Quickstart to Social Dancing

Rating:
Summary: Finally ! A book on dancing I can recommend to non-dancers
Review: Finally ! An instructional book on dancing that I can recommend to my non-dancing friends who are interested in getting started, but not sure if they want to commit to dance lessons. Quickstart To Social Dancing is easy to read, and full of information for the beginner dancer or those that have an 'occasion' coming up that includes a dance floor. Unlike many of the 'how to dance' book that are out there, Quickstart To Social Dancing does not deluge the reader with patterns and footprints that are intimidating to any beginner. As a competitive dancer, I found the physical analogies used to describe proper technique enjoyable and extremely accurate, and my instructor agreed whole heartily! Quickstart To Social Dancing provides an excellent foundation for 6 dances - Foxtrot, Waltz, Rumba, Merengue, Cha Cha and Swing - with an easy to understand presentation of the basics and fundamental choreography for each dance. The book includes a special section for wedding couples that contains some excellent suggestions and tips. This book has something to offer dancers of all levels and makes my holiday shopping a breeze this year! My congratulations and thank you to Mr. Allen - I am looking forward to reading the next book in the Quickstart series.

Rating:
Summary: Complete & Comprehensive for Your Beginning
Review: I am an Orthopedic Surgeon and my wife is an RN who specializes in operating room procedures. My first experience with the book Quickstart to Social Dancing came in 1997 with the first edition that I understand has since sold out. We were getting married at that time and were faced with the scary prospects of having to dance at our wedding! A Sunday dance class was publicized through our hospital offered that suited our schedules - we jumped at the chance. The teacher (a well known professional) did something that was very interesting, he distributed copies of Quickstart to Social Dancing to all our new classmates. We were told that just like our schooling, "We would have a teacher and a text book." In addition he said, "You will soon find that learning to social dance and partner each other is generally an awakening because of its many misconceptions and fears. Mr. Allen does the very best job of dispelling these fears and presents a simple, concise, and cumulative approach to social dancing in his book that has previously been written!"

It is my intention here to echo these statements! We return to this website from time to time to order this and his other books both as gifts for my friends and for ourselves. This time we were going to order his book, Quickstart to Tango. We already own Quickstart to Swing and agree with those who have heralded this book as the most comprehensive book ever written about Swing dancing.

Quickstart to Social Dancing in it of itself, will definitely provide the most basic of dance choreography to allow for the beginner to learn by themselves - I have no doubt of this!! No couple, ENGAGED to be married, should be without this text! It is a great resource for wedding dancing but more importantly a complete resource for simple and wonderful dancing with a partner with the basics in the six major dances. We continue with dance lessons since our fearful beginning and understand more fully with admiration for Mr. Allen as to the choice of the choreography used in this primer. An example is the Foxtrot. In some texts, for example "Shall We Dance," by Manine Rosa Golden a step known to me as the progressive basic is used as its Foxtrot fundamental leaving the beginner at a total loss for turning corners and proceeding around the dance floor. To make these much needed change of directions the new dancer needs at least two or three more step patterns necessitating much more explanation. The idea of simplicity therefore goes right out the window!

The development of the box step and then at the end of the book in the section called, "Additional Dance Steps," where the explanations of the turning the box and making the box travel are given become useful for the Waltz and Rumba as well as the Foxtrot. Here you quickly realize that dance patterns are interchangeable amongst dances leaving the new dancer free to practice and execute with competence the timing and movement with partner each of the individual dances. This makes the word "Quickstart," a terrific study in comprehensive development of social dancing as well as a great marketing device that more dance instructors should use called, "Value Added," for their customers.

One of the first things I took issue with this book was the lack of, "Footprints on the floor illustrations." I asked my teacher and his response was firm and funny. Following footprints on the floor is like playing a game of "Twister," that is meant to produce awkward and robotically produced movement. The teacher actually demonstrated this type of movement and we all laughed - He also said he applauded Mr. Allen for not giving in to the notion that dance steps are just movements of the feet. We soon read that, "Dancing was the movement of the body directionally, and our feet were meant to accommodate and support that movement." Our teacher said Dance Pros everywhere have departed from the footprint idea because they become complex very quickly and change dancing from a physical pursuit to an intellectual one.

Quickstart to Social Dancing covers the beginning of the Latin Dances - Rumba, Merengue, and the "Hottest," old new dance the Cha-cha (You'll be able to dance to Smooth, I Need to Know, Dance With Me, and Let's Get Loud.). Mr. Allen makes an excellent comparison to the differences between the leg action and foot usage of a Latin dance as compared to a progressive dance. Until you have danced for a while you'll never know how useful the directions of keeping the unsupported knee higher than supported knee are.

There are fabulous tidbits of dance instruction throughout the book especially when you get to the section on Swing dancing. We have noticed that many beginners in the past few years have learned to dance the basic four or five figures shown in the Swing in a top heavy style - rather than the non- yanking pulling smooth methods you'll find in Quickstart to Social and then the 100 or more dance patterns you'll find in his book Quickstart to Swing.

Well I hope with my limited three years of dance experience I have wetted your appetite to discover the many gems that are included in this book - many that you'll not find elsewhere. They have certainly helped our dancing and put us on the correct path to the great enjoyment we have had!

Rating:
Summary: For ALL Levels of Dance
Review: I believe that this book creates a great foundation for beginning dancers. The basics are detailed in a fun easy to read manor for all learning levels. My belief is that a strong foundation makes the dancer, no matter what level the hope to attain. This book will give the student the introduction that everyone should have before taking their first steps. Quickstart program has all the needed ideas that every dancer needs to reflect on through out their learning experience. I have found that with beginning dancers this is a great book to use to reinforce the ideas learned in a class. Many people learn better with the reinforcement of the written word. This book is loaded with the skills and knowledge that only some one of Mr. Allen's years of experience could put forth. This book is an A++, and a must have for all.

Rating:
Summary: Only Hours Away from a Fun Filled Latin/Merengue Night
Review: I bought this book based on the strong recommendation from a previous reviewer who heralded joy and success they had dancing the Merengue. They were absolutely on the money!! It was simple, so very simple, to follow the basic body movements with the accommodating and accompanying foot placements. The book was certainly cheaper than even a group class but more importantly much more convenient. The author, Jeff Allen, correctly states in the book, "read my book aloud and you have the feeling of having me right in the room with you." We already owned the all time favorite party song Hot, Hot, Hot, the author suggested to use as our first Merengue and once we caught on the rest of the evening was spent with Merengue and Sangria. Thanks for the instructive review and of course to Jeff Allen's book Quickstart to Social Dancing!

Rating:
Summary: Only Hours Away from a Fun Filled Latin/Merengue Night
Review: I bought this book based on the strong recommendation from a previous reviewer who heralded joy and success they had dancing the Merengue. They were absolutely on the money!! It was simple, so very simple, to follow the basic body movements with the accommodating and accompanying foot placements. The book was certainly cheaper than even a group class but more importantly much more convenient. The author, Jeff Allen, correctly states in the book, "read my book aloud and you have the feeling of having me right in the room with you." We already owned the all time favorite party song Hot, Hot, Hot, the author suggested to use as our first Merengue and once we caught on the rest of the evening was spent with Merengue and Sangria. Thanks for the instructive review and of course to Jeff Allen's book Quickstart to Social Dancing!

Rating:
Summary: Out of step
Review: I bought this book, the VHS tape "Bring Back the Romance of Dance" and have taken introductory ballroom dance classes locally with my wife. The tape instruction and the local instruction matched perfectly. This book, Quickstart to Social Dancing, has a nice introduction then finally begins with foxtrot instruction on page 47. This is where I downgrade the book. The foxtrot half box steps suggested in this book do not even come close to matching the tape foxtrot instructions or the instruction in our local dance classes. One would think that a dance like the foxtrot would have universally recognized steps. I fault the book for not mentioning that their instruction is different.

It is my conclusion to learning to dance takes practice, practice, practice. No matter. Learning to dance is fun.

Rating:
Summary: Oh YES !
Review: I have been an avid Ballroom dancer for about four years. As a social and competitive dancer I am frequently asked by for recommendations from my 'non-dancing' friends. I am very happy to relate a recent success story for which Quickstart To Social Dancing is responsible. Two friends of mine were invited to wedding scheduled for May 13, 2000. They received the invitation about 4 weeks prior and asked me what they should do for dance instruction. This is a couple who had tried the books filled with footprint patterns, and the group classes at the Y, as well as the "special offers" from some studios - they were all unsuccessful endeavors and left the gentlemen believing that dance was something completely foreign and unattainable to the average male. I suggested they try Quickstart To Social Dancing and offered them my copy to try. I received a phone call from them inviting me to a local club about 3 weeks later and was dying of curiosity as to how the were doing! My curiosity was satisfied almost immediately. The DJ started with a Foxtrot, then a Rumba, then a Swing - and my friends were on the dance floor dancing for all three songs! When they returned to the table I was speechless and very happy for them, as they were obviously quite pleased with themselves. The gentlemen thanked me profusely for lending them my Quickstart To Social Dancing, and gave me back my book because they had purchased their own copy. He told me this was the first dance book or lesson that had made sense to him. Author Jeff Allen uses "real world" physical references that my friend could relate to which helped him take the "mystery" out of dancing. "Quickstart To Social Dancing", he said," helped me realize that dancing comes out of natural movement based on things we do everyday, not some stiff, artificial robot movement." My friend then asked me to Waltz and it was more satisfying than many I've danced with "experienced" competitive dancers. This couple called me after the wedding to report they were the "belles of the ball" at the wedding reception and recommended this book to number of other couples! I usually do not participate in this type of forum, but I felt it was important for readers to be aware of good resources for beginning to learn to dance. Just as when you build a house, a good foundation is the best start. I think it is unfortunate that this forum is often used by "anonymous" unscrupulous types to promote their own or someone else's works by appearing to pan another's. Please feel free to email me with any questions. Although the couple I refer to does not have an email address, they gave me permission to give out their snail mail address to anyone with any questions

Rating:
Summary: Good Enough For Totally Clueless
Review: I highly recommend this book if you are a ballroom dancing virgin. The author truly does a good job of introducing a beginner to ballroom dancing. He will dispell all of your fears about ballroom dancing. So, this book is helpful on a psychological level. I, however, expected more from the book. I hoped that the book would also provide detailed choreography or dance steps for each type of ballroom dancing.

Rating:
Summary: Passionate About This Book
Review: I learned of Quickstart to Social Dancing on an info call to a dance studio. The teacher said that he and many other teachers across the USA are using this text and its methods as the best way to introduce all the basic movement skills and basic steps to their students. His experience was that upon not just reading but working with this "how to," book the new students had an accelerated learning curve of about 7 times. Many of them were coming to their first class well informed and already exhibiting dance skills.

The teacher continued to say that "The writer, Jeff Allen, is a highly skilled and inovative teacher and using his book was like taking his beginner course."

I couldn't agree more. The skills that have been learned and their sequence as found in Quickstart to Social Dancing has made dancing easy for me!

Rating:
Summary: Quicker Starts - I've seen results!
Review: I must speak up. I have read this book and highly recommend it. On the surface it may seem over-simplified and to some unknowledgeable readers too light and full of things they "already know", when in fact, it is meaty material about HOW TO DANCE that noone has ever explained so simply before!

If you truly read this book and keep it as your Bible, you will find that it prepares you well for a life of enjoying dance and will continually offer you reference when your own attempts at a new dance step or technique fail you. Jeff Allen's method and approach to teaching dance is so logical (and revolutionary) that one has to wonder "Why did I waste my time in all those dance classes?" We all need lessons in life and this handbook makes the dance student a better student and the dance teacher a better teacher.

I have seen talented young teachers take a class of beginners and others who thought they knew how to dance and walk them up and down the staircase outside my studio (an exercise right out of Jeff Allen's book) only to find them appreciating exactly what it takes to achieve good dance movement! These students are truly getting a Quicker Start to better dance movement - a great title for a great little book!

Anyone wishing to contact me about this review or other Quickstart series books may do so by emailing [e-mail]

Sue Comparetto DANCE SPACE