Social Dancing in America: A Review
Copyright © 2008 Karin Norgard
As popular as social dancing is in the United States, it is amazing that there has never been a single comprehensive text dedicated to the history of social dance in this country. That is, until now. Ralph Giordano ‘s Social Dancing in America: A History and Reference consists of two volumes: Volume 1: Fair Terpsichore to the Ghost Dance, 1607-1900 and Volume Two: Lindy Hop to Hip Hop, 1901-2000. Over 600 pages of social dance history along with an extensive bibliography make these texts an invaluable resource for the social dancer who is interested in the historical and cultural development of their craft.
Social Dancing in America begins with the settlement of the American colonies, tracing the importation of European dances along with the development of dances indigenous to the continent. Each chapter provides an overview of the political, social, and cultural climate of the time period as well as an examination of the dances themselves. The book is well-researched, giving the reader plenty of quotes from primary sources as well as excellent diagrams and pictures to give a visual image of the dances and the cultural environment in which they developed. Giordano pays special attention to the cycle of rejection and acceptance that all social dances have gone through, painting of vivid picture of the controversy that social dancing awakens.
Though Social Dancing in America ambitiously attempts to provide a history and reference that encompasses all social dances, it falls short in several respects, perhaps betraying only the author’s personal dance experience and preferences and nothing else. The second volume is meticulous in its exploration of swing dancing throughout the twentieth century; however, other dances are not given the same thorough analysis. The Latin dances in particular are given cursory examination, and in some cases the information he provides is misleading and even incorrect. There are sins of omission as well: ten pages were devoted to the swing dance revival of the late twentieth century, while the development of some Latin dances during this time period – Argentine tango and bachata are two specific examples – are not even mentioned. Giordano himself is an avid swing dancer, so perhaps this bias is subconscious and even natural. However, it does detract from the enjoyment of the book for Latin dancers.
Despite this major limitation, this two-volume set presents an excellent in-depth exploration of social dancing in America as well as the historical, social, and cultural forces that shaped its development. No other text even attempts to offer such a comprehensive overview of this field. For this reason, Ralph Giordano’s Social Dancing in America is an invaluable history and reference and a must-have text for every avid social dancer.
Visit Joy in Motion’s Dance and Music Resources Store to purchase Social Dancing in America and to view more dance and music resources.
The Meaning of Tango: The Story of the Argentinian Dance
Copyright © 2008 Karin Norgard
Argentine tango is perhaps the most mysterious and alluring of all the social dances. Its basic structure – made up of walking steps – is simple, allowing great creativity in the movements and musical interpretation as well as requiring a deep connection with a partner. It is difficult to describe the intimacy and expression that Argentine tango allows, and yet many writers try to capture its essence in words the best they can, savoring this existential experience.
Christine Denniston succeeds in capturing some of this magic in The Meaning of Tango: The Story of the Argentinian Dance. Although the author focuses on the history, culture, and technique of the dance, she manages to do so in a way that does not divorce the important facts and figures from the “story.” Instead of offering an academic analysis of the dance’s history, Denniston attempts to demonstrate what the dance meant to those who danced it and how that meaning shaped the development of the dance itself.
Denniston’s information and inspiration comes from dancers who learned during the Golden Age of the tango in Buenos Aires – from about 1935 to 1955. Their experiences with the dance provide an interesting inside look into the history of the tango. Offering few dates and figures and more themes and anecdotes, the author weaves together an enticing portrait of what the tango meant to those who danced it and how their experiences shaped the technique that tango devotees spend hours learning and practicing today.
After providing an overview of some of the basic elements and relationships found within the dance, the author breaks down the fundamental techniques of the dance itself, from the embrace and basic walking steps to the cross and turning steps. Each technique is explained in simple language, emphasizing how the technique contributes to the meaning and purpose of the dance as explained in the context of history. Denniston places special emphasis on the connection between the leader and follower and how each technique contributes to that connection.
From the history and culture of Argentine tango to the relationship between meaning and technique, The Meaning of Tango offers an enjoyable read for complete beginners as well as tango enthusiasts. The book’s one major weakness is that although the author interviewed many Golden Age dancers for a unique perspective on the dance, she does not offer a single direct quote or experience from any of them. Hearing from these Golden Age dancers in their own words would have made the author’s message come alive even more. Despite this, however, Denniston offers an excellent devotional book on the history, the technique, and the meaning of the tango.
Visit Joy in Motion’s Dance and Music Resources Store to purchase The Meaning of Tango and view more dance and music resources. For more from Christine Denniston about the history and culture of the tango, visit her website here.
