Rating: 
Summary: Work with IT, We Do ¿ Quickstart to Swing is Brilliant!
Review: Quickstart to Swing is 2nd of the Quickstart Series Books that we own. The first is Quickstart to Social Dancing that my new bride and I used for our wedding dance. One of the dances taught in "QtoSD" was the East Coast Swing so this became the rhythm of our choice when we started working with Quickstart to Swing. Like any how-to book, you do not just start reading it you work with it a little at a time. Our goal was to get through the first two lessons for our wedding day and our honeymoon cruise. We were able to do this by patiently working with each other as solos and as a couple. Each step has the technique, an overview, and the step & movement directions. As if this isn't enough, there is virtually a second book within Quickstart to Swing called "The Technique." You could call this section the problem solver or everything you ever needed to know about Swing dancing! At the ship's nightclub, there were couples dancing to the Swing orchestra - we wondered if some of them were at war with each other? Yanking and pulling, holding on to each other by the fingernails to stop from falling apart with rocking back and forth using their shoulders as an imitation to Swing dancing. The faster the music got the worse they got and some of it looked dangerous. We're from New York and this looked like a reenactment of the Millennium party we attended where we decided to really learn how to Swing dance without trauma. Two physical directions that Mr. Allen uses were incredibly helpful to us - unbelievably the letter "U" and the letter "W" but since we are not supposed to spoil the plot in the review, will just tell you - they work. This book is like a cookbook for Swing dancing; you WILL go back to it over and over again. By Nakupwanda@aol.com
Rating: 
Summary: Great but learning to dance through a book is hard
Review: The content of the book was great. It contained just about every step you need to learn how to swing. I found it difficult though to learn how to dance from a book. I'm a hands on type of girl though. Otherwise to book was a big help.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Photos - great spirit - now learn to write!
Review: The photos and scope of this book are wonderful. I believe that Mr. Allen loves and knows Swing Dancing. Unfortunately, he does not know how to write a coherent English sentence! From the Introduction: "The eyes of the individual learning to dance are very deceptive we have learned that you only see the result of force and not what or even where is the generation of that force energy." Yikes! I think there is gold to be mined from this book, but be prepared to do some prospecting and dig deep.
Rating:
Summary: A comprehensive guide
Review: This "how-to" guide covers more moves and aspects of swing dancing than I knew existed - the most comprehensive swing dancing book I've seen. Should make a good learning tool or reference for anyone passionate about swing dancing.
Rating: 
Summary: Not as comprehensive as I had hoped it would be
Review: This book looked fantastic when I saw it here at Amazon. I was taking lessons to learn the Lindy-hop at the time, and looked forward to receiving such a highly-praised and apparently definitive reference to supplement my lessons. Unfortunately it has no information on any basic and essential Lindy moves like the Swing-out, Lindy-circle, or Charleston (although there is a variant of the Charleston illustrated, it's quite different from the low-and-close style needed in original 'Savoy-style' Lindy-hop moves). The book illustrates several allegedly-Lindy moves designed to 'help perfect your technique', but I personally found it somewhat useless as a reference. Despite an amateurish feel to the book (specifically the difficult-to-read layout, awkward writing style and low-res illustrations -- and at times it becomes apparent that the author has a "number of pages" quota to fill) it does contain several interesting sections on improving your technique, etiquette, as well as form-strengthening exercises. It could be a useful book for intermediate or advanced dancers, but beginners shouldn't expect to be able to learn a lot from it.
Rating:
Summary: A Remarkable Book for Swing Dancing!!!
Review: This book will be a wonderful addition to your library. Quickstart to Swing is completely dependable and void of any technical error! The author develops the dance for you with precision in a cumulative and consistent fashion. Regardless of your Swing dance exposures start at the beginning of this book so that you do not miss Mr. Allen's insights that create the framework for the rest of the dance and the book. He really wants you to work at the physical skills of rhythmic movement, partnering each other, and rotation (hugely important to Swing dancing) in addition to the "dance moves," insuring that your WILL be able to dance with a partner. Quickstart to Swing contains about 100 Swing dance patterns that are applicable to 4 rhythms. Once the reader becomes aware of his 2 beat unit method they will LOVE it! Dancers everywhere are beginning to use it as it allows for overlapping styles and split or interchangeable timings. BEGINNERS will love the unit method as it assigns exactly what they must do with their feet repeatedly to complete any Swing step, very innovative. Special Kudos go to Mr. Allen as he demonstrates great respect for the art of dance with his employment of technique in this book and to dancers everywhere by undertaking the difficult task of using gender non-specific language.
Rating:
Summary: You'll not find a better book about dancing!!
Review: This title says it all! Plenty of Swing choreography and insights into dancing and the dancer you'll not find elsewhere. I've read a lot of silly and jealous reviews about this wonderful book. What are these detractors thinking? Don't be deprived from reading and owning the best book on any form of partner dancing I've ever read and that's just about all of them. There are items within the content of the technique on just a page or two which are worth the value of this book. If your a capable teacher who wants his students to learn, retain, and grow make sure they purchase this book!!!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Depth of Knowledge - A Must for all Swingers
Review: We bought this book after our great experience with Allen's - The Complete Idiot's Guide to Ballroom Dancing which we found to be excellent. Since we have become infatuated with Swing dancing, we decided to buy Quickstart to Swing. The variety of music available that you can dance Swing to is endless. WOW! Leading, Following, Rotation, Timing, Body and Foot Positions, are just some of the topics. It is unbelievable how he explains how one thing affects another and then how to improve. Four rhythms are offered for each dance step and tons of technique for each style of Swing. We love using the great index to research any topic on the dance. Caution read this book in small doses it is not a novel it is an instructional. If you're a beginner, just work the very basics as Allen explains the techniques and finish each lesson. Read the directions aloud to each other just as if you were in a class - it will all make sense quickly!
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Summary: TWO BOOKS in ONE ¿ THE VERY BEST on the MARKETPLACE!
Review: When reviewing any of the Quickstart Series I asked myself why are these books about social partner dancing, the only of this genre, that have been competently reviewed by outstanding professionals and important periodicals? The answer became apparent through the process of reviewing all of the most popular text to do with this topic, most of the others are loaded with so much technical error that a competent dance professional would tear a hole through their slick but inaccurate presentations! I do not find this problem with "Quickstart to Swing," in fact; Mr. Allen really attacks the technique of the Swing dancing with a partner and gives the reader many ways and directions to become a much, much better dancer. This the latest of his series really respects all communities of non-dancers and dancers alike as it is written in gender non-specific language, the way all good teachers in the more cosmopolitan areas are dealing with the general public. "Quickstart to Swing," has a unique approach to the overlapping choreography of the Single, Double - Jitterbug and Kick, and the all important and most popular Triple Rhythm known as the East Coast Swing. It is called the "Unit Method," that easily breaks all of these six count rhythms into THREE, two beat units. It really only takes a few minutes to get used to this approach and I personally found it a lot of fun as a workable perspective for counting. The writing style found in the choreographical section of the book is very conversational and similar to the presentation of an actual teacher. We found that when read aloud a non-dancer could actually deliver a very competent lesson - we chuckled and said, "Watch out this book could be too good making everyone a 'Swing Teacher!'" Among the hundred or so figures most of which having overlapping rhythm potential, there are also adaptations of figures from the Lindy Hop that are presented in a form that is well-matched for their inclusion in the other rhythms. This gives dancers a good taste of the potential for diversity and the general evolution of Swing. Throughout the choreographic section of the book are the cross references to important aspects applicable technique. This makes it so clear to the new dancer that it takes much more than just foot directions to be successful and really have fun! The hundreds of pictures in the text could have been a slightly higher resolution but are not a distraction, perhaps that is because each and everyone of them has a description as an overlay of it's outstanding depiction. My favorite section of the book is called "Quickstart to Swing: The Technique." It starts with a check-off list for success and then goes on in more detail topically than any other book or articles that I have ever seen written about Swing dancing. Topics included are: The Swing Rock; Exercises to create a rhythmic body and legs; How to do the various rhythms; The feet; Framing & handholds; How to lead & follow using arms, wrists, & hands; The composition of a dance step; Rotation & spin; Attitudes toward the mental and physical aspects of Swing dancing. My inclination is to tell you to run not walk to buy this book especially if you have any inclination to dance, take a lesson, or even teach the Swing. - by Dance reviewer@aol.com
Rating:
Summary: Tons of Gold, Platinum, & Pearls of Wisdom
Review: WOW what an extraordinary book!!! I learned Swing dancing by swaying my shoulders at the top like an upside down swing more like a metronome. I venture to say that millions of new Swingers have and continue to learn the same way. Then when it came to learn Triple Swing or Lindy Hop it was hopeless. Was I that bad or was there something really wrong with the way I was dancing? I read the reviews about Allen's book and they seemed to fall into two classes - The more successful dancers seemed to think it was the best thing since "sliced bread," the least experienced seem to be "nit pickers." Now I know why! If your Swing technique is wrong like mine was you could really resent this book and want to slam it that is of course unless you want to put in a little hard work and straighten it out! I loved dancing so I followed the technique from "Quickstart to Swing" literally from top to bottom and really found out that Swing is a fabulously powerful controlled rhythmic dance that never gives up balance or stability.
Not only was I able to finally master Triple Swing but also I leaned that earthy controlled center that Allen talks about and I am now competing on a Lindy Hop team. Without the mindset and body changes that this book revealed to me all my good athleticism was wasted in dance frustration! In addition to the description and technique of about 100 patterns for Swing dancing there is a second section in this book called "Quickstart to Swing the Technique." You will find solutions and ideas to fix and or improve the following: The Swing Rock, Rhythmic Body & Leg Movements, Usages of your feet, Framing & Handholds, Arms, Wrists, & Hands for Leading & Following, and a killer course on Rotation & Spin. All I can say is there is nothing but gold, platinum, & pearls of wisdom on every single page of this book. Don't miss the wealth. One more thing you don't read a how-to instructional, you get off your seat and use it like I did (and still do) and make the changes necessary to Jump, Jive, & Wail for a lifetime.
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