapters include "Where to See Dance in New York," "Where to Study Dance in New York," "Dance Companies Based in New York," etc. Update this information by looking in the back of Dance Magazine.


Jones, Mark W. Dancer's Resource : The Watson-Guptill Guide To Academic Programs, Internships And Apprentice Programs, Residential And Artist-In-Residence Programs, Studio Schools And Private Teachers, Workshops And Festivals. New York : Watson-Guptill Publications, c1999.
Greenfield REF 793.3025 J721d


Performing Arts Career Directory. 1st ed. Gale Research, 1994.
Greenfield REF 790.2023 P416m 1994
"A practical, one-step guide to getting a job in performing arts."


Grey House Performing Arts Directory. Millerton, NY: Grey House Pub., 2000- .
Greenfield REF 792 G86 2007


Wolfram, Eric. Your Dance Resumé: A Preparatory Guide to the Audition. San Francisco, CA : Dancepress, c1994.
Greenfield REF 793.3023 W833y


Searching the Catalog by Subject

The University Libraries combine their holdings in one online catalog. Use the University Libraries catalog to find books, videos, CDs, scores, journal titles, etc. To locate all of the materials the library holds on a topic, it is most efficient to search by Subject. Use the following subject headings in the online catalog. Be careful to follow the exact spelling and form. These subject headings are standard and are used in most libraries.

AFRICAN AMERICAN DANCE
AFRICAN AMERICAN DANCE--HISTORY
BALLERINAS
BALLET
BALLET--COSTUME
BALLET--HISTORY
BALLET--STAGE-SETTING AND SCENERY
BALLET--STUDY AND TEACHING
BALLET DANCERS
BALLET DANCING
BALLET IN ART
BALLET IN LITERATURE
BALLETS [use for musical works composed for ballet or for specific works]
BALLROOM DANCING
CAPOEIRA (DANCE)
CHOREOGRAPHERS
CHOREOGRAPHY
CHOREOGRAPHY--STUDY AND TEACHING
COSTUME DESIGN
DANCE
DANCE ACCOMPANIMENT MUSIC
DANCE--AUDITIONS
DANCE, BLACK
DANCE COMPANIES
DANCE CRITICISM
DANCE--DICTIONARIES
DANCE--ENCYCLOPEDIAS
DANCE FOR CHILDREN
DANCE--HISTORY
DANCE IN MOTION PICTURES, TELEVISION, ETC.
DANCE MUSIC [see also specific dances, e.g., Cha-chas, Waltzes, etc.]
DANCE NOTATION
DANCE--PHILOSOPHY
DANCE PHOTOGRAPHY
DANCE--PHYSIOLOGICAL ASPECTS
DANCE--PICTORIAL WORKS
DANCE PRODUCTION AND DIRECTION
DANCE--REVIEWS
DANCE--SOCIAL ASPECTS
DANCE--STUDY AND TEACHING
DANCE TEACHERS
DANCE THERAPY
DANCE--UNITED STATES
DANCE--VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE
DANCERS
DANCERS--BIOGRAPHY
DANCES
DANCING INJURIES
FOLK DANCING
IMPROVISATION IN DANCE
JAZZ DANCE
MODERN DANCE
MODERN DANCE--HISTORY
MODERN DANCE--UNITED STATES--HISTORY
MOVEMENT, AESTHETICS OF
MOVEMENT NOTATION
MUSIC AND DANCE
MUSICAL ACCOMPANIMENT
PAS DE DEUX
RELIGIOUS DANCE
TAP DANCING
THEATRICAL MAKEUP
WOMEN DANCERS

FINDING VIDEOS/DVDs

Looking for videos and DVDs of dance held by the UArts Libraries? There are a number of ways to search the library catalog.

  • In the search by box, you can select

      AUTHOR for choreographers (remember, LAST NAME FIRST: graham, martha) or for names of dance companies;
      TITLE for the title of the video or DVD;
      KEYWORD for names of particular pieces, e.g., "appalachian spring";

    then select "Video" in the search in box. Videocassettes and DVDs will be searched.
  • You can also BROWSE video and DVD titles by going to the catalog and selecting Call Number Search, then search for other call numbers, and reading the instructions for "Other Call Number" searches in the catalog.
  • You can find videos and DVDs by doing a broad subject search such as BALLETS and then LIMIT YOUR SEARCH by MATERIAL TYPE.

You may also be interested in this streaming video database:
Dance in Video
If you are off-campus, you'll be prompted to log in with your UArts email name and password.

Still can't find what you need? Please ask for help any time.

Periodical Indexes: Finding Articles

Periodical indexes are research tools that allow you to search for articles in magazines, journals and newspapers.

Go to the library's Article Databases and Indexes page for a list of the UArts Libraries' subscription databases.

I've found articles I want to read. Now what?
There are different ways to find an article once you retrieve a citation in the index:

  • See if there is a link in the index you're using to a full-text article online and download it or e-mail it to yourself.

  • Click the FindIt@UArts icon to see if our library holds the journal title. FindIt@UArts will also tell you if the full-text article is available in a different database.

  • Use the interlibrary loan search tool, WorldCat, to request materials not owned by the UArts Libraries or to see what other libraries have the title you need.

Not sure which one to try? Try ProQuest: The Arts, LexisNexis Academic (good for current reviews), and WilsonWeb. You may also want to try some of the art indexes if you're interested in performance art or avant-garde companies. Give us a call (215-717-6280) or contact Sara MacDonald, UArts Public Services Librarian, if you still have questions.

Style Manuals: Citing Your Sources

When you find information on a topic, no matter what format it takes (book, journal, Web page), there are style manuals to show you the correct way to give cite those sources in a paper.

Searching the Web can be overwhelming. If you are using the Internet for research you want to choose sites that meet some standards of quality.

Below are just a few dance-related sites that may be of interest to the University of the Arts community.


Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
http://www.alvinailey.org/

American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance
"The American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) is the largest organization of professionals supporting and assisting those involved in physical education, leisure, fitness, dance, health promotion, and education and all specialties related to achieving a healthy lifestyle." quoted from the home page
http://www.aahperd.org/

American Ballet Theatre's Online Dictionary
You must have the QuickTime plug-in installed and enabled to see the videos on this site.
Quicktime videos of ballet steps plus an online dictionary of terms from a reliable source! Very cool.
http://www.abt.org/education/dictionary/index.html

An American Ballroom Companion: Dance Instruction Manuals, ca. 1490-1920
From the Library of Congress' American Memory online collection: "An American Ballroom Companion presents a collection of over two hundred social dance manuals at the Library of Congress. The list begins with a rare late fifteenth-century source, Les basses danses de Marguerite d'Autriche (c.1490) and ends with Ella Gardner's 1929 Public dance halls, their regulation and place in the recreation of adolescents. Along with dance instruction manuals, this online presentation also includes a significant number of antidance manuals, histories, treatises on etiquette, and items from other conceptual categories. Many of the manuals also provide historical information on theatrical dance. All illuminate the manner in which people have joyfully expressed themselves as they dance for and with one another." Contains many video clips: see Dance Instruction Manuals: Video Directory.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/dihtml/dihome.html

American Society of Capoeira and Arts from Brazil/Philadelphia Capoeira Arts Center
The capoeira studio of UArts School of Dance faculty member Adenilson Dos Santos.
http://www.phillycapoeira.com/

ContactImprov.net
http://www.contactimprov.net/

Dance in Video
A UArts Libraries subscription - if you are off-campus, you'll be prompted to log in with your UArts email name and password.

criticaldance forum and ballet-dance magazine
http://www.ballet-dance.com/

Dance Magazine
http://www.dancemagazine.com/

Dance Teacher Magazine
http://www.dance-teacher.com/

The Fitness Jumpsite
http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/
"Your connection to a lifestyle of fitness, nutrition, and health." Put together by two American Council on Exercise-certified personal trainers, this not-for-profit site includes sections on getting and staying active, "nutrition made easy", managing your weight, and fitness equipment, plus an activity calorie calculator.

Free to Dance: Resources
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/freetodance/resources.html
From the Public Broadcasting Services' program, "Free to Dance","a three-part documentary that chronicles the crucial role that African-American choreographers and dancers have played in the development of modern dance as an American art form." A very nice set of links. Greenfield Library has the video set for this series: click here to see the library record for Free to Dance.

ipl2: Internet Public Library
http://www.ipl.org/
Links are selected and evaluated by librarians. Just type your words in the search box and go.

National Dance Education Organization
http://www.ndeo.org

New York City Ballet
http://www.nycballet.com/nycb/home/

New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
http://www.nypl.org/research/lpa/lpa.html
Be sure to look at this Web site's selected Internet resources in dance.

Society of American Archivists: Performing Arts Roundtable
http://www.archivists.org/saagroups/performart/index.html
"The Performing Arts Roundtable encourages the exchange of information on historical and contemporary documentation of music, dance, theater, motion pictures, and other performance media."--quoted from their mission statement. They provide a useful list of similar research resources.

Society of Dance History Scholars
http://www.sdhs.org/
Nice annotated collection of links under Resources.

The University of the Arts: School of Dance
http://www.uarts.edu/academics/school-dance

Voice of Dance
http://www.voiceofdance.com/
"VoiceofDance.com, often affectionately referred to as "the Google of the dance world," celebrates the completion of its first decade with a brand new site just launched in March of 2008. Voice of Dance was founded ten years ago by investment banker Warren Hellman and arts fundraiser Lori Smith Sparrow in 1997 when most dance companies did not have email or a website. Initially a vehicle for dance enthusiasts to voice their opinions about dance performances and reviews, it rapidly blossomed into a much broader resource, providing not just message boards but reviews from the top dance critics, calendar listings for dance performances around the country, a Local Class Finder to find information on dance classes, discount tickets, and a Global Dance Directory to find basically anything you are looking for in the dance world." -- from About Us 04 October 2010.




Site Search


JavaScript disabled or chat unavailable.