Research Catalog

Title

Physics and the art of dance : understanding movement / Kenneth Laws with Arleen Sugano ; photographs by Martha Swope & Gene Schiavone.

Author

Laws, Kenneth

Publication

Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2008.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

Sugano, Arleen

Description

xxi, 263 pages : illustrations; 25 cm

Subject

• Dance
• Ballet dancing
• Human mechanics

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references and index.

Local note

• AUTH: DICKINSON COLLEGE. GUIDEBOOK PROVIDES EXPLANATION & TECHNIQUES FOR DANCERS, ETC.

Contents

Introduction. Role of physical analysis -- Physics of dance -- Value of analysis to observers -- Value of analysis to dancers, teachers, and health professionals -- Communication : words, images, and photographs -- Balance. Condition for static balance -- Regaining balance -- Balance while rotating -- Final look -- Motions without turns. Acceleration from rest -- Motion in a curved path -- Stopping horizontal motion -- Vertical jumps -- Connections between horizontal and vertical motions -- Grand Jeté "floating" illusion -- Maximizing traveling leaps -- Landings from jumps -- Dance floors : elasticity and friction -- Final leap -- Pirouettes. Torque and rotational momentum in a pirouette -- Pirouettes en Dehors -- Another view of Pirouettes en Dehors -- Progression of Pirouettes en Dehors -- Pirouettes en Dedans -- Arabesque turn -- Illusion turn -- Grande Pirouette -- Fouetté turns -- Repeated pirouettes -- Final turn -- Turns in the air. Demi-fouette -- Tour jeté (grand jeté en tournant) -- Saut de basque and the turning assemblé -- Tour en l'air -- Final leap -- Pas de deux. History and appeal of the pas de deux -- Who's responsible for what? -- Physical interactions between partners -- Balance --Accelerating motions -- Final poses-- To the next step -- Mechanics of partnered turns. Starting a supported pirouette -- Balance during a supported pirouette -- Stopping rotation -- Other supported turns -- Final turn -- Mechanics of lifts. Straight lift -- Arabesque lift -- Overhead lifts -- Other lifts -- Catches -- Final thrust -- Effects of body size. Height of a vertical jump -- Entrechats -- Horizontal accelerations and body size -- Body size and pirouettes -- Adagio movements -- Body size and partnered dance -- Effects of body shape -- Final comparison -- Step into the future.

Call Number

*MGRT 19-2570

ISBN

• 9780195341010
• 0195341015

LCCN

• 2008022058
• 99932283336

OCLC

228676732

Author

Laws, Kenneth, author.

Title

Physics and the art of dance : understanding movement / Kenneth Laws with Arleen Sugano ; photographs by Martha Swope & Gene Schiavone.

Publisher

Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2008.

Edition

Second edition.

Type of Content

text

Type of Medium

unmediated

Type of Carrier

volume

Bibliography

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Summary

"In this second edition, author Kenneth Laws - a physicist with years of professional dance training - teams up with veteran dance instructor Arleen Sugano to provide new step-by-step experiments for dancers. "What You See" sections describe the way physical principles form the framework within which some movements exist. The complementary "What you Do" sections allow dancers to experience how those physical analyses can offer them a more efficient means of learning how to carry out those movements. Within the framework of easy-to-understand physical principles, the book shows how movements are, first, artistic expressions, and, second, movements of the body."

"Dancers and dance instructors will find in this book an efficient means of improving technical proficiency and growing professional and aesthetic development. For physics and science teachers, the book provides a new and compelling way to draw people into the world of science And observers and fans of dance will marvel over the beautiful time-stop photography by renowned dance photographers Martha Swope and Gene Schiavone."--Jacket.

Local Note

AUTH: DICKINSON COLLEGE. GUIDEBOOK PROVIDES EXPLANATION & TECHNIQUES FOR DANCERS, ETC.

Connect to:

Table of contents

Table of contents

Table of contents

Added Author

Sugano, Arleen.

Other Standard Identifier

99932283336

Research Call Number

*MGRT 19-2570