International Encyclopedia of Dance
Oxford University Press. A product of the Dance Perspectives Foundation, with thousands of articles written by international scholars, the Encyclopedia covers the full spectrum of dance--theatrical, ritual, dance-drama, folk, traditional, ethnic, and social dance. Extensive historical, cultural and aesthetic overviews are accompanied by entries on dance forms, music and costumes, performances, and biographies of dancers and choreographers. Sample articles on dance in China; Costume in Western Traditions, Asian Traditions, and African Traditions.
Gale Virtual Reference Library [Gale Ebooks]
Gale Virtual Reference Library, now Gale Ebooks, is a database that includes the full text of encyclopedias - such as the Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion, 2005 - and other specialized reference sources for multidisciplinary research. Sample articles from the multi-volume reference work Arts and Humanities Through the Eras: Ancient Egypt...Dance.
Garland Encyclopedia of World Music Online
Don't let the title fool you; this comprehensive online resource includes articles on the cultural context of dances, rituals, and ceremonies, in addition to the music of all the world's peoples, from antiquity to the present. Sound and video are available by selecting the Music Online interface option. Sample an article on the music and dance of Finland.
Encyclopedia of World Folk Dance
Rowman & Littlefield, 2016. This long-awaited book uses an alphabetic arrangement to list dance types, countries of origin, etc. The index is often a helpful guide to finding particular dances, but there's also a full-text search.
The Unity of Music and Dance in World Cultures
McFarland & Co., 2016. This study surveys music and dance from a global perspective, viewing them as a composite whole found in every culture. The author examines the connection between sound and movement as an element of the human experience. Music and dance from Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the South Pacific are discussed.
This outstanding ebook series features specific social dance forms such as disco, swing, country & western, hip hop, rock 'n roll (1950s), folk and Latin dance forms.
The Encyclopedia of World Ballet
Rowman & Littlefield, 2015. This work by Mary Ellen Snodgrass provides information on trends, styles, persons, companies and more.
International Dictionary of Modern Dance
St. James Press, 1998. Call number GV 1585 B46 1998, located on the first floor of the library building in the Reference stacks. Encyclopedic in scope, IDMD contains over 400 entries on all aspects of modern dance, from biographical material to essays on movements and more. The majority of entries treat individuals who have influenced the art since the 19th century and include biographical details, dates, education, awards, roles (if they were performers), and specific works. An overview essay focuses on the beginnings and evolution of modern dance and its relationship to other forms and furnishes a timeline and listing of key events. Biographies from IDMD can now be accessed through the online database Biography in Context (Gale).
International Dictionary of Ballet
St. James Press, 1993. Call number GV 1585 I57 1993, located on the second floor of the library building, in the Reference stacks. This two-volume ballet dictionary is considered by catalogers to be an encyclopedia due to its level of detail. Biographies from IDB can be accessed through the online database Biography in Context (Gale).
Social Dancing in America: a History and Reference
This two-volume reference, published in 2007, traces American popular dance forms from 1607 to 2000, illuminating the part social dancing has played in Americans' lives and connecting it to societal developments in the 20th century. Handsomely illustrated and photographed (even including sheet music), each volume has an extensive bibliography. Located in the Reference stacks by call number GV1623 G56 2007. CONTENTS volume 1: Fair Terpsichore to the Ghost Dance, 1607-1900 -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- Chronology of dance: The Minuet, Puritans and anti-dance reformation: 1607-1740 -- The Virginia Reel, George Washington, and the Waltz: 1740-1820 -- The Buffalo Dance, Cotillions, and the Polka: 1820-1865 -- The Ghost Dance, the Cakewalk, and the Two-Step: 1865-1900 -- Bibliography -- Select bibliography of online dance instruction manuals from the LoC -- Index. CONTENTS volume 2: Lindy Hop to Hip Hop, 1901-2000 -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- Chronology of dance: Animal dances, the Castles, and Ragtime: 1901-1919 -- The Charleston, Flappers, and Jazz: 1920-1932 -- The Lindy Hop, Jitterbug, and Swing: 1932-1947 -- The Mambo, American Bandstand, and Rock 'n Roll: 1947-1960 -- The Twist, Doing Your Own Thing, and a Go-Go: 1960-1969 -- The Hustle, Saturday Night Fever, and Disco: 1970-1979 -- Breakdancing, Country Dancing, and the Swing Dance Revival: 1980-2000 -- Bibliography -- Select list of Hollywood movies by type of dance -- Index.
Ballroom, Boogie, Shimmy Sham, Shake: a Social and Popular Dance Reader [Google preview]
This scholarly 2009 volume documents the rich and varied history of social dance and the multiple styles it has generated, while drawing on some of the most current forms of critical and theoretical inquiry. The essays cover different historical periods and styles, noting influences from North and South America, Britain, Europe, and Africa; and emphasize a variety of methodological approaches, including ethnography, anthropology, gender studies, and critical race theory. While social dance is defined primarily as dance performed by the public in ballrooms, clubs, dance halls, and other meeting spots, contributors also examine social dance’s symbiotic relationship with popular, theatrical stage dance forms. One copy is housed in the Reference stacks by call number GV 1781 B35 2009; two other copies in the main stacks (first floor) can be checked out.
Crowood, 2006. Reference Stacks, Call No. GV1643 A43 2006. This excellent book has a lengthy chapter on the Development of Costume, mentioning a number of specific countries or areas, plus chapters on specific countries or regions. NOTE: this work concentrates on European countries.
Encyclopedia of the World's Nations and Cultures [request]
Facts on File, 2007. This four-volume print reference has been moved to the Bolt St. Library Annex and must be requested (click on the title above, then on "More Information / Retrieval Requests." A multi-volume 1991 work on a similar theme, Encyclopedia of World Cultures (G. K. Hall), a 10-volumes set, is also requestable from the Bolt St. Library Annex (see the contents to know which volume(s) to request). The four volume Encyclopedia of Urban Cultures: Cities and Cultures Around the World, 2002, can also be requested (view contents before requesting; this may influence your request).
