QuickStart to Social Dancing: An Easy-To-Follow Guide for Beginners

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 d

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!

Ballroom or Social Dancing including the Latin and Swing dances are based on the ability of a man and a woman to move together as a dance couple in a response to music. Those who wish to be dance partners must learn many physical skills. It is like a rethinking and redevelopment of known individual movements to create harmony as a dance couple. After carefully reading Jeff Allen's book Quickstart to Social Dancing, I quickly realized how special this book is and what a wonderful job he did in developing the vital components of the aforementioned types of dancing. As the reader of this book goes through the developmental movement lessons they could, at a cursory glance, believe that they already know how to do them. They would be correct from their own individual point of view but certainly NOT as a dance couple. One of the things I have learned in my many years of teaching, and as an observer to the teaching of countless students, is their first instincts to partner one another are ALWAYS selfish. One of the refreshing ideas Mr. Allen uses is to take what we absolutely know how to do and use these physical analogies to develop the necessary beginning skills of the social dancer. With these established components, the beginner has a very good chance of becoming a very good ballroom, Latin, or swing dancer. I have scrutinized several of the more popular books out on the market that concern themselves with an overview of ballroom dancing and have been very harsh in my criticisms when there has been repeated and glaring errors. I am willing to say emphatically and without fear of contradiction Mr. Allen's seem to be the only of those without gross technical and teaching error based on any of the curriculum standards set forth by the major dance societies in the USA. I also want to emphasize that I make these statements without any special interest or financial gain attached to the books where you see my reviews. In the various ballroom, Latin, and swing dances the beginner will soon want to use rotational figures. The ability to rotate particularly with a dance partner is first based on the dancer's ability to move accurately and correctly. In the original books written in England at the beginning of the 20th century, the authors and developers of the correct standards of dance knew how important walking skills in rhythm, along with the proper and accommodating footwork, were to ballroom dancing. Not until Quickstart to Social Dancing has a text about this topic treated the basic walk for Foxtrot and Waltz along with the all-important chassé for the Merengue, Swing, and Cha-cha, adequately. It seems that other authors miss the mark when they fail to instruct their readers about the closing action; its timing, and when to release the next foot. Mr. Allen gives these a serious but fun filled treatment so that later on in the dancer's experience the bad habits or inability to close the feet while

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 [email protected] if anyone would like to converse further about Jeff's excellent books and teaching. I encourage you to do so.

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.