RECREATIONAL DANCE: BALLROOM, CAJUN AND COUNTRY-WESTERN

by JERRY DUKE
1st ed., 1996, 110 pgs, $12.95 
ISBN 978-0-89641-277-4

This book is designed for the beginning ballroom or social dance classes. The book begins with some history of couple dancing along with the proper posture and various dance positions. In the teaching sequence the students learn the basics allowing them to concentrate on fewer ideas at a time. For example, the Cha-cha teaches the students the difference between slow and quick movements, changes of direction and basic pivoting with little effort toward lealding and following. Moving to the Tango, the students begin to learn leading and following. In the Waltzs the concentration is on leading the following turns. with the merengue the students are encouraged to move their hips as they dance. The Rumba utilizes the hip movements learned in the Merengue along with more complex step patterns. The Swing utilizes the fhythem of the Foxtrot while uisng the arms of the merengue. In the Foxtrot the students conceentrate on the rhytym of the step sequence. With the mamba the students utilize the arm and hip movements to fast-paced music. After these basic steps, the students are introduced to Cajun ands Country-Western "folksy" style dances.

CONTENTS

• Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION — POSTURE — POSITIONS —
  Closed, Semi-Open, Reverse Semi-Open, Open, Reverse Open, Swing

• Chapter 2: FIVE CONTACT POINTS — LEADING AND FOLLOWING
  Guidelines, Leading, Following.

• Chapter 3: RHYTHM
  Music, Dance, Relating Dance to Music, Teaching Sequence

• Chapter 4: KEY ABBREVIATIONS IN DANCE DESCRIPTIONS — CHA-CHA
  Basic Step, Travel Step, Crossover, Half-turn Chase, Full-turn Chase, Arch Under, Box Step

• Chapter 5: TANGO (American or Parisian)
  Rhythm and Style, Basic Step, Corte, Semi-Open, Arch Under from Semi-Open, Arch Under from Closed, Open Reverse, Closed Sweep

• Chapter 6: MERENGUE
  Basic Walk, Sideways, Arch Under, Lock, Pretzel

• Chapter 7: RUMBA
  Rhythm and Style, Closed Position, Semi-Open Walk, Arch Under, Escort

• Chapter 8: SAMBA
  Rhythm and Style, Closed Position, Semi-Open, Side Step, Disco

• Chapter 9: MAMBO (SALSA)
  Side Step

• Chapter 10: CAJUN DANCE
  Cajun Two-Step, Cajun Waltz, Cajun Jitterbug

• Chapter 11: COUNTRY-WESTERN DANCE
  Texas Two Step, Cowboy Waltz

ABOUT THE AUTHOR . . .

Jerry Duke is Professor of Dance at San Francisco State University where he teaches lecture classes in dance ethnology, history, notation, rhythm and music for the dancer. He also teaches dance in religion and studio classes in ballroom, folk and social dance. He has taught master classes on folk and social dances of the United States in Canada, England, Sweden, Mexico, Taiwan and at some 35 colleges and universities. His research on dance rituals has taken him to Great Britain, Nova Scotia, Scandinavia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Greece, Italy, Germany, New Zealand, Australia and Hawaii. Dr. Duke has set folk and historical choreographies for dance companies, theater productions and opera. His folk choreographies have been performed in seven European countries and at Carnegie Hall in New York, Ahlmanson Theater, Royce Hall, and Mark Tabor Forum in Los Angeles, Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley, the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, and the Seattle Opera House. He has produced three dance specials for educational television and choreographed for a Bob Hope Special at the Hollywood Bowl. Dr. Duke holds teaching credentials in Ballet, Modern, and Polish Character dance. His books include Folk Dance in America, 1974, Clog Dance in the Appalachians, 1984, and Dances of the Cajuns, 1986.