LibGuides: Dance: Reference Sources

Reference Sources

American Ballet Theatre Online Ballet Dictionary by American Ballet Theatre
Call Number: Online
An interactive resource with images and video clips for visual demonstration of the entries by ABT dancers. This also includes 170 terms from the Dover Publications title "Technical Manual and Dictionary of Classical Ballet."
American Ballroom Companion: Dance Instruction Manuals ca. 1490-1920 by Library of Congress American Memeory
Call Number: Online
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.
Arts in America by Bernard Karpel (Editor)
Call Number: NX503 .A77 1979
ISBN: 0874745780
A product of the Smithsonian Institution, this 4 volume annotated bibliography covers art of Native Americans, architecture, decorative arts, design, sculpture, art of the west, painting, graphic arts and artists, photography, film, theater, dance, and music. Volume 4 provides an index.
Ballet Plot Index by William E. Studwell; David A. Hamilton
Call Number: GV1790.A1 S77 1987
ISBN: 0824083857
This is an index to stories/synopsis and other related materials (i.e., illustrations, historical background, criticism and analysis) to ballets. Where applicable, annotated with WSU Libraries call numbers in the list of indexed sources.
Biographical Dictionary of Dance by Barbara Cohen-Stratyner
Call Number: GV1785.A1 C58 1982
ISBN: 0028702603
This work contains entries on dance (all types) personalities, current and historical, in Europe and the Americas. Most articles contain a works list.
Concise Oxford Dictionary of Ballet by Horst Koegler
Call Number: GV1585.C73 1982
ISBN: 0193113252
Focusing on ballet, contains concise entries for works, themes, companies, institutions, awards, people, places and techniques, often including selected works lists. A previous edition is located on the 3rd floor.
Dance Handbook by Allen Robertson (Editor); Donald Hutera (Editor)
Call Number: GV1601 .R63 1990
ISBN: 081619095X
Covering classical ballet and western theatrical dance, this contains articles on major dancers, choreographers, companies and dance works. Many articles contain a bibliography for further reading. Use the index in the back to locate information on a particular subject or name.

Dance Online: Dance Studies Collection This link opens in a new window
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Dance Online: Dance Studies Collection presents the historical context of 20th and 21st century dance through 150,000 pages of exclusive photographs, correspondence, magazines, dance notation, and reference material that dissolve the distance between archive and scholar and draw dance students into the library. Terms of Use

Dance Words by Valerie Preston-Dunlop (Editor)
Call Number: GV1585 .P74 1995
ISBN: 3718656019
Consult this title for definitions, expressions and phrases, organized by context. For example ‘Aerial work’ may be found in the chapter on The Dance Domain and the chapter on Movement and the Moving Body. Use the index in the back to locate the desired term or phrase.
Dictionary of Classical Ballet Terminology by Rhonda Ryman
Call Number: GV1585 .R95 1997
ISBN: 0952484803
A reference to the current ballet terminology in use within the Royal Academy of Dancing. This also lists variant terms found throughout Royal Academy publications.
Dictionary of the Arts by Chris Murray (Editor)
Call Number: NX80 .D53 1994
ISBN: 081603205X
This dictionary of culture (including biographical entries) covers architecture, artistic theory, film, literature, craft, design, dance, fashion, music, mythology, painting, photography, sculpture and theatre, all throughout history.
Dictionary of the Avant Gardes by Richard Kostelanetz
Call Number: NX456 .K67 2000
ISBN: 0028653793
This work covers not only the visual arts but music, film, dance and theater. Though rather brief, articles include bibliographies for further reading. This is the second edition of this work. An earlier version is also available.
Dictionary of Translated Names and Titles by Adrian Room
Call Number: NX80 .R66 1986
ISBN: 0710099533
Titles of artistic creations (plays, novels, films, musical works, paintings, and etc.), characters (historical and mythical), biblical personages, historical events and geographical names, are here given in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Russian, with cross-indices in French, German, Italian, Spanish and Russian.
Directory of Blacks in the Performing Arts by Edward Mapp; Earle Hyman
Call Number: PN1590.B53 M3 1990
ISBN: 0810822229
This title contains brief biographical information along with career data for those involved in drama, music, and dance. Previous edition also available.
Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance by Cary D. Wintz (Editor); Paul Finkelman (Editor)
Call Number: NX512.3.A35 E53 2004
ISBN: 157958389X
This 2 volume encyclopedia covers all areas of the arts associated with the Harlem Renaissance. Contains particularly useful bibliographies and a helpful index.
Film Choreographers and Dance Directors by Larry Billman
Call Number: GV1779 .B55 1997
ISBN: 0899508685
About “the people who made the movies dance,” part I is a decade by decade look at dance in film, while part II is a section of biographies (with film credits). Covers 1893 through 1995. An appendix lists films and their associated choreographers.
International Dictionary of Ballet by Martha Bremser (Editor)
Call Number: GV1585 .I57 1993
ISBN: 1558620842
In 2 volumes, this contains extensive entries on artists, ballets and companies related to classical ballet. Work (ballet) entries list the choreographer, composer, designer, along with initial production information and other notable productions. Artist entries contain a list of roles. Choreographer and composer entries contain works lists. A bibliography is found at the end of each article.
International Encyclopedia of Dance by Selma J. Cohen; Dance Perspectives Foundation Staff (Editor)
Call Number: GV1585.I586 1998
ISBN: 019509462X
In 6 volumes, find here lengthy articles on dancers, choreographers, composers, companies, theaters, countries, techniques, theatrical dance titles and other issues of dance (i.e., television, dance medicine, etc.). This encyclopedia focuses on three major areas of dance: Western theatrical dance, theatrical dance in the non-Western world and ritual and recreational forms of dance. These volumes cover all styles and types of dance with bibliographies at the ends of articles. Volume 6 contains an index to access topics within articles on broader subjects.
Oxford Dictionary of Dance by Debra Craine; Judith Mackrell
Call Number: GV1585 .C78 2010
ISBN: 9780199563449
Contains concise entries for works, themes, forms, companies, people, places and technical terminology. Emphasizes theatrical dancing but also covers ballet, modern, folk and social dancing. Sometimes provides reference to associated works. Earlier editions are available online and in print: GV1585.C78 2000.
Oxford Guide to Classical Mythology in the Arts, 1300-1990s by Jane D. Reid; Chris Rohmann
Call Number: NX650.M9 R45 1993
ISBN: 0195049985
In 2 volumes this is an index to artworks (in the fine arts, music, dance and literature) from the Renaissance through the 20th century with subjects in Greek and Roman mythology. Main entries are found under their Greek titles, with cross-references from Roman names. Volume 2 also contains an index to artists with works listed in main entries.
Stage Deaths by George B. Bryan (Compiled by)
Call Number: Z5781 .S76 1991
ISBN: 0313275939
In 2 volumes, this title covers essential biographical information for international artists of the stage including opera, dance, music, theater, film and television personalities. Entries include the artist’s stage name, alias or billing name (where applicable), real name, names of parents, name of spouse(s), date and place of birth, date and place of death, type(s) or work done, source(s) of obituaries, and any book-length biographies in English.
Who Was Who in American History-Arts and Letters by Marquis-Who's Who, inc Staff (Contribution by)
Call Number: NX503.Z8 W48
ISBN: 0837933013
This is an additionally helpful place to search for biographical information on those of the past who were involved throughout the arts.

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