This cornerstone of the World of Art series is a succinct, vivid and authoritative guide to the rich history of western dance in all its incarnations from 16th-century court ballet to the genre-shattering contortions of 21st-century theatrical dance. Updated for the new millennium to feature the latest styles, performers and technology, this third edition reaffirms its status as the essential introduction to the subject.

Susan Au is a freelance writer and dance historian. She is a contributor to The International Encyclopedia of Dance and was the American consultant for The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Ballet.

Introduction (new, by JR)
1. A Most Obedient Servant
2. The Rise of Professionalism
3. The Development of the Ballet d'Action
4. Ascent and Descent
5. Crystallization and Ferment in Russia
6. First Steps towards a New Form
7. 'Astonish Me'
8. Truly Modern
9. The Decentralization of Ballet
10. The Metamorphosis of Growth
11. A Time of Growth
12. Moving into the New Millennium (revised and extended by JR)
Endmatter.

“Will be of benefit to all dance lovers.”
--Backstage