Dance Teaching Ideas from the United States

Technical Books and Dance Videos

Reviewed by Bryan Allen.

Esther Don was appointed by Judi Hatton, when Judy was the President of the United States Imperial Society, of Teachers of Dancing, to create an up to date and comprehensive American style syllabus. The task was completed for both Ballroom and Latin-American (called Rhythm in the US) styles and they cover all levels for the required American style examinations.

The Esther Don American Style Syllabus is recognised by the National Dance Council of America (NDCA) and is currently being used by the USISTD and the NDTA as their official source of the techniques from which all the American Style examinations are based.

Dance Teaching Ideas from the United States

Technical Books and Dance Videos

Reviewed by Bryan Allen.

Esther Don was appointed by Judi Hatton, when Judy was the President of the United States Imperial Society, of Teachers of Dancing, to create an up to date and comprehensive American style syllabus. The task was completed for both Ballroom and Latin-American (called Rhythm in the US) styles and they cover all levels for the required American style examinations.

The Esther Don American Style Syllabus is recognised by the National Dance Council of America (NDCA) and is currently being used by the USISTD and the NDTA as their official source of the techniques from which all the American Style examinations are based.

USISTD technique Books

THE TECHNIQUE BOOKS are from Esther Don Fellow ISTD BB. LA. And AM. These were Spiral bound copies and are all listed on the USISTD.org website.

I have seen the American Style Ballroom Bronze, 102pages long, Silver 118 pages and the Gold 136 pages. The dances covered are the Foxtrot, Waltz, Tango, Viennese Waltz and the Peabody. and each includes sections dealing with General Analysis, Description of Holds, Dance Positions and also Professional training. All books concludes with Illustrations and Descriptions of Holds and Dance Positions.

The successful format of all good dance technique books is closely followed and include, as would be expected many Precedes and Follows.

Of course there are a number of figures and Open Holds included and these might, perhaps, make those versed only in the English Style techniques think them rather strange but the freedoms offered to any who might wish to explore these methods could be very rewarding indeed.

The American Style Rhythm books I have seen cover the Bronze with 102 pages, and Silver 110 pages. The dances included cover Rumba, Cha Cha Cha, Bolero, Mambo, and Swing. Here also a more open minded approach might be necessary for those who have only developed through the Laird and Lavelle books. Of course the Rumba is based upon the Box or American Square Rumba, as I first learned it. I continue to feel that it is a dance that is so useful to early stage pupils and students it s a pity it is not more universally used. The Bolero is much more akin to what many, perhaps most others accept, rightly or wrongly, as THE Rumba! The Swing is not too dissimilar from what most think of as the Jive. The study of these books opens eyes and minds and, for those who might wish to explore both of these styles for personal development or commercial exploitation I would seriously recommend them.

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THE VIDEOS

There are video cassettes (and now, or soon to be DVDs) and these are also produced by Esther Don. They show the various dances in the syllabus for both styles. Esther states on the cassettes notes that “I strongly believe that, on a purely social level Ballroom Dancing is the acceptable form of social “hugging” to music. This leads me to my second strong belief that competitive dancing is a blend of proficiency, skill, and dexterity, exhibited as an athletic art form, which is a stylised and refined version of the same “hugging” to music.”

One of the examples sent to me was for the Bronze grade American Style Foxtrot, covering eleven figures and a running time of sixty-four minutes. The camera use was good enough and the figures were shown with a clarity of action although I was a little surprised that the rather highly held arms and somewhat exaggerated lady’s poise . They were more of what we would expect from a competitors styling rather than the more relaxed social style. However good dancers always look good. Rather nice figures were included, a number of them quite familiar to those of us who have adopted and adapted ideas and methods from our American cousins. Explanations were delivered in a nice measured manner and the dancers showed the figures and combinations from a number of different angles to give a clear view of the performances. Of course these videos are aimed at dance teachers, they are not necessarily aimed at students of dance teachers. Although keen students could get great value from the study of them.

The Bronze Mambo video, which covers ten figures with a time span of one hour and five minutes, follows the same presentational format. For many it is the Rumba danced slight faster and the figures are easily recognisable. (Did Pierre & Lavelle all those years ago bring back from Cuba a dance they called the Rumba and was really the Mambo? Who can really say with absolute authority!) The couple who demonstrate show the figures very well indeed and, if you slowed the tempo down I feel sure you would be delighted to see such a good Rumba(?), sorry, Mambo . Does it matter if you want to call what you teach Mambo or Rumba…“A rose by any other name would smell as sweet ” as Shakespeare wrote so much better than I. ever could!

Of course the DVDs are far better than video cassettes, as technology allows for a more selective and quicker selection of the various sections, figures, actions, that the viewer feels inclined to re-examine. The latest information is that the Bronze and the Silver grades are already, or about to become available in DVD format.

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 Miriam Ellis is a Dual Fellow & Examiner of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing. She has helped in the production of some of the technical books and has also now produced examination aids for those who wish to study, and possible take qualifications with the United States Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing in what is known as American Style Ballroom and the American Style Rhythm.

THE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS BOOKS

Miriam Ellis has produced Questions & Answers books for these American Style examinations at Associate, and the Licentiate levels and for both Ballroom and Rhythm styles. The American Style Ballroom books, again these are spiral bound, are very clearly presented and are in A4 size. The format will be familiar to those who have seen similar Question & Answer books.. Twenty-six pages in the Associate level book and thirty-four in the Licentiate. The American Style Rhythm Associate book has thirty pages and the Licentiate has forty-two. I thought the selection of questions well thought out and covering very well the range of knowledge required for each level. Of course the method of delivery of the answers to questions asked by an examiner and also the dance performance of the examination candidate is something that requires training from an experienced dance teacher.

Will there be the completion of the task by the production of the Fellowship books in Both styles? I have no information at this time but both Miriam and Esther are considering the possibility of the project going ahead at some future date..

There is also another book listed on the same USISTD.org website, the title being “Complete Guide for Latin American Professional Exanimations”. It was, I understand, inspired by the book written by Masie Harrison the famous teacher from Bournemouth who wrote a book which became obsolete as the Latin technique was revised and up-dated in the 1990s and also since then. Miriam Ellis has produced this version as a tribute to Maisie Harrison with whom she studied before going to live in the United States. It brings the book to a new audience, is up-dated and includes a number of dance routines..

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The Americans use names for figures which always appeal to me. A classic example being found in the Jive or Swing where, what they call the Roll-Out we call the Fallaway Throwaway, A real mouthful if you like!