Ballet & modern dance / Susan Au ; introduction by Selma Jeanne Cohen

Includes index.

Bibliography: p. 211-213.

A Most Obedient Servant -- The Rise of Professionalism -- The Development of the Ballet d'Action -- Ascent and Descent-- Crystallization and Ferment in Russia -- First Steps towards a New Form -- 'Astonish Me' -- Truly Modern -- The Decentralization of Ballet -- The Metamorphosis of Form -- A Time of Growth -- Some Recent Trends.

"We are living in the midst of a 'dance explosion': whether performers or spectators, more people enjoy dance today than ever before. The extraordinary diversity of the phenomenon extends from classical ballet and avant-garde modern dance to the revival of tap, ethnic dancing and even Baroque court spectacles. Everyone with an interest in dance will have felt the need for a guide to the art's rich history and complex present state. Susan Au's lucid text covers the whole subject, vividly describing the heat performers and performances of the past as well as exploring in detail the dance world of today. A generous selection of illustrations completes the picture, taking the reader from the palaces of the Medici to the lofts of Manhattan and from the dancing of Louis XIV to the experimental choreography of Twyla Tharp and Pina Bausch. 'Immensely readable and impressively panoramic...with a wealth of illustration and newly-researched detail' (Times Educational Supplement) -- Publisher.