Research Guides: DANC 3630: Dance History: Home

Getting Started

In your Dance as Cultural Practice classes, you'll be asked to observe, research, and analyze dance performances in a series of assignments. The databases and other resources in this guide can help you get started on your dance research for those assignments, no matter what your specific topic is.

For best results as you conduct your research:

Try to be as specific as possible. General searches tend to bring back too many irrelevant results.
Use dance jargon (technical language) to find relevant results.
Do background research to identify useful search terms.
Research Laban Movement Analysis and dance criticism to learn how to use these tools and critical lenses correctly and appropriately.
Use article bibliographies to find more sources.

If you get stuck at any point, please ask your subject librarian, Kimberly Reich. She's always happy to help with dance research!

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Most Used Resources

These resources are great places to start your research.

Background Research

International Encyclopedia of Dance (Ebook) by Selma Jeanne Cohen (Editor)
Publication Date: 2005
This book is also available in print.
Since its 1998 publication, the International Encyclopedia of Dance has been the definitive source on this expressive art form, documenting all types of dance around the world and throughout history. The Encyclopedia offers authoritative coverage of the full spectrum of dance, including theatrical, ritual dance-drama, folk, traditional, ethnic, and social dance. Extensive historical and cultural overviews of many nations appear along with articles on specific dance forms, music and costumes, performances, biographies of dancers and choreographers, and much more.
Encyclopedia of World Folk Dance (Print Book) by Mary Ellen Snodgrass
Publication Date: 2016
While there are books about folk dances from individual countries or regions, there isn't a single comprehensive book on folk dances across the globe. This illustrated compendium offers the student, teacher, choreographer, historian, media critic, ethnographer, and general reader an overview of the evolution and social and religious significance of folk dance.
No Fixed Points: Dance in the Twentieth Century (Print Book) by Nancy Reynolds and Malcolm McCormick
Publication Date: 2003
This book chronicles one hundred years of dramatic developments in ballet, modern, and experimental dance for stage and screen in Europe and North America...Nancy Reynolds and Malcolm McCormick set dance in broader cultural and historical contexts, examine specific dance works, and explore the contributions of outstanding choreographers, performers, visual artists, impresarios, composers, critics, and other figures.
Social Dancing in America: A History and Reference (Print Book) by Ralph G. Giordano
Publication Date: 2006
This two volume companion set is the most comprehensive collection of American social dance from the first settlements in 1607 through the birth of the nation in 1776 and into the beginning of the 21st century. Social Dancing in America encompasses the global nature of the ethnic contributions to the formation of many unique American social dances. Those influences included the Native American Indian, Spanish, Caribbean, African, European, and other ethnic cultures that created original American social dances such as the Lindy Hop, Rock n' Roll, the Twist, Disco, Breakdancing, and Hip Hop.

Dance Criticism and Laban Movement Analysis (LMA)

Laban/Bartenieff Movement Studies (Print Book) by Colleen Wahl
Publication Date: 2018
In this engaging and practical text, author Colleen Wahl presents a detailed and clear discussion on how to best use Laban/Bartenieff movement analysis (L/BMA), a system for observing, teaching, and analyzing human movement.
Moving Researcher (Ebook) by Ciane Fernandes
Publication Date: 2014
Following extensive research on the method developed by Rudolf von Laban and his disciples, this book explains movement principles, exercises, and motif symbols in detail. Organized according to the four categories of Laban/Bartenieff Movement Analysis (Body-Effort-Shape-Space), additional chapters present the different developments of the theory in relation to performing arts and movement therapy.

Databases

JSTOR [ITHAKA] This link opens in a new window
Partially peer reviewed. Some full-text content.
This multidisciplinary database includes subjects like literature, history, art, sociology, psychology, mathematics, communication, and science. Contains ebooks, articles, and journals.
Dance in Video [Alexander Street] This link opens in a new window
Non-peer reviewed. Full-text content. Videos.
Dance in Video showcases ethnic and folk dance, ballet, modern dance, jazz, tap, and many other dance styles. Contains instructional videos, documentaries, interviews, and more.

OneSearch & ProQuest

OneSearch and ProQuest are the Fulton Library's main databases. They allow you to search the library's articles, books, streaming media, and more. OneSearch and ProQuest include resources on almost every topic, making it a great place to start your research!

To use either of these databases, go to the UVU Fulton Library Homepage link below. Use the tabs in the search box to navigate between OneSearch and ProQuest. Enter search terms into the box, then hit enter or click the magnifying glass.

We recommend using both databases because, while there is some overlap between the two, each database features a lot of unique content.

UVU Fulton Library Homepage
The library's main page. Access OneSearch, help options, library hours, and more.

Ask Your Librarian

Mary Naylor Stephens

Contact:

Email Mary
FL114, Fulton Library

801.863.8677

Subjects: Art & Art History, Dance, Music, Theatre

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