Tanzen lernen

Learning to Dance is aimed at both the casual dancer and the ambitious recreational athlete. Beginners can learn their first steps through self-study with the help of the book, while graduates of dance courses can review the steps they have learned and acquire additional figures. The book begins with a brief insight into the history of dance—different dance forms are presented, and the development of social dances is described in an entertaining manner. The main part focuses on the practice of standard dances and Latin American dances. Initially, there is a general section on execution and technique for each dance. Here, explanations of the respective dance posture and foot technique, as well as descriptions of basic movements, can be found. This is followed by dedicated sections for the standard dances: slow waltz, tango, Viennese waltz, slow fox, and foxtrot, as well as quickstep, and for the Latin American dances: samba, cha-cha-cha, rumba, paso doble, and jive. Each dance starts with a brief introduction, followed by several figures. Both the ladies' and gentlemen's steps are presented in tabular form, indicating rhythm, degrees of turn, and technical notes, along with tips for leading or executing the respective figures. In addition to photos illustrating the dance, the sequences to be danced are explained through step graphics showing foot positions. In the subsequent section on social dances, discofox and salsa are briefly introduced, with explanations of the respective basic steps and simple figures. The dances are again supplemented with photos and illustrations. The appendix includes information on dance music, dance schools, dance sport clubs and associations, as well as an overview of dance-related technical terms.