Years in production, Ballroom Icons was the vision of Brigitt Mayer-Karakis, who believed it was vital to record the history of ballroom dancing before it disappeared with the legendary figures who were part of it. Brigitt embarked on a journey to record the stories of these influential leaders before their stories were lost with them. She was able to talk with such dance legends as Bill Irvine, Len Colyer, and Harry Smith-Hampshire before they passed away. The result is a fascinating book, a journey through the entire history of ballroom dancing from its early days until today. You'll meet Vernon and Irene Castle, and learn about their worldwide impact on dance. You'll see how various icons laid the foundations of Latin dancing, how others used their love of the Standard dances to create new impetus for competition, transforming competitive dance forms through passionate demonstrations of how they should be danced! Ballroom Icons explores the trials and challenges faced by early teachers. You'll learn how a number of great teachers painstakingly wrote down every step in every dance to ensure that people around the world could dance the same way. You'll discover the relationships that led to the building of the legendary champions we talk about and admire to this day. Use the menu at left to explore what's inside this book in more detail, including the ability to read some of its pages for yourself. |