If the saying "To be the best, you must learn from the best" holds true, then this book is gold for all aspiring dancers.

Dance Composition Basics, Second Edition, doesn't just feature the works and brilliance of dance and choreographic legends Alonzo King and Dwight Rhoden--it is completely based on the choreographic operations and forms in three of their original works: Chants and Dreamer by King and Verge by Rhoden. All compositional exercises in the book are based on those three works, and the book itself is expertly crafted by Pamela Anderson Sofras, who has 34 years of experience teaching dance at the university level.

Dance Composition Basics, designed for beginning dance composition courses, introduces dancers to choreography through a series of problem-solving activities. The activities are starting points for novice dancers to embark on their own attempts at choreography.

Useful Tools
The book offers several useful tools for instructors:

27 lesson plans that draw from and highlight selected portions of original compositions by King and Rhoden
33 reproducible assessment and self-evaluation forms
An instructor guide that includes a sample course syllabus plus written exams for each chapter
PowerPoint presentations to guide students through each lesson
A web resource featuring online videos that are closely tied to the lesson plans and provide a richer learning experience for students; students can access this resource inside or outside of class

Highly Valuable Video Resource
The videos give students access to Alonzo King and Dwight Rhoden, highly successful and respected choreographers, who share their processes and techniques. Many video clips show the choreographers working on the same movement concepts featured in the corresponding lesson. Students will see the choreographers in action with professional dancers as they develop the movement material for each dance. Because students get to see the choreographers and dancers struggling with the same creative concepts they have been assigned, these clips add tremendous value to Dance Composition.