With over 2,600 entries, the second edition of The Oxford Dictionary of
Dance is a unique single volume reference on all aspects of dance
performance written by two leading dance writers, Debra Craine and
Judith Mackrell. The work covers all aspects of the diverse dance world
from classical ballet to modern, from flamenco to hip-hop, from tap to
South Asian dance forms and includes detailed entries on technical
terms, steps, styles, works and countries, in addition to many
biographies of dancers, choreographers, and companies.
During the last thirty years the boundaries of dance have been radically
redrawn. There has been an explosion of new activity within traditional
forms like ballet, a stream of new dance languages invented by fresh
generations of choreographers, and there is a growing appreciation of
cultural dance forms from around the world. Fans today are likely to
attend performances as varied as Spanish flamenco, Indian bharata
natyam, Japanese butoh, classical ballet, and post-modern dance. With an
emphasis on performance - the dance we see in our theatres today -
readers will find both fact and analysis on a wide range of subjects,
from styles of dance and the history of dance companies and their
productions, to dancers, choreographers, and technical terms.
With 150 new entries, this new edition charts developments that have
occurred over the last ten years, including the rise of new digital
technology in the creation and staging of dance and the move to the
mainstream of formerly fringe genres such as hip-hop, as well as the
arrival of a new generation of dancers and choreographers to the
scene.
