Rating: 
Summary: My first book return to Amazon!
Review: I ordered this book from Amazon based on the raving reviews I had read on the site. What a disappointment! Not only does this book take the reader for a moron, but it is poorly written, poorly illustrated and overall very unprofessionally designed. It gives the impression that a student took notes while Mr. Allen was teaching and thought that was good enough for publication! I have been looking for a good book on social dancing, to no avail so far. I am used to software books that include a CD and such a presentation would seem a natural for a book on dancing. I could envision a book with a CD of clearly "tempoed" music, maybe with a few minutes of the teacher counting the beats at the beginning of each track. Is that so hard? Anyboday who wants to comment on this is welcome to e-mail me.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent How to Dance Book
Review: I'am a dance teacher from Texas where Swing is King! The introduction to Swing dancing and movement skills in general found in Quickstart to Social Dancing are outstanding. The leg actions taught are right on the money, teaching the student to acheive a great center of balance.We have plenty of Latin dancing down our way and I have been drawn in by these tantalizing rhythms. The basic development of Merengue, Rumba (makes Salsa very easy to learn since it's just quicker with many of the same steps), and Cha-cha presented in Quickstart are equally as good. I highly recommend this book and then move on to Mr. Allen comprehensive Swing book called Quickstart to Swing its a Swing dancers bible.
Rating: 
Summary: Something's very strange here...
Review: I'm looking for a book on dancing to fortify our beginner lessons, but the reviews for this book are useless and highly suspect. I've never seen a book that has either 5-star "it's the greatest ever" ratings or 1 star "it's the worst" rating, but NOTHING in between. Is there a political war going on between people who know the author? I'm curious if anyone has an OBJECTIVE review of the book?
Rating:
Summary: The PERFECT Book for Beginners
Review: Jeff Allen's Quickstart to Social Dancing text is perfectly worded to help a non-dancer become a dancer with FLAWLESS bronze level technique--exactly what the beginning dancer needs. Anyone who says otherwise is simply misinformed and ignorant as to what is truly involved in teaching dance. Jeff has created a real masterpiece with this book. That's why it's the best selling dance book in the world. Rather than just taking peoples money and putting them on the floor with nothing but a poorly executed boxstep, Jeff has actually make it easy to learn how to dance WELL. He makes a soild foundation for beginning dancers which will get them on the floor having fun, and gives them an excellent way to continue their education if they wish to do so. He stays true to the art of dance. This book is also perfect for those whom have already taken lessons and need to brush up on their technique. I got my start with Quickstart to Social Dancing only one year ago and I have the trophies and plaques to prove that Jeff's teaching methods are magnificient. His book speaks the gospel truth of dance and he personally backs up every word with logical reasoning. My e-mail address is WCSwing343@aol.com if anyone would like to converse further about Jeff's excellent books and teaching. I encourage you to do so.
Rating:
Summary: Very Excelent Book to begin with no mater what level you are
Review: Jeff's book was very educational. I am a beginner dancer and I found what he laid out in the book to be very easy to understand. I also found information within his book better detailed then what I have learned in some of my dance classes. I found it nice to be able to practice with information readably available incase I became confused. Learning the basics is scary but having this book close by was nice. I was afraid it would read like a tech. Manual and be very dry. Yet, I found Jeff's style of writing easy to follow and fun to read. I hope no matter what level you are at dancing that you pick up this book. If you do not find at least one or two things that you have never heard of in this book it would be shocking. Jeff gives a lot of information in an easy to follow format. An excellent book for all levels of dance.
Rating:
Summary: You Decide ¿ A Double Review
Review: My name is Diane Howard. I have been a dance instructor for over 10 years in the Northeast corridor. I take great exception to the negative reviews of Mr. Allen's book Quickstart to Social Dancing, especially in comparison to another book that I own by Mr. Stephenson called The Complete Book of Ballroom Dancing. Here is why: 1. Quickstart guides the beginner and helps develop the most important basic dance skills in systematic and incremental fashion. Foundational skills like correct postural movement with a partner, rhythmic movement, and leg action both for the smooth, swing, and Latin dances are wonderfully described in Quickstart. They are either completely omitted or where included, erroneously described the so-called Complete Book! 2. Quickstart guides you through a primary development with easy to use physical instructions and analogies with a direct goal in mind. That goal is to be able to dance, WITHOUT ERROR, the most fundamental patterns in six major social dances. The Complete Book starts at stages beyond the beginner with a syllabus that assumes that a dance couple already KNOWS HOW to move together. They do not and will not simply by reading a syllabus, all competent dance instructors know this! 3. Quickstart does a terrific job in addressing these primary and necessary functions. The Complete Book leaves you to your own devices. 4. The Complete Book designed for the next stage of dancing, diversity in patterns, unfortunately is laden with serious error that the beginner would certainly not be aware of in their attempt to follow its syllabus. Quickstart does not pretend to be more than it is, simply the best guide for the beginning stages of your social dance experience. Perhaps these are the reasons why Quickstart to Social Dancing seems to be applauded by dance professionals and others who are willing to provide their names and email addresses for correspondence. I know I recommend it to students and teachers alike. By contrast, you cannot contact even one negative reviewer of Mr. Allen's books nor can you find any reviews by competent dance professionals on the back cover or web page of Mr. Stephenson's book. In his book, Mr. Allen provides you with his contact information for questions and further help. Mr. Stephenson's book leaves none and suggests that you go elsewhere. You decide!
Rating:
Summary: Don't Begin Dancing Without This Book!
Review: Quickstart Social Dancing is one terrific book! Let's face it most of us try to dance together while avoiding each other. No one wants to step on anyone's toes. We've all been through it and we know it doesn't work. I've been to classes where teachers start with dance steps that looked fine when we're by ourselves but fail miserably when they put us together. When we try this at a nightclub where hunched over doin' the big squeeze and still trying to avoid each other. Simply stated here are the nuts and bolts of ballroom dancing and more importantly how they fit together. Mr. Allen deserves great deal of credit and putting together this new unique system as an effective means to begin dancing with another person. The book is so simple year ego is likely to say is too easy I can already do this. A much closer rendering will demonstrate there are vital tools via this technique. Thank you for this wonderful dance resource I highly recommended to everyone!
Rating:
Summary: Don't Begin Dancing Without This Book!
Review: Quickstart Social Dancing is one terrific book! Let's face it most of us try to dance together while avoiding each other. No one wants to step on anyone's toes. We've all been through it and we know it doesn't work. I've been to classes where teachers start with dance steps that looked fine when we're by ourselves but fail miserably when they put us together. When we try this at a nightclub where hunched over doin' the big squeeze and still trying to avoid each other. Simply stated here are the nuts and bolts of ballroom dancing and more importantly how they fit together. Mr. Allen deserves great deal of credit and putting together this new unique system as an effective means to begin dancing with another person. The book is so simple year ego is likely to say is too easy I can already do this. A much closer rendering will demonstrate there are vital tools via this technique. Thank you for this wonderful dance resource I highly recommended to everyone!
Rating:
Summary: Nuts & Bolts More Important Than Pictures!
Review: Quickstart to Social Dancing is a great book! The contents are so clearly stated, the descriptions and the analogies are so vivid, that pictures are not necessary. This book is about what it takes to dance and what preparations are necessary. The book sets forth some physical challenges to the reader required to achieve the minimum standards of ballroom dancing - basically, how to move with a partner. Believe me you do not need pictures of qualitative movement or standing up straight. I'm quite sure that a picture cannot reveal the amount of floor pressure that is required to establish rhythm - but clear descriptions can. A picture cannot reveal effort or force - but descriptions can. The book unravels the non-dancers preconceive notions of social dancing and sets the record straight. From there in a wonderfully conceived and remarkably simple cumulative approach the author helps you develop, the basic steps in six major dances in a way you CANNOT MISS! Just get up of your seat and do what the instructions tell you to do. If you have a mirror in your home and a 9 foot by 5 foot area to practice you'll have everything you need to begin a wonderful time with social ballroom dancing. There is also wonderful and indispensable information for those preparing for a future wedding. I heartily recommend you buy this book. It contents improves any video you may purchase or any group class you may attend.
Rating:
Summary: Nuts & Bolts More Important Than Pictures!
Review: Quickstart to Social Dancing is a great book! The contents are so clearly stated, the descriptions and the analogies are so vivid, that pictures are not necessary. This book is about what it takes to dance and what preparations are necessary. The book sets forth some physical challenges to the reader required to achieve the minimum standards of ballroom dancing - basically, how to move with a partner. Believe me you do not need pictures of qualitative movement or standing up straight. I'm quite sure that a picture cannot reveal the amount of floor pressure that is required to establish rhythm - but clear descriptions can. A picture cannot reveal effort or force - but descriptions can. The book unravels the non-dancers preconceive notions of social dancing and sets the record straight. From there in a wonderfully conceived and remarkably simple cumulative approach the author helps you develop, the basic steps in six major dances in a way you CANNOT MISS! Just get up of your seat and do what the instructions tell you to do. If you have a mirror in your home and a 9 foot by 5 foot area to practice you'll have everything you need to begin a wonderful time with social ballroom dancing. There is also wonderful and indispensable information for those preparing for a future wedding. I heartily recommend you buy this book. It contents improves any video you may purchase or any group class you may attend.
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