Photo Credits: Todd Carroll

Why Dance Matters by Mindy Aloff 

A book-length personal essay, part of Yale's "Why X Matters" series

Buddhist Dances: Movement & Mind by Mindy Aloff 

A monumental survey, for which I served as editor, by Joseph Houseal, unique in English, of Buddhist dance traditions across ten Asian countries, including a chapter on the Buddhism of Merce Cunningham and Antony Tudor. With rare photographs and spectacular illustrations.

In Balanchine's Steps: How The George Balanchine Foundation Preserves His Genius‍ ‍by Mindy Aloff
An album of photographs by Costas and Brian Rushton of the GBF's esteemed video programs, The Interpreters Archive and The Archive of Lost Choreography. With an interview that I conducted with the Archives' founder, Nancy Reynolds, and some twenty comments by participating dancers, coaches, and critics, whose text I edited. Design by Kyle Froman.

American Dance Magazine‍ ‍(physical and digital copy) 

American Dance Magazine is a publication of the American Dance Guild that documents and celebrates the art of dance through articles, interviews, reviews, and historical reflections. It connects dancers, choreographers, scholars, and educators, offering insight into creative processes, performance, and the evolving role of dance in culture and education.

You, the Choreographer, Creating and Crafting Dance by Vladimir Angelov 

You, The Choreographer, offers a synthesis of histories, theories, philosophies, and creative practices across diverse genres of concert dance choreography. This book is designed for readers at every stage of creative development who seek to refine their artistic sensibility.

Dance Books from the Bronx by Arthur Aviles 

Picture Books showcasing Bronx luminaries. info@BAADBRONX.ORGhttps://www.baadbronx.org/

Noodles Needs A Nap‍ ‍by Kristine Bendul 

We all know the story of Cinderella—but in the very same kingdom lives Noodles, the village fishmonger. Focused on her work and content in her daily routine, Noodles spends her days delivering fish to the town square, tending to her customers, and quietly moving through the rhythms of village life. As the day unfolds and exhaustion begins to set in, Noodles follows her own instincts rather than the expectations of those around her—discovering that listening to yourself can be its own kind of magic. Told with warmth and gentle humor, Noodles Needs a Nap celebrates individuality, self-awareness, and the freedom to choose what truly matters.

Somatic Ecology: Somatics, Nature, Humanity and the Human Body by Robert Bettmann 

Somatic Ecology connects the human relationship to the human body to the theories of Deep Ecology and Ecofeminism. The book suggests that the human relationship to the human body is a mirror of the human relationship to the broader natural world. Chapters in the book present Deep Ecology, Ecofeminism, and then Contact Improvisation, Release Technique, and Body-mind Centering, to present a connection between environmental activism and the study of dance.

Falling Leaves by Robert Bettmann and Susan Meehan 

An interfaith poetry anthology on the topic of consolation and loss

Dancescope Magazine (digital) 

Dancescope Magazine is a historic publication of the American Dance Guild that documents modern dance history through interviews, essays, criticism, and artist profiles. Originally published from 1965–1981 and edited by Marcia Siegel, it features influential choreographers, scholars, and performers, offering valuable insight into choreography, pedagogy, and the evolution of contemporary dance. Coming up: https://www.americandanceguild.org/merch

Platform 2024: A Delicate Ritual/ Danspace Project by Judy Hussie-Taylor, Kyle Abraham, Seta Morton      

A Delicate Ritual, guest curated by Kyle Abraham, is the 16th Platform to date at Danspace Project. The Platform presents six weeks of performances and events, featuring shared evenings between Nicholas Ryan Gant & Shamel Pitts (May 2-4), David Roussève & taisha paggett (May 23-25), and Vinson Fraley & Bebe Miller (June 6-8). All of the performances respond to Abraham’s curatorial inquiries: How does nature’s relationship with humanity communicate/jostle/live in your body? How present is a history of love in your relationship to ritual or prayer? How does change affect your relationship to ritual and prayer? Platform 2024 honors the life and work of late choreographer and dance educator, Kevin Wynn. Other live events of the Platform include a memorial to Wynn, classes in Wynn’s technique taught by Jason Rodriguez, and an afternoon of artistic exchanges. With this publication, on the occasion of Platform 2024: A Delicate Ritual, Abraham brings together artists, environmentalists, and healers from different walks of life to reflect on their own rituals and to discuss overarching concepts of care, time, water, home, location, prayer and practice.

Judson Now/ Danspace Project by Judy Hussie-Taylor, Jenn Joy

“How does dance right now relate to the 50th anniversary of Judson Dance Theater? Is its history overdetermined? How could we revisit it in relation to its multidisciplinary elements— visual art, music, poetry, film, and theater? How could we present so many artists and conflicting aesthetics as a collective movement? Can we do justice to their many divergent artists and their ideas? Probably not. But what a joyful obsession it has been to try…Platform 2012: Judson Now doesn’t provide a unified narrative because there isn’t one. The Judson aesthetic is oft recounted as minimal, neutral, and democratic, yet some artists were neo-vaudevillian, explosive, and authoritative.” – Judy Hussie-Taylor  

Lost & Found: Dance, New York, HIV/AIDS, Then and Now/ Danspace Project by Judy Hussie-Taylor, Ishmael Houston-Jones, Will Rawls, Jaime Shearn Coan

“We were baffled. We were angry. We were terrified. We were wary of sharing a glass of water. But we also learned how to nurture and care for the sick and the dying. We made art, those of us who were dying and those of us who survived. Surviving love and death. …But we also rallied; we shouted; we marched in the streets.” – Ishmael Houston-Jones 

Since 2010, Danspace Project has published catalogues as part of its series of artist-curated Platforms. Initiated by Danspace Project Executive Director and Chief Curator Judy Hussie-Taylor, the Platforms, “exhibitions that unfold over time,” contextualize contemporary dance and performance practices and histories.

I Can Make a Water Dance by Karen Diaz Ensanian 

My goal was to create a book that helps children make connections with the natural world. By having them observe images of water and translate them into their own bodies they begin to make dance. Young dancers will explore their dance movements guided by vocabulary and poetry. They will therefore develop a greater understanding of water, their own bodies, and internalize a deep love of the world they live in. The journey of the book follows the path of the water cycle from evaporation, condensation, precipitation and collection. There are diverse dancer images are set into 14 lyrical paintings. These images are paired with vivid poetry and a question that sets the readers on the path to creating their own water dances. At the end of the book there are images of the children dancing with each photo labeled with a movement word used in the body of the book and a parent and teacher guide for creating a dance activity. The book will be an excellent tool for any Pre-K through fifth grade.

The Dancing Light‍ ‍(soft and hard cover) by Karen Diaz Ensanian 

The Dancing Light is the second in a series of books by dance educator Karen Diaz Ensanian, created to facilitate dance making with young children. The book exposes them to beautiful visual art, view photos of young dancers demonstrating science concepts through their movement, and hear poetic verse and action words that help them illustrate the nature of LIGHT. By embodying this information, the student makes deep connections in their body, mind, to the world, and to the nature of light. This is an opportunity to learn by way of movement. Internalizing the information and imagery, students will gain a greater understanding of light and possibilities for creativity. Throughout the book there are questions that provide opportunities for children to find their own unique ways of moving. The journey of the book follows the path of light: light found in nature, light that is man-made, the way light moves through reflection and refraction, its importance for plant life, and finally what happens when light is blocked. Each of the thirteen original paintings by the author combined with the photos of dancers can also be used as a tool for creating dance lessons in the classroom that enrich the study of LIGHT. Paintings set the stage for the creation of dances with different light concepts such as sunlight, bioluminescence, shadows, electricity, lightning, reflection, refraction, and more. ‘Tips for Parents and Teachers’ in the back of the book offer a simple set of suggestions for structuring a dance.

Corner‍ ‍by Douglas Dunn

Documentation of A dance by Douglas Dunn

Let’s Talk About Fifth: Teaching Ballet in the 21st Century by Deborah Engerman   

Let’s Talk About Fifth provides the tools to execute and teach both the craft and the artistry of classical ballet. Professional dance training requires knowledge, passion, communication, and a giving spirit. Even with years of accumulated dedication and expertise, gaps occur between understanding, performing, and teaching ballet. Technique is one of the foundations of classical ballet and most other dance forms. Let's Talk About Fifth addresses the technical and artistic concepts fundamental to the life of a dancer, which should be covered in the ballet classroom. The following elements are defined and described: center alignment, weight distribution upon the feet on and off pointe, supporting-side control, turnout, use of the knees and lower legs, pointing of the feet, how to use the feet from the floor, extensions, flexibility, coordination, and musicality and artistry. This book offers valuable methods to strengthen and teach classical dance. Teachers will discover new approaches that are both practical and inspiring, along with concepts, strategies, and practices that will help them create a productive, energetic, and focused classroom. With the inclusion of conditioning and class exercises, along with over 100 photographs, teachers and dancers alike will come away equipped to develop the essential skills inherent to ballet technique.

Thinking with the Dancing Brain: Embodying Neuroscience by Rima Faber 

As seasoned dancers and dance educators, Minton and Faber approach brain function from inside the body as embodiment of thought. Their collection of neurological research about the thought processes in learning and performing dance encompasses a vision of dance as creative art, communication, education, and life. Chapters address observation, engagement, critical thought, emotion, memory, imagery and imagination, learning, problem solving, and 21st Century Skills. Finer components are explored through neurological networks, classroom pedagogy, dance, and movement experiences.The book informs neuroscientists, educators, and dancers about the complex interdependence of brain localities and networking of human neurology through an integration of physiology, cognition, and the art of dance.

Slow Dancing is Easy‍ ‍by Ara Fitzgerald 

"Slow Dancing Is Easy" blends humor and pathos in a genre-fluid collection of short dance/theater pieces that resonate with memoir, observations and fantasy chronicling one woman’s adventures over decades. From "Why Did Sarah Bernhardt Sleep in a Coffin?" to "The Invisible Circus of the Present Tense", these original short scripts and drawings make an exuberant leap from stage to page.

Don't Sit Down, Reflections on Life and Work by Martha Myers by Ara Fitzgerald, Stuart Pimsler

In Don’t Sit Down, Martha Myers speaks to us from the heart about the journey of her life unfolding as a celebrated dance creator and educator, tv personality, activist, wife and mother. For those of you among the many people inspired by her, this book will be a welcome opportunity to hear Martha in her particular and personal voice.

Ageless Dancers by Betti Franceschi 

Photographs of 40 important dancers ages 61 tp 102. with bios, interview, and essay by George Negroponte.

The Still Point by Betti Franceschi 

24 graphite drawing of dancers’ torsos

Moving Through Life: Essential Lessons of Dance by Naomi Goldberg Haas with Mikhaela Mahony

Moving Through Life traces the journey of influential dancer, teacher and choreographer Naomi Goldberg Haas, sharing her lifelong love of movement, her experiences with chronic health conditions, and accessible exercises for dancers pf all ages and abilities, Goldberg Haas encourages readers to integrate dance into their lives and to move with awareness, creativity and joy.

Footfalls from the Land of Happiness: A Journey into Dances of Bhutan by Karen Greenspan 

Karen Greenspan accompanies the reader to specific Bhutanese sacred festivals for a close-up view of the dances and rituals. This detailed universe is unpacked through interviews with dance masters, Buddhist experts, and dance practitioners from both monastic and lay communities. The unfolding account flows with vivid dance prose, content-rich sidebars, and 95 color-drenched dance photographs. The descriptions of Bhutan’s scenic geography, drama-filled history, politics, religion, and perspectives on life provide layers of contextual background for an understanding of this dance-suffused culture that pioneers a policy called Gross National Happiness.

La Danza: Conflict, Passion, and Healing by Anna Harsh 

La Danza – Conflict, Passion, and Healing is a travel memoir of an adventure that has forever changed the life of this Italian-American dancer. Through experiences and humor, Anna invites you along her dancing journey, exploring villages steeped in tradition and local culture. Take a contemporary look of Italy through the eyes of a dancer and experience firsthand the Italian gusto, traditions, history, culture, and family legacy in this exciting read.

Alessia Discovers a Spider Web by Anna Harsh 

Step into the world of Alessia, a kind and curious girl whose passion for nature and dance knows no bounds. Alessia stumbles upon a spider in need, and she realizes her special gift – the ability to communicate with the creatures of the garden! Join her as she begins a journey of friendship, cultural exploration, and the pure joy of dance, all within her beautiful garden.

The Italian Dance Quest: Finding Power, Wealth, and Innovation by Anna Harsh 

The Italian Dance Quest is a travel memoir of an adventure that has made a lasting impact on the life of this Italian-American dancer. Be immersed into five different regions through dances that reflect the people, food, and history. Anna offers various ways to preserve and enjoy physical history so that the next generation can enjoy them in the future. You’ll also discover:How learning Italian dances teaches unique life lessons. How to apply different choreography tips to elevate dance performance. Why royalty danced in northern Italy and what stories the traditional dances told. Her quest to find traditional Italian dances creates more questions about her own life. Travel to various regions with Anna as she learns elegant circle dances that require grace, proper posture and precision. She compares them to the various lively tarantellas she adores. Gaining a deeper understanding of how Italian families celebrate and deal with grief left Anna asking how she can preserve these precious dances for future generations.

A Map of Making Dances by Stuart Hodes  

This all-inclusive guide to the art of creating dance moves and routines, written by the advisor and former dancer of the Martha Graham School and company, contains 247 projects that guide the user through a myriad of topics. Concepts and techniques such as form, sequencing, variation, surrealism, abstract movement, improvisation, ritual and ceremony, space, and floor patterns are examined and explained, encouraging the student to experiment and create with movement.

Choreographing the Curriculum by Wendy Jones 

Choreographing the Curriculum is an essential guide for dance educators. It is intended to transform traditional curriculum design into a collaborative, creative, and impactful experience. This workbook emphasizes the choreographic process, helping both new and experienced teachers build comprehensive dance programs that foster student engagement, creativity, and self-expression. With step-by-step planning tools, inspirational stories, and practical exercises, author Wendy Jones uses her over twenty years of experience in dance education to offer a fresh approach to bridging curriculum with choreography. From foundational lesson planning to exploring movement and collaboration, Choreographing the Curriculum is more than a workbook—it’s a tool kit for cultivating a thriving classroom environment where students and teachers create meaningful, inspiring dances together. Inside, you’ll discover -practical frameworks for unit and lesson planning aligned with dance-making goals -strategies to integrate movement research, choreography, and cultural history -tools for crafting performances that reflect both student voices and curriculum standards -real-life insights from the author’s teaching journey, guiding educators to balance creative ambition with classroom realities Ideal for dance teachers at any level, this workbook equips you to build a program that supports students’ artistic development and leaves them empowered to express themselves. Let Choreographing the Curriculum help you bring artistry, structure, and joy to every dance class.

Balanchine Finds His America: A Tale of Love Lost & Ballet Reborn by Elizabeth Kendall

Balanchine Finds His America provides a close-up of this crucial time in the life of a young immigrant choreographer who would become one of the 20th century's greatest artists. It opens on Balanchine's first day in the United States and closes 13 years later, with the culture's recognition of his importance. Along the way, it sketches in the extreme politics of his time from the Great Depression to WWII, evokes the places that inspired him from New York City to Hollywood, and charts the sexuality of longing that fueled his creative life, but also threatened his and his muses' personal stability. It draws connections between Balanchine's loves and the earliest ballets he made on American soil, especially his mysterious exploration of American romance, Serenade (1933), and his even more mysterious 1946 masterwork, The Four Temperaments, that pointed the way to America's victorious postwar art of abstraction. Most of all, this book highlights the young Balanchine's tragic yet triumphant inner journey towards American-ness, and the impact of this journey on the ballet organizations he helped form and the legacy he left the world.

On Site: Methods for Site-Specific Performance Creation by Stephan Koplowitz 

On Site: Methods for Site-Specific Performance Creation is a practical book for artists and students at all levels who create or are learning to create sited performance based works. Author Stephan Koplowitz covers specific, hands-on strategies for an array of issues to consider before, during, and after embarking upon a project, including site selection, procuring permits, designing the audience experience, researching and exploring a site for inspiration and content, differences in urban and natural environments, definitions of key production roles, building effective collaborations with artists, and techniques to generate site-inspired production elements such as sound/music, costumes, lighting, and media. He also offers helpful chapters on project budgeting, contract negotiation, fundraising, marketing, documentation, and assessment. Based on the author's career spanning over 30 years of site-specific creation, the book also includes the voices of over 24 other artists, producers, and writers who share their perspectives and experiences on the many topics covered. A guide designed to make site work practical, intentional, and attainable, On Site will become a well-worn reference for anyone interested in the creative process and discovering the power of site-specific works.

Lauren in the Limelight by Miriam Landis 

For fans of the classic novel Ballet Shoes, a coming-of-age dance story reimagined for a new generation. As she begins 6th grade, Lauren Lightfoot wants nothing more than to get her first pair of pointe shoes, enjoy her love for ballet, and spend time with her friends. Lauren and her friends Bryan and Serena are challenged to define themselves both on stage and in the world when they audition for the Pacific Northwest Ballet School and compete for roles in the spring recital.

Girl in Motion by Miriam Landis 

Aspiring artists—their grit, passion, and determination to achieve—are at the heart of this unforgettable novel. Anna Forester is an intelligent and sensitive sixteen-year-old at the top of her local ballet school in Illinois. She arrives at the bottom of the prestigious School of Ballet New York in Manhattan, where she joins an elite group of teens who see themselves as the ballet stars of the next generation, racing to impress their famous teachers and win a coveted professional contract. Over the next two years, Anna’s struggles to navigate friendships with her rivals, stand out in a world dictated by conformity, and pursue her passions converge into a high-stakes portrait of a young dancer following their dreams.

Girl on Pointe by Miriam Landis 

An enthralling and complex tale about passion and the arts. After graduating from an elite New York ballet school, 18-year-old Anna Forester moves across the country to begin her dance career in Los Angeles. Soon, she is drawn into the circle of her charismatic artistic director and the thrilling aura of company life. Her professional trajectory alienates Anna from her college-age peers, but the ballet community is an intoxicating place where she feels desperate to be accepted. Through Anna's eyes, the dance world comes alive in this unflinchingly honest portrait of a young woman in thrall to an uncompromising art form.

Infinite Steps: Thirty-Three Dancers and Their Lives in Ballet by Gavin Larsen 

Infinite Steps invites readers into the deeply personal journeys o f thirty-three ballet dancers from around the world, tracing their paths from first pliés to final bows and beyond. Through intimate profiles by writer and dancer Gavin Larsen and stunning photographs by Gene Schiavone, this book reveals the physical demands and quiet triumphs that define a life in ballet. Each chapter offers a glimpse into a dancer's inner world, illuminating the realities behind the moments portrayed by the images.

Being a Ballerina: The Power and Perfection of a Dancing Life by Gavin Larsen 

Inspiring, revealing, and deeply relatable, Being a Ballerina is a firsthand look at the realities of life as a professional ballet dancer. Through episodes from her own career, Gavin Larsen describes the forces that drive a person to study dance; the daily balance that dancers navigate between hardship and joy; and the dancer’s continual quest to discover who they are as a person and as an artist.

Modern Women: 21st Century Dance‍ ‍by Julie Lemberger 

Championing living women dance artists- a coloring book that is creative, meditative and educational.

Teaching and Learning Dance Through Meaningful Gestures‍ ‍by Anabella Lenzu 

Teaching and Learning Dance Through Meaningful Gestures explores how technique is a philosophy and a theory, and how the body is an instrument for expression. Teaching in three languages - Spanish, English, and Italian —has had a profound effect on me: I have found clear explanations, metaphors, and stories that communicate my approach to training. I have written this book to foster dialogue and community between the three cultures that I have been a part of, to share the knowledge and experience I've gained over the past 35 years, and to advocate for thoughtful dance training. This book will serve current and future dancers and teachers as they continue to train and explore the professional world of dance. It is my hope that my experiences can guide young dancers as they embark on their own journeys. Lenzu has written for various dance and arts magazines and in 2013 published her first book, Unveiling Motion and Emotion, which contains writings in Spanish and English on the importance of dance, community, choreography, and dance pedagogy.

Unveiling Motion and Emotion/ Revelando Movimiento y Emoción‍ ‍by Anabella Lenzu 

Exploring the importance of dance, community, choreography and dance pedagogy, Argentinean Choreographer Anabella Lenzu celebrates 20 years of teaching dance in a book of her writings in Spanish and English. Having opened her own dance school at 18, Lenzu recounts her experiences teaching in South America, Europe, and the US, as well as publishing an arts magazine and creating repertory for her dance company. Lenzu's eloquent prose reveals reflections of a life devoted to dance performance and education. Photography by Todd Carroll fully documents the performances and provides a glimpse into the creative process. This book is an inspiration to dancers and teachers alike, and the first of its kind as a bilingual text on dance pedagogy.

Choreographing Your Dance Career by Janaea Rose Lyn 

From defining dreams to crafting strategies, Choreographing Your Dance Career is a unique and comprehensive resource for dancers, choreographers, directors, and educators in any genre or career stage. Written from the perspective of an experienced mentor, Janaea Rose Lyn guides you through the intricacies and challenges of personal and professional development. The overall focus is holistic, balancing career advice with approaches for enhanced physical and mental well-being. Artwork by Laura Higgins Palmer celebrates the spirit of dance. Practical, encouraging, and engaging, this handbook blends information, examples, and exercises with stories from the author’s life, providing the tools and guidance necessary for choreographing the career that only you can dance!

Broadway, Balanchine, and Beyond by Elizabeth McPherson, Bettijane Sills 

In this memoir of a roller-coaster career on the New York stage, former actor and dancer Bettijane Sills offers a highly personal look at the art and practice of George Balanchine, one of ballet’s greatest choreographers, and the inner workings of his world-renowned company during its golden years. Sills recounts her years as a child actor in television and on Broadway, a career choice largely driven by her mother, and describes her transition into pursuing her true passion: dance. She was a student in Balanchine’s School of American Ballet throughout her childhood and teen years, until her dream was achieved. She was invited to join New York City Ballet in 1961 as a member of the corps de ballet and worked her way up to the level of soloist. Winningly honest and intimate, Sills lets readers peek behind the curtains to see a world that most people have never experienced firsthand. She tells stories of taking classes with Balanchine, dancing in the original casts of some of his most iconic productions, working with a number of the company’s most famous dancers, and participating in the company’s first Soviet Union tour during the Cold War and Cuban Missile Crisis. She walks us through her years in New York City Ballet first as a member of the corps de ballet, then a soloist dancing some principal roles, finally as one of the “older” dancers teaching her roles to newcomers while being encouraged to retire. She reveals the unglamorous parts of tour life, jealousy among company members, and Balanchine’s complex relationships with women.

The Bennington School of the Dance‍ ‍by Elizabeth McPherson 

The story of this groundbreaking summer dance program is told through the voices of staff, faculty, and students. Administrative director Mary Josephine Shelly’s previously unpublished writings form a key summary of eight of the nine summer sessions. The Bennington School of the Dance held classes from 1934 through 1942 at Bennington College in Vermont, with one summer spent at Mills College in California. Its effects were far-reaching in the development and dissemination of modern dance as an original American art form. The school produced unique choreographic works by teachers in residence: Martha Graham, Hanya Holm, Doris Humphrey, and Charles Weidman. Leading choreographers of the later 20th century such as Merce Cunningham, Anna Halprin, José Limón, Alwin Nikolais and Anna Sokolow participated at the school. The largest portion of students were high school and college level teachers who would spread modern dance across the country and abroad.

Milestones in Dance in the USA‍ ‍by Elizabeth McPherson 

Embracing dramatic similarities, glaring disjunctions, and striking innovations, this book explores the history and context of dance on the land we know today as the United States of America. Designed for weekly use in dance history courses, it traces dance in the USA as it broke traditional forms, crossed genres, provoked social and political change, and drove cultural exchange and collision. The authors put a particular focus on those whose voices have been silenced, unacknowledged, and/or uncredited – exploring racial prejudice and injustice, intersectional feminism, protest movements, and economic conditions, as well as demonstrating how socio-political issues and movements affect and are affected by dance. In looking at concert dance, vernacular dance, ritual dance, and the convergence of these forms, the chapters acknowledge the richness of dance in today’s USA and the strong foundations on which it stands.

Hemsley Winfield: Pioneer of Modern Dance – A Biography by Dr. Nelson Neal 

Biography of the life and career of Hemsley Winfield, actor, director, choreographer, dancer and creator of the first African American Modern Dance Company.

Hemsley Winfield: The Forgotten Pioneer of Modern Dance – An Annotated Bibliography, 2nd Edition
by Dr. Nelson Neal 

An annotated bibliography of Hemsley Winfield's life and career. Includes 511 annotations of Winfield's life and career plus images of programs, letters, and other materials.

A Tail of Twirls: Kittina and the Starlight Ballerina by Once Upon A Dance

Ballerina Garden: The Art of Blooming: A Celebration of Dance by Once Upon A Dance 

What do ballerinas and blossoms have in common? Grace, resilience, and the power to inspire. Welcome to Ballerina Garden—a lyrical celebration of movement and nature. Step into a whimsical world where flowers and ballerinas share the spotlight. Petals pirouette and dance blooms alongside heartfelt reflections and dreamlike imagery. From resilience and self-expression to community and joy, these pages invite young dancers to reflect on their journey. With gentle themes of growth, self-care, and artistic identity.

Bellyrina: A Tutu Tale from the Belly of the Beast by Once Upon A Dance 

Bunny leaps from the wolf's belly with only one memory-she loves to dance.But something, or someone, is STILL MISSING! Bellyrina delivers Once Upon a Dance's signature blend of heartwarming stories wrapped in the mission of inspiring joyful movement. Dance-Along Fun with Once Upon a Dance features. Perfect for ages 4-8, Bellyrina features adorable animals, fairy magic, gentle drama, and plenty of sparkle. Whether shared in classrooms, studios, or at home, this Dancing Ever After series debut invites children to their own happily ever after.

Ready Set Dance: Getting Ready for Your First Dance Class by Once Upon A Dance 

Meet Quinn Hops and Bella Beak—the most adorable duo to ever don ballet gear! Their hearts flutter with anticipation—it’s their very first dance class! Will wobbly toes lead to whimsy, wiggles or woes?   

The Grand Union: Accidental Anarchists of Downtown Dance, 1970-1976‍ ‍by Wendy Perron

Focusing on the downtown improvisation collective that grew out of Yvonne Rainer's work.

Through the Eyes of a Dancer; Selected Writings by Wendy Perron

Selected writings over 40 years

Care-full Creativity in Theatre and Dance Education: Consent-Forward, Trauma-Informed, Psychologically Safe Movement Pedagogy by Nicole Perry 

This book brings together theories and tools of consent-forward, trauma-informed, and psychologically safe pedagogies and pedagogies of care, specifically for dance and movement teachers. It begins with power assessments for educators, then offers insights on the ripple effects of those powers in the classroom on students’ consent, agency, and psychological well-being. Each chapter includes reflective prompts for educators to examine their current classroom practices, as well as imagine new possibilities. Specifically in the second half of the book, chapters include multiple tools and/or templates for movement educators to use in incorporating new pedagogic practices into their classroom, including their syllabus, class design, and assessment. Reminders of the big ideas or highlight concepts conclude each chapter. Care-full Creativity in Theatre and Dance Education is written for dance and movement educators as they develop consent-forward, trauma-informed, psychologically safe classrooms, rehearsals, and studio spaces.

Pre-Ballet: The Piantaggini Method by Amy Piantaggini 

Book overview:Pre-Ballet: The Piantaggini Method is for teaching artists who educate young children. It includes syllabi and suggested playlists for the following classes:Dance for Ones with Grown-Up, Dance for Twos and Threes with Grown-Up, Dance for 3s & 4s Independent, Pre-Ballet for Pre-K, Pre-Ballet for Kindergarteners

“Branching Out: Oral Histories of the Founders of Six National Dance  Organizations” by Katja Pylyshenko Kolcio, Margot C. Lehman and Marilynn Danitz 

Branching Out: Oral Histories of the Founders of Six National Dance Organizations was written by Margot C. Lehman and Marilynn Danitz (both former ADG Presidents) and Katja Pylyshenko Kolcio. It contains stories of the Guild and organizations that emerged from it through interviews with the radical educators and artists who founded these seminal associations.

Empowered Aging: Everyday Yoga Practices for Bone Health, Strength and Balance by Ellen Saltonstall 

This book provides professional guidance, gentle adaptations and compassionate support to improve your bone health, strength and balance for an active lifestyle at any age.

The Bodymind Ballwork Method by Ellen Saltonstall

The theory and practice of a pioneering method to help you move with ease, release tension, and relieve chronic pain.

Anatomy and Yoga: A Guide for Teachers and Students by Ellen Saltonstall

This is a user-friendly guide to the biomechanical human body, with practical applications to yoga and any type of exercise. There are chapters on each part of the body, presenting the bones and soft tissue structures, with illustrations, innovative exercises and study questions for review.

Dancing with Georges Perec: Embodying Oulipo‍ ‍by Leslie Satin 

Dancing with Georges Perec is an interdisciplinary exploration of the relationship of dance to the life and work of the remarkable Parisian-Jewish writer, Georges Perec (1936-1982). The bookaddresses art-making parallels of dance, writing (especially Oulipo, the Workshop for Potential Literature), and other fields, as well as their sociocultural and personal contexts. These include Perec's childhood loss of his parents in the Holocaust and the repercussions of that loss in the significance of the body, everydayness, space, and attention permeating his work. Dancing, framed as a performative autobiographical enactment of the author's relationship to Perec,offersSatin's dancerly experience of reading his work.

Dance We Do by Ntozake Shange

In her first posthumous work, the revered poet crafts a personal history of Black dance and captures the careers of legendary dancers along with her own rhythmic beginnings. Many learned of Ntozake Shange’s ability to blend movement with words when her acclaimed choreopoem for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf made its way to Broadway in 1976, eventually winning an Obie Award the following year. But before she found fame as a writer, poet, performer, dancer, and storyteller, she was an untrained student who found her footing in others’ classrooms. Dance We Do is a tribute to those who taught her and her passion for rhythm, movement, and dance. After 20 years of research, writing, and devotion, Ntozake Shange tells her history of Black dance through a series of portraits of the dancers who trained her, moved with her, and inspired her to share the power of the Black body with her audience. Shange celebrates and honors the contributions of the often unrecognized pioneers who continued the path Katherine Dunham paved through the twentieth century. Dance We Do features a stunning photo insert along with personal interviews with Mickey Davidson, Halifu Osumare, Camille Brown, and Dianne McIntyre. In what is now one of her final works, Ntozake Shange welcomes the reader into the world she loved best.

Dynamic Bodies: A Framework for Somatic Engagement in Dance and Movement by Elizabeth Shea 

Movement plays a fundamental role in human life, shaping how we think, communicate, and engage with ourselves and our surroundings. Somatic practice, which focuses on deepening the relationship between body and mind, offers a framework for understanding the human experience. This book examines the theoretical foundations of somatics and introduces SomaLab®, a system designed to support integrated mind-body learning. The book contextualizes somatic experience by exploring how humans learn, regulate, and respond to different environments. Practical applications—designed across educational, artistic, and community contexts—are offered for dancers, musicians, and others who use movement as a means of expression, interaction, or connection.

Putting My Heels Down by Kara Tatelbaum 

“If your father practiced medicine the way you dance, he’d be under a million lawsuits.” That’s what Miss Lorraine used to tell Kara as a young dancer in between yelling, “Put your heels down!” In dance, criticism is considered a compliment, so as a young dancer with short Achilles tendons, tight hamstrings, and knobby knees she fancied herself a star. Thirty years of leotards and tights later, she had to face some hard truths. Maybe she wasn’t a dancer after all. After graduating from a top conservatory and embarking on her Martha Graham dreams, Kara reluctantly chose to teach Pilates to pay the bills. After initially failing her certification thanks to a nasty margarita hangover, she became one of the most sought after Pilates instructors in Manhattan. She cracked herself up, with what could only be described as Pilates stand-up, poking fun at high maintenance clients and gym culture. But, after hitting many unexpected speed bumps in her dance career, what started as a nothing day job had become her everything. And it wasn’t funny anymore. Underneath that peppy six-pack Pilates persona was a sad little girl fighting for her dream. Putting My Heels Down exposes the harsh realities of life as a dancer but more importantly, the conflict so many of us experience between having a day job and having a dream. You won’t need to know about pliés to relate. https://a.co/d/0iOsk8Br

THE SWANS OF HARLEM by Karen Valby 

The story of five black ballerinas who helped found The Dance Theatre of Harlem. Their Sisterhood and experiences and dedication to each other through the years.

The Martha Graham Dance Company: House of the Pelvic Truth by Blakeley White-McGuire 

What is the legacy of Martha Graham and why does it endure? How and why did the philosophy and subsequent canon of Martha Graham flood out into an artistic diaspora that is still a wellspring of inspiration for contemporary artists? How do dancers that have never studied with, or worked under, Martha Graham maintain her vision? All of these questions, and many more, are considered in this fascinating book, authored by one of the Martha Graham Company's ex-principal dancers, which illuminates the ongoing significance of the Martha Graham Dance Company almost 100 years after it was founded. Through doing so, we are offered a study of the history of the Martha Graham Dance Company - the longest-standing modern dance company in America, its international diaspora and the current generation of dancers taking up the mantel. Drawing on extensive interviews conducted for the book, the company's story is told through the experiences, inspirations, motivations and words of performers from Graham's iconic artistic lineage.

Resources

Terpsikon Vol. I , Fundamental sequences of Martha Graham’s technique‍ ‍created and written by Christine Dakin, former principal dancer and Artistic Director of the Martha Graham Dance Company. She shares her deep knowledge of Graham’s revolutionary technique through dancers’ bodies, original music, visual metaphor and her poetic and practical commentary. The dancers and musicians, Mexican and American professionals trained in Graham’s technique and in traditional dance forms, show the rigor, beauty at the heart of Martha Graham’s dance and its connection to other arts and to the natural world. The Terpsikon is an invaluable resource for teachers, students, and performers and for anyone interested in the creative life, and a deeper knowledge of Martha Graham’s technique. Available in English and Spanish. https://christinedakin.com

New Dance Group Gala: Historical Concert Retrospective 1930s-1970s (physical and digital copy) 

A compelling historical concert retrospective celebrating the New Dance Group’s groundbreaking legacy. Featuring 18 recreated works and excerpts by influential choreographers such as Pearl Primus, Anna Sokolow, Charles Weidman, and Talley Beatty, the film highlights socially conscious modern dance from the 1930s–1970s, preserving powerful performances and interviews with artists and reconstructors

The EYE ON DANCE Archive, created and produced by Celia Ipiotis and Jeff Bush, contains vast primary source videos and print resources.  Designated an "Irreplaceable National Dance Treasure" by the Dance Heritage Coalition, EOD aired on PBS from 1981-2004 and celebrates its 45th Anniversary. The archive holds America's dance DNA captured in an era defined by AIDS, unabashed idealists and trailblazers.  A vital educational resource, The EOD website also produces cultural reviews and commentary through the EYE ON THE ARTS and the EOD Video Tributes sections.

The American Dance Guild presents the

2026 Dance Book Fair

Sunday, March 29, 2026 from 2–6p.m. at Peridance Center in NYC

The American Dance Guild celebrates dance literature, featuring 57 authors and 63 books that explore dance history, technique, novels, biographies, anatomy, philosophy, pedagogy, children’s books, choreography and research.