Tap Dancing (Let's Dance)

Maurer, Tracy

ISBN 10: 1571031723 ISBN 13: 9781571031723

Publisher: Rourke Pub Group, 1997

Synopsis

Discusses the history, techniques, and styles of this American dance form, where to see tap dancing, and how performances by such dancers as Savion Glover have helped to renew tap's popularity in the 1990s.

About this title

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-3AFour series entries that survey popular dance forms around the globe. In nine double-page chapters, each book introduces history, style, technique, training, and presentation. The print is large and the margins are generous, but the vocabulary level exceeds what the format would suggest. The dance, as well as the more difficult words, is bolded, phonetically spelled, and listed in a glossary. This method to aid pronunciation distracts, clutters the text, and creates the look of a school reader. The author's inconsistent inclusion of terms in the glossary confuses its intent as a source for dance terminology. The 10 captioned photographs per text represent mostly novice dancers warming up or practicing basic elements. This may have been to allow young readers to identify with the performers, but the result is poor form, not the beautiful ideal. This problem is most notable in Gymnastics, a sport that has produced Olympic, world, and national champions, with none represented here. Readers are exposed to the mechanics of being a dancer, but not the source of attraction-exquisite visuals. The series is not a worthy showcase for this art form. Pass on it.AAbigail Jane Goldberg, Brooklyn Public Library
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Rourke Pub Group
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 1571031723
• ISBN 13: 9781571031723
• Binding: Library Binding
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 24