5 comments about Basic Ballet: The Steps Defined (Penguin Handbooks).

1. Great little reference book for ballet. Shows "step-by-step" pictures of each position and/or movement. Tells you what the body position should be when executing each movement.



2. I had this book when I was a kid and I loved it. I had it when I moved and then one day is was just gone. So I got it again. I love the pictures and it is a great supplement to a class.



3. I have many technique books that are on the market,and this book tops them all! Most ballet teaching books relate to little kids only, well, this book grows with the student. What I mean is its not sugar coated with pictures of little kids dressed in pink tutus. It shows a real ballerina deminstraiting technique.
   I like this book,and recomend it to you as well as my students.
   Kim's school of dance.



4. This very complete volume is a lovely gift book as well as a useful reference book. The only weakness is the lack of emphasis on arm positions when doing the steps although they are illustrated in the photographs. I believe dancers who have experienced the following will find it useful too: When I was a student of ballet, I was frustrated by the subtle differences in the standards of different teachers. Sometimes I wondered, "So how EXACTLY am I supposed to do this?" I did not enjoy being corrected for what a prior instructor had taught me and pronounced well-executed. This book would have clarified things for me at the time. Now that I practice alone, I find this book invaluable. Also, I support Christine's review dated May 4, 2001.



5. "Basic Ballet" by Joyce MaaKie is a great (no-nonsense) reference book for the ballet enthusiast, regardless of age. It explains the positions throughly and with lots of photos. The only thing that would make it better would be to increase the size of the pictures and make it a wire-bound book so it stays open when performing the techniques.

2 comments about Film Noir (Inside Film).

1. "Film Noir" is an excellent introduction to film noir theory. Author Andrew Spicer, a professor of film studies, has packed all of the key definitions, elements, and influences on film noir into just over 200 very readable pages. "Film Noir" is well organized, in the style of a text book. Pictures are few, as are detailed descriptions of plots. The book covers both classic and neo-noir,1940-2000, with about half of the book dedicated to each. The discussion of classic noir includes the definitions and evolution of the style, the conditions of production, themes, narrative strategies, gender roles, and three noir auteurs (Anthony Mann, Robert Siodmark, Fritz Lang). Spicer divides neo-noir into two periods: modernist and post-modern. Modernist refers to the 1967-1976 period when films were characterized by the near-complete collapse of the Hollywood studio system, unprecedented directorial power, and a conspicuous absence of femmes fatales. The post-modern era began in 1981, with studios jumping back into the noir picture and dedicating big budgets and big stars to noirs, betting on commercial success. Most of the films discussed in "Film Noir" are American, but the book's last chapter is dedicated to British film noir. Appendices (although they are not labeled as such) include excellent lists of American and British film noirs, organized chronologically and grouped by era. There is an index of names and an index of films. "Film Noir" is academic, but it's a good, concise analysis for anyone who wants analysis but isn't up to heavy-duty film theory that is so often tedious. It's a very readable, useful intro to film noir theory, covering 60 years of American and British noir, with the occasional reference to German and French films as well.



2. This is a textbook designed to introduce film noir to college students. However, it could be read with profit by anyone with an interest in the film noir phenomenon.

   Spicer packs an incredible amount of information in the small space he has. He refers to the latest books and is incredibly thorough. He does a fine job on the origins of film noir, covering not only "tough guy" authors and German expressionism, but also Weimar "street films," French poetic realism and expressionism in American film before noir.

   What I found especially interesting was the way Spicer continually breaks down noir and neo-noir into different eras. He sees a difference between noir of the Forties and Fifies, and he distinguishes between early neo-noir and late neo-noir, with Body Heat being the breaking point. I found that very useful, since the neo-noir era has lasted so long by now. It is hard to think of The Long Goodbye and Reservoir Dogs as fitting in the same era, so it is good to have a distinguishing framework.

   Spicer also covers British film noir, and he breaks that down into different eras as well. To someone very familiar with the American noir cannon, this is like discovering a new continent of films.

   So I would strongly urge any film noir enthusiast to get Spicer's book. You will learn something you didn't know before, or find out about films you will want to see.

   So this is a book that

3 comments about Hamlet (Arkangel Shakespeare).

1. This wasn't as good as I was hoping. I needed more background sound effects--not just people with British accents.



2. This really is "The Tragical History of Hamlet Prince of Denmark" and not only the Prince but his family. Not only his family but his friends. Not only his friends but all though that came before him and is told to those that came after him.
   
   You can slow down and pick apart many underlying themes and may of the phrases that now challenge Bible sayings in today's sound bites. But the real fun is in just reading the story and you will find that it is not as foreign as you may have thought.
   A quick synopsis is that Old Hamlet conquered Old Fortinbras seizing his land. Now that Old Hamlet is dead, Young Fortinbras wants his land back and is willing to take it by force. Meanwhile back in Dänemark Young Hamlet who is excessively grieving for the loss of his father, gets a now insight from his fathers ghost. Looks like he was a victim of a "murder most foul"; it looks like his mother and uncle were in cahoots on the murder.
   
   The story is about what each person felt and acted or did not act upon the situation.
   You will find many movies and perverted imitations of the story but nothing will replace the original that was intended to be watched but reads well.
   You may like different audio and audio dramatizations.
   
   Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead



3. What a terrific find! I got the Romeo and Juliet cd from the same company and was very pleased. So, I tried Macbeth. This is the finest interpretation of the parts I have ever heard. The readers even speak with Scottish accents. This a dramatized version, complete with sound effects. My students love it.

5 comments about The Klingon Dictionary (Star Trek).

1. The author is a professional linguist, and as such he thinks he knows better than the tv series. So he's totally recreated the Klingon language to fit what HE thinks it should be. No hard K's, they are a linguistic cliche, so we have all kinds of strange Q's being used, and linguistic revisionism to tell us that they really aren't called Klingons, etc. So for someone wanting a guide to the Klingon language as shown in the original (and best) series, this is an extreme disappointment. If you want to invent your own language, fine, but don't mess with someone else's creation if you don't respect it.



2. I bought this book.. along with another klingon book, when I was stationed in Turkey and didnt have much to do. It helped pass the time and was kinda fun.



3. This book is excellent. It has everything (and I'm not exagerating here) you need to learn Klingon. The information is well organized and it's easy to learn the basics. And the dictionary is quite large, so it's easy to translate just about anything you can think of. Some English-to-Klingon phrases can get confusing sometimes because the Klingon translation isn't word for word with English. So, if you're a big fan of Star Trek, or you want to learn another language, this book is a must have.



4. This book is full of all the grammar and words you'll need to get a basic knowledge of Klingon, but it is all presented more as a reference. I've been through several languages, and while tools such as this are an indispensable aid to learning, they're not always the best way to approach a language. A textbook format learning guide would be better for a beginner, one that chops the vocabulary and grammar up into sections rather than presenting it all at once. But for what it is, it's great.



5. This is a really cool book if you want to know what certain words are in Klingon, but to actually learn the language, it will take a lot of time. This book goes into great detail about how to pronounce words and where they belong in a sentence. This is like learning any other language, and it won't be easy to learn, but it is still really fun to have and read. I'm trying to learn, but it will take a while.

5 comments about Antigone: In a New Translation (Plays for Performance).

1. I'm sure that the readers of this review are not so much concerned with purchasing "Antigone" as they are with which version of "Antigone" to purchase. Let me recommend The Greek Tragedies in New Translations's version.
   
   Yes, it is a bit pricey (considering you only get the one play as opposed to getting the entire Theban cycle), but there are several factors in the GTNT's favor:
   
   1) the whole premise behind the GTNT is that "poets like Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripedes can only be properly rendered by translators who are themselves poets." I'm sure many will not like Braun's stark, spare translation, thinking it somehow less eloquent, less florid than other translations, but I liked it. To form your own judgment, I include a sample passage from the Watling translation ("The Theban Plays", Penguin Classics):
   
   Wonders are many on earth, and the greatest of these
   Is man, who rides the ocean and takes his way
   Through the deeps, through wide-swept valleys of perilous seas
   That surge and sway.
   He is master of ageless Earth, to his own will bending
   The immortal mother of gods by the sweat of his brow,
   As year succeeds to year, with toil unending
   Of mule and plough.
   
   And the same passage rendered in the GTNT:
   
   Many marvels walk through the world,
   terrible, wonderful,
   but none more than humanity,
   which makes a way under winter rain,
   over the gray deep of the sea,
   proceeds where it swells and swallows;
   that grinds at the Earth---
   undwindling, unwearied, first of the gods---
   to its own purpose,
   as the plow is driven, turning year into year,
   through generations as colt follows mare.
   
   2) I'm not a big fan of extraneous material, but the GTNT did contain some material that was helpful. There was a Foreword outlining the guidelines for translation of the plays in the series; this was followed by an Introduction that included material about Sophocles's life and an essay on interpreting the play. (Neither of these was terribly useful; besides, I like to reach my own conclusion about a literary work w/o some academic telling me what it's "supposed to mean"!) After the play are Notes (Again, I would skip these unless you are an expert in Greek and wanted to know why certain passages were translated a certain way), followed by the only extra material that I found helpful: a recounting of the Oedipus myth to set the story in context.
   
   3) I know there are problems inherent in reading ancient Greek drama (they tend to be rather sermonizing) that my Sophomore English class found difficult. I think having the GTNT available to students would have helped in their understanding/apprecitaion of the play. The updated language of the GTNT allows the Reader to focus on the characters' actions/motives more easily, more clearly, rather than seeing the play as some arcane, musty mid-century translation.



2. I read Sophocles Antigone for graduate Humanities class. It is an essential reading to understand Greek Tragedy. It is also a foundation stone of literature in studying Western Civilization.
   
   Antigone, daughter of Oedipus in 3-cycle play, faces capital punishment for burying her brother who rebelled against Thebes. Obeying instincts of loyalty of love and the divine law, she defies Creon, the King and her uncle. Creon says laws of states outweigh all other laws, and family loyalty, when he finally relents it's too late.
   
   Over the centuries there has been a great deal made about the conflicts played out in the play, law of state vs. law of goods, personal vs. state duties. Loves knowledge vs. state knowledge. Greek understanding of tragedy- Aristotle lays down understanding of Greek tragedy. He based it on Sophocles. Tragedy- most important thing for tragedy is plot, it is all essential. Tragedy defined as- is imitation of an action that is serious, complete and of a certain magnitude in language embellished with incidents arousing pity and fear ant to the audience it accomplishes catharsis of such emotions. Every tragedy must have six parts that determine its quality. 1. plot 2. character 3. diction 4. fault 5. spectacle and 6. melody.
   
   According to Aristotle, tragedy is higher and more philosophical than history or poetry; it is one of the highest expressive forms because it dramatizes what may happen. History is a narrative that tells you what has happened tragedy shows what is possible. History deals with particulars, tragedy deals with the universal. Tragedy creates a cause and effect chain and shows how the world operates. It frames human experience in universal discourse, tragedy is central in this effort. Tragedy arouses pity and fear in audience because we can envision ourselves caught in this cause and effect chain. Plot most important feature, the arrangement of incidents, the way incidents, and action is structured. Tragedies outcome depends on the outcome of these cause and effect changes not on being character driven. Plot must be whole, beginning middle and end. Beginning must have a motivation that starts the cause and effect chain of events must be a center or climax that is caused by earlier incidents. There must be an end some kind of closure caused by earlier events in tragedy. This is all part of the complication of the tragedy all must be connected. You can't have a dues ex machnia in a superior tragedy.
   
   In tragedy, the hero or heroine walks knowingly towards the fate that is written and can't be changed. Unity of action plot must be structurally self-contained, each action leading invariably to the next without outside intervention. The worst kinds of plots are episodic, like a Jerry Seinfeld sitcom, can't be something about nothing, must have unity of action. Magnitude, quantatively meaning length, and quality of action, it must be serious. Must be of universal significance, depth, and richness. Character- most important feature is the fatal flaw. Motivations of characters are important but character is there to support the plot. Character must be a prosperous renowned personage. Change of fortune from good to bad will really matter and bring fear and pity to the audience. In ideal tragedy, the hero will mistakenly bring about his own downfall. Because they make a mistake, because knowledge of our selves is always partial, we can't have complete knowledge of ourselves. Hall quotes Descartes in the article, "The limited error prone perspective of the individual. Subject is always imperfect and human and these limitations include our ability to know in any reliable way ourselves." The fact that we as subjects, as agents can never fully know ourselves means that we are always prone to error, error is the essence of the tragic hero, tragedy is the essential drama of human subjectivity.
   
   What is Hegel's understanding of concept of tragedy? He revises Aristotelian principals and logic. Immensely influential German philosopher, he writes about; tragedy in the Aesthete 1820-29, he proposes, "the suffering of the tragic hero are merely the means of reconciling the opposing moral clients." According to Hegel's account of Greek tragedy, the conflict isn't between good and evil, but between competing goods, all is good. Between two entirely ethical worlds that clash and can't come together. Both characters have an ethical vision or belief that they have to follow it is there one-sidedness of their vision that clashes with the one-sidedness of the other character. Both sides of contradiction are justified. Conflict of irreconcilable justifiable ethical worlds, ethical visions. Just as his dialectic must lead to an ultimate synthesis, so to must tragedy lead to a synthesis. This is dramatized in the death of the tragic actor, which becomes the synthesis. Hegel says; "the characters are too good to live." They are too good to live in this world. What is interesting is that Hegel so wants to correct moral imbalances his emphasis is on moral balances.
   
   Greek tragedy is great reading for people interested in aesthetics, history, psychology, and philosophy.



3. Book in good condition as stated. Pleased with delivery time. Will use this seller again.



4. Antigone is a Greek tragedy in every since of the word from the moment you open the cover to the very last word on the last page you are totally amerced in a story that truly captivates and portrays the true image of the human sprit. There is not an emotion that is not roused to life by this powerful piece of literature. The plot of this masterpiece seems to rack the deep recesses and foundations of your soul. The unique piece of literature is the story of a free spirited young woman and her uncle the newly crowned kind of Thebes. In the begging all thing are well within this peaceful town but that is about to change. The hand of fate is again about to play devastating role in how the game of life is played. Creon the new king is a patriotic and devoted man who wants nothing more in life than the best for his own family and country men. But when his nephew, stabs him in the back by starting a revolt against his rule, he has no choice but to defend his kingdom and contently killed his own flesh and blood. The king takes it a step to far though, he then goes and refuses to bury the young boys body. In the culture of the Greeks this a true curse to the soul of a man. They believe that till the body of the dead is buried he is forced to wander the earth in search of peace. The young Antigone is the sister to this brave hero now is stuck in and endless battle between her own morals and the governmental law. One might think that Sophocles, the author of this truly revolutionary piece of literature was trying to get his audience to think about their own decisions in life. The choices we make for day to day even the small ones a directly tied in to the values we have in life whether we realize it or not. Antigone for example chose to go against the law and bury her brother showing her true values of loyalty to family and her god rather than the forces of this earth. This kind of loyalty really hit me in the bottom of my heart. I think if could live my life day to day with half as much conviction she had I would be a great leader in my time. This play caused me to evaluate the principles of my own life and I hope to be a better leader because of it. I think that this is one of the most powerful and moving plays i have ever read and that is saying a lot. Everyone should read this really unique and revolutionary piece of literature sometime in their life it may say you a lot of heartache down the road, and I mean that



5. The play Antigone was a great play with many twists and turns that will diffidently leave the reader begging for more. With all the inside looks on the believes of the Greek gods and how the Greeks actually viewed them. Containing various characters along with there strengths and or weaknesses, as well as how they succeed or how they fail. Whether it is the corruption and down fall of the new King of Thebes, Creon, and how one mistake lead to the deaths of his loved ones as well as the fall of his kingdom. Or the obedience and shyness of Ismene, who happens to be Creon's niece, and how she will not help her own sister burry their brothers body, because of the fact that she doesn't want to displease Creon and the empire although she knows that she should. Finally, there is also Antigone, the strong a stubborn girl who defiles her uncle/guardian/king Creon, because he has order that her brother cannot be buried, and that it will be eaten by the beasts and wild animals, because of what he has done. However, the characters are not the only interesting part of the play, the themes are also amazing containing such things as betrayal, disobedience, murder, suicide, and much more. Leaving a positive reading without a doubt. Also, Sophocles (the writer of the play) did an excellent job of getting his main point across. The main purpose of the play Antigone, though uncertain at the very beginning is shown more and more through out the play, especially in the chorus. However, if you cannot catch on to what the chorus is saying all the time the very last few lines should help quite abit, " Wisdom first for a man's well-being maketh, of all things. Heavens insistence nothing allows of man's irreverence; And great speeches avenging, Dealt on a boaster, teach men wisdom in age, at last." If nothing the last sentence should diffidently tell you that the whole purpose of this play is Sophocles trying to show us the importance of wisdom and how one bad mistake can lead to the death of many, as well as the fall of a kingdom. Which, is diffidently something that I learned reading this play. Just reading and showing how the anger of one man and how one choice that he made without thinking of the consequences of his choice lead to the death of his niece, his son, his wife, and even his whole kingdom, just kind of shows that you should be care full about some of the choices you make because you never know what will happen (it may not be as extreme but bad stuff can still happen). However when its all said and done I believe that this is a great play that anyone can enjoy. There is only one warning that I must also give though, the script can be very hard to read and may require you to have to look it over a few times or even get the scripts with the translation on the opposite side. Other then that the play is great and I diffidently suggest it to others.

5 comments about Standing Room Only: Strategies for Marketing the Performing Arts.

1. This is a decent reference book if you have limited marketing experience. If you have any Graduate level marketing classes or marketing experience, you'll find it to be like the other Kotler books: stale and behind the times.



2. I found Standing Room only was useful as the recommended text for the Arts Management Post Graduate at UTS Sydney. It would be great for a new edition to be published that includes more recent marketing examples and methods, like e- business and contemporary arts organisations as it is really dated.



3. I've been in the entertainment public relations business for 30 years and this book is one of the best I've encountered. It's accurate, up to date, well-written and thorough.



4. If you want to run an arts organization or run one now, or run part of one: have a long visit with this book. As an MBA who has interviewed many performing arts managers and worked as a performing arts funder and on various boards over decades, I commend this to all people in the business except my competitors.

   It wouldn't be fair to compare this to other business how-to books because it is a compendium, not just management theories-du-jour. And perhaps because not-for-profits have a "spiritual" side, the reader senses that the authors are holding nothing back out of mercenary considerations. So if you suspect you don't know everything about running a performing arts organization, this is the place to start.

   The book is a gift, a mission informed by the authors' love of and belief in the arts as inherently good. Just one idea gleaned here could save your organization, especially in times of funding and subscription-ticketing stress. While a revised edition might meld more internet ideas into the fantastic array of tips-'n-tools presented, as-is, "SRO" is exhaustive but not exhausting.




5. Kotler touches on many subjects from customer loyalty, changing audiences to data analysis. Theories are enhanced by using various arts companies as examples.

   The book is not intended give in depth answers, that is "You must do this" to save your company, but guides you through sound marketing tactics/commonsense.

   I suggest you use it as a guide to refer to, but it's not a bible as every marketing situation that any arts company finds itselves in is different to the next - there is no divine answer only a helping hand.

No comments about The Return of Ulysses: A Cultural History of Homer's Odyssey.

No comments about Medea.

4 comments about Middle Mania: Imaginative Theater Projects for Middle School Actors (Young Actors Series) (Young Actors Series).

1. Easy to use lessons, projects, and ideas for the middle-school drama teacher or coach. I liked that you could pick and choose what works best in your program. I think every middle-school teacher should own this book, not just drama coaches - the creativity and energy and response will enlighten any classroom.



2. Almost as soon as I began reading Johnson's book, I was thinking of individuals in our school with whom I could share it. Although it is written for theater teachers, it's useful for any teacher or administrator that might occasionally need an activity for community building. The book is written for middle school environments, but the ideas could easily be transformed for high schools or elementary schools as well. The chapters consist of seven different activities that promote involvement from all students, even the shyest, that are also fun for adult moderators. A few of the activities include Mask/Movement, Clan Drama: Solving a Mystery, and Rock `n' Roll Playwriting. Step-by-step instructions for developing and organizing the projects are broken down into chapter sections. I especially like the preface that summarizes each chapter and activity into single paragraphs. Following the activities, Johnson provides curriculum summaries, assignment sheets, grade assessment charts, and reflections on the book's projects. Every school should have at least one project. Highly Recommended.



3. I teach middle school drama to 8th, 7th, and 6th grade every day! Approximately 600 students rotate through my curriculum each year! The activities presented in MIDDLE MANIA have prompted me to revamp my whole approach in teaching drama. They are fun, creative, easy to do and feel a lot less stressful than continually preparing for large-scale productions. What a gift! Thank you for sharing, Maureen!!



4. All my life I have wanted to write a book. I knew that I would do it someday, I just didn't know what the subject would be. Combining my love of theatre and my desire to help teachers teach drama in unique and creative ways lead to this book. It is filled with imaginative projects that really work, not only for teaching theatre, but you can use the projects to work collaboratively with other teachers. This book brings students and teachers together to do drama. It is my journey. I hope that you will make it a part of yours.

5 comments about Carny Folk.

1. The author had a great idea in taking a closer look at the personal stories of side show performers; however, the text itself reads like a badly written Freshman Comp. paper. Redundancies and awkward phrases abound. This book would have been greatly improved by additional editing before publication. I found the subject matter interesting but the text irksome.



2. There is a lot of information about the persons covered, like where they grew up and what happened until they died. There are also pictures of most of them.



3. I used to go to the state fair and see the displays "See the biggest steer alive!" "See the smallest woman ever!" "See the lady who had her head chopped off in a car accident and she is still alive!" I always looked down on those people. This book helped me to see them as people and I am kind of sorry that I never went in to see any of the shows.



4. You have to be a touch "warped" to enjoy a book like this, but if that's what floats your boat... this is the perfect item!



5. A fascinating review of side show freaks and the more human side of their story. They seemed to hold a most non PC point of view, and some would fight for what they considered to be their rights as oposed to the rights allowed by others.