Dance Class: How to Waltz, Quick Step, Foxtrot, Tango, Samba, Salsa, Merengue, L

Explanations are very good. Pictures are plentiful and there are excellent tips for dancing and for appropriate music.Interesting paragraphs before introduction of each rhythmn are helpful and interesting.

Let me begin by saying I know very little about ballroom dancing, but like so many others, my wife and I have gotten somewhat interested thanks to the Dancing With the Stars craze that has become so popular. She has insisted that we take dance lessons and, not being one eager to embarrass myself publicly, I wanted to at least know some of the basics before going in. DANCE CLASS by Paul Bottomer seemed a good starting point.The book is broken into three different styles of dance; club dances which include the tango, the salsa and even line dancing (yuck), International Latin-American Dances which include such dances as the mamba and the paso doble, and finally International Standard Partner Dances such as the waltz and foxtrot. The lessons of each dance begins with an historical overview of the dance, its origin, evolution and intended flavor.For the sake of brevity, I will follow the outline of the Salsa. After the historical review is given, next you will find the Musical Count. This area is one of, what I feel are the books short comings. The rhythm is described quite well, but for me, the musical backdrop would have been better illustrated with simply giving me some popular song titles in that particular genre that I could reference to acquire the proper musical "feel". Again, I know very little about ballroom dancing, and some specific mucical scores would have helped.Next, the basic moves of the Salsa are explained as well as the proper holds. In the specific case of the Salsa, seventeen varying Salsa moves are explained both verbally and with detailed photos. In some cases, though not all, as not with the Salsa, there are accompanying foot diagrams. These are not always easy to follow, but should have been included with every dance.In summary, I'm not dissappointed with this book. It accomplished what I ment for it to and that is to move me to the next level where I feel comfortable enough to begin basic ballroom lessons, but there are some areas that could have been improved upon and there may be other books in this field that are superior to this one.