Performing Arts
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Growing Up and Thriving in Two Very Different Cultures: A Journey Through Life guided by Classical Indian Dance
The book shows how British girls of Indian Descent manage to honour their heritage by learning the discipline of Indian Classical dance, while at the same time, they see themselves as typical British teenagers. This is a photographic record of the development of these dancers from when they start at the age of five right up to the time when they graduate ten to twelve years later.Read more
£19.00 -
An Actor’s Work (Routledge Classics)
Stanislavski’s ‘system’ has dominated actor-training in the West since his writings were first translated into English in the 1920s and 30s. His systematic attempt to outline a psycho-physical technique for acting single-handedly revolutionized standards of acting in the theatre.
Until now, readers and students have had to contend with inaccurate, misleading and difficult-to-read English-language versions. Some of the mistranslations have resulted in profound distortions in the way his system has been interpreted and taught. At last, Jean Benedetti has succeeded in translating Stanislavski’s huge manual into a lively, fascinating and accurate text in English. He has remained faithful to the author’s original intentions, putting the two books previously known as An Actor Prepares and Building A Character back together into one volume, and in a colloquial and readable style for today’s actors.
The result is a major contribution to the theatre, and a service to one of the great innovators of the twentieth century.
This Routledge Classics edition includes a new Foreword by the director Richard Eyre.
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Choreography – craft and vision: Developing and Structuring Dance for Solo, Duet and Groups
SOFTCOVER SPECIAL Edition KDP
This book offers a comprehensive toolbox of approaches
to analysing and creating contemporary
choreography.Are you ready to deepen your understanding
of the world of dance and the creative
process of choreography?In this book about choreography you will learn
how to develop dance and performance.
In order for you to truly enjoy the process of
choreography, I will offer you tools to help you
enter into a creative flow.
Because ultimately, that’s what it’s all about:
getting into a free flowing joyful process with the
dancers and having plenty of fun along the way,
as you develop a solo, a duet or a group piece for
the stage or a film.You will learn how to expand your repertoire and
how to trigger in your dancers, identification and
connection with your theme.I will present various ways in which you can
develop and structure your work. Tools with
which you can introduce tension, multiple facets,
variety and powerful dynamics into your dances,
allowing a dramaturgy to emerge.You will receive over 120 exercises to inspire you
for your rehearsals or classes.
You can now preview the entire book online for
free or download a reading sample.
Take a look.
It will inspire you and your dancing and it will
improve your choreography.When it comes to choreography, many
dancers are initially lost.
Nevertheless, there are people who can’t
dance and still develop great pieces.
Maybe you’re a gifted mover, but that
doesn’t mean that your material works in one
piece.Even if your movements are great and
others admire you for how you dance, it can
happen very quickly that the sensation of your
skills wears off very quickly and your movements
seem arbitrary. Especially if you have transferred
them to a group. And you ask yourself in such a
moment: What am I doing wrong? My dancers
are great, my movement material is innovative,
but on stage it all seems interchangeable and it’s
just movement. And you think: This is all
pointless.No, that’s not it! It’s about how you deal
with everything. How you connect the dancers
with your ideas and with your material. How you
manage that the dancers make your visions and
your movements theirs. How to get them there
to identify with what moves you. But even that is
not enough.You need to know more about how
dramaturgy works in dance. How you build up an
arc of suspense and what that has to do with
space and rhythm. How to create interesting
contrasts and how to deal with music and
movement.This book covers all of that. You can open
it anywhere and get inspiration for the rehearsal
or class and expand your thought space. But you
can also focus on certain topics such as music
and movement. You can delve deeper into the
work of thematic development and structuring
of access development.In total there are 120 studies and
exercises that you do not have to do one to one.
You can use the exercises as a suggestion and
develop them further in order to get on with
your dancing and choreography.Read more
£18.00 -
The Actor’s Career Bible: Auditioning, Networking, Survival & Success (Rada Guides): Auditioning, Networking, Survival and Success
The Actor’s Career Bible is a practical guide to building an acting career. Based on a huge range of interviews with actors of all backgrounds at every level of the profession, industry experts, key organisations, casting directors, agents, producers, directors and many others, this guide covers all the essentials as well as sharing exclusive inside knowledge.Whether you’re a recent graduate, a young actor or an experienced professional, The Actor’s Career Bible will help you kick-start or reinvigorate your career in an industry famous for its high levels of competition. This in-depth guide will show you how to cope with the pressures and strains of being an actor and offers easy-to-follow advice on how to improve your chances of success.
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£18.00 -
Actors’ and Performers’ Yearbook 2024
This well-established and respected directory supports actors in their training and search for work in theatre, film, TV, radio and comedy.It is the only directory to provide detailed information for each listing and specific advice on how to approach companies and individuals, saving hours of further research. From agents and casting directors to producing theatres, showreel companies, photographers and much more, this essential reference book editorially selects only the most relevant and reputable contacts for the industry.
Covering training and working in theatre, film, radio, TV and comedy, it contains invaluable resources such as a casting calendar and articles on a range of topics from your social media profile to what drama schools are looking for to financial and tax issues.
With the listings updated every year, the Actors’ and Performers’ Yearbook continues to be the go-to guide for help with auditions, interviews and securing/sustaining work within the industry.
Actors’ and Performers’ Yearbook 2024 is fully updated and includes a newly commissioned article by actor Mark Weinman, a new foreword, 4 new interviews by casting director Sam Stevenson, giving timely advice in response to today’s fast-changing industry landscape, and an article by Paterson Joseph.
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£18.00 -
Dance Anatomy 2nd Edition
Dance Anatomy is a visually stunning presentation of more than 100 of the most effective dance, movement, and performance exercises, each designed to promote correct alignment, improved placement, proper breathing, and prevention of common injuries.Read more
£17.90£19.00Dance Anatomy 2nd Edition
£17.90£19.00 -
Marilyn Monroe: A Photographic Life
The camera loved Marilyn, and she loved it right back. In this luxurious volume, get to know the enigmatic star through iconic and rare photos, intimate stories, and removable memorabilia.Everyone knows the classic photographs of Marilyn Monroe: in the dress she wore to John F. Kennedy’s birthday, or leaning out of a balcony over the streets of New York City, or famously standing over the subway grates while shooting The Seven Year Itch. Behind the glamour, we’ve also heard the sad stories: her mother’s institutionalization, her three failed marriages, her own struggles with mental health, her surprising death that still leaves us with questions.
Marilyn Monroe: A Photographic Life delves into the life of the star—before, during, and after she became a “Blonde Bombshell.” Born Norma Jeane Mortenson (the Baker came later), she had a troubled childhood that culminated in her self-described “inferiority complex.” But all the while, she dreamed of something more.
Read the stories behind her first marriage (and why she kept it secret when she started modeling), her early roles with the studios (and the one exec who thought she didn’t have “it”), and her life as a budding actress that include humble anecdotes (at one point, she was so poor that she and a roommate shared one pair of high heels—and whoever had a date that night got to wear them).
Along with the stories are fabulous rare photographs and reproductions of frameable memorabilia, such as:
- Birth and marriage certificates
- Handwritten letters
- Certificate of conversion to Judaism before her marriage to Arthur Miller
- Screen Actors Guild membership card
- Picture of Marilyn sketched by Jane Russell
- Watercolor Marilyn painted for JFK
- Childhood photos
- Shots and ads from her earliest modeling days
- Wedding photos
- Images of those who knew her, including Groucho Marx, Ella Fitzgerald, Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, and so many more
- Marilyn’s favorite image of herself, taken in 1956
Further chapters cover Marilyn’s marriages to Joe DiMaggio and Arthur Miller, her time in England and New York, and her rise as one of Hollywood’s most sought after starlets. Through it all—the self doubts, the illnesses, the isolation—we see Marilyn triumph with the help of friends and confidantes and her own tenacious will of knowing what she wanted.
We see time and again the depths of Marilyn’s heart and her capacity to care for others. “I want to love and be loved more than anything else in the world,” she once said, and with Marilyn Monroe: A Photographic Life, you can’t help but oblige.
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£17.90£20.90Marilyn Monroe: A Photographic Life
£17.90£20.90 -
Voice-Over Voice Actor: The Extended Edition
Interested in Pursuing a Career in VO? Curious what goes on behind the scenes in a business where people talk funny for money? This updated edition of the award-winning first book offers a fun and comprehensive look at what it takes, what goes on, and what it’s like behind the mic from two (still) working pros who started from scratch. In this book you will discover: • The ins and outs of auditioning • Vocal warm-ups and exercises • Tips for reading copy to maximum effect • Hints to help you stand out • Advice for setting up your own home studio • Keys to marketing yourself: demo > agent > job • What to expect when you book the job • A bonus workbook to hone your skills • Performance capture, podcasting, & more!Read more
£17.50 -
The Essential Guide to Jazz Dance
Jazz dance and its inherent music is recognized as one of the original and most potent art forms of the last two centuries. From its African roots to our present-day global dance community, the jazz idiom has afforded a cross-fertilization with all other artistic, cultural and social representations within the arts industry, providing an accessible dance platform for dancers, teachers and creatives to enjoy both recreationally and professionally. The Essential Guide to Jazz Dance offers a practical and uncomplicated overview to the multi-layered history, practices and development of jazz dance as a creative and artistic dance form. It covers the incredible history and lineage of jazz dance; the innovators, choreographers and dance creatives of the genre; specifics of jazz aesthetic, steps and styles; a detailed breakdown of a practical jazz dance warm-up and technical exercises; creative frameworks to support development of jazz dance expression and aesthetic; performance and improvisation; jazz music and musical interpretation, and finally, choreographing and creating jazz works. With over 230 colour photos and a wealth of tips and advice, this new book will be an ideal reading companion for dancers of all abilities, dance teachers, choreographers as well as all jazz dance enthusiasts.Read more
£17.30£19.00The Essential Guide to Jazz Dance
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Respect for Acting: Expanded Version
The classic book on acting, in an attractive updated edition
Since its original publication in 1973, Uta Hagen’s Respect for Acting has remained a durable classic and a must-read for all students of acting. As an acting instructor at the Herbert Berghof Studio, Hagen helped to develop the talents of world-class actors like Robert DeNiro, Matthew Broderick, Gene Wilder, Amanda Peet, Austin Pendleton, Whoopi Goldberg, and more. In this book, Hagen offers an indispensable account of the techniques that professionals use to elevate their acting to an art form. This updated edition illuminates Hagen’s original text with a new foreword written by Katie Finneran, retaining the David Hyde Pierce foreword, along with added background on HB Studio―one of the original New York performing arts training and practice spaces―and an excerpt from Hagen’s autobiography SOURCES.
In working through this book, actors will learn physical, verbal, and emotional practice that empower them to connect their own self-concept to the characters they play. Specific, detailed exercises help actors learn to address a range of problems actors face, like maintaining immediacy and relevance, and developing the dimensions of a role over a long performance run. Respect for Acting is a book for actors and audiences who understand the need for truth in the creative process.
- Discover the acting book that has shaped professional theater performances for decades
- Learn the history and background of Herbert Berghof Studio, one of New York’s foremost acting schools
- Practice the craft of acting with concrete exercises and instruction on technique
- Delve into the deep questions that arise when actors truly inhabit the lives of their characters
Actors at all levels of their craft will love this stunning updated version of the essential Respect for Acting.
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£17.20£19.90Respect for Acting: Expanded Version
£17.20£19.90 -
Actors’ and Performers’ Yearbook 2022: Essential Contacts for Stage, Screen and Radio (Actors’ & Performers’ Yearbook)
This well-established and respected directory supports actors in their training and search for work in theatre, film, TV, radio and comedy. It is the only directory to provide detailed information for each listing and specific advice on how to approach companies and individuals, saving hours of further research. From agents and casting directors to producing theatres, showreel companies, photographers and much more, this essential reference book editorially selects only the most relevant and reputable contacts for the actor. Actors’ and Performers’ Yearbook 2022 features: * a new foreword by actor Paterson Joseph (Noughts & Crosses, Grantchester, Law & Order, A Christmas Carol) * 4 newly commissioned interviews with theatre industry professionals on topics of the moment * 1 new article on a current aspect of the industry With the listings updated every year, the Actors’ and Performers’ Yearbook continues to be the go-to guide for help with auditions, interviews and securing/sustaining work within the industry. Covering training and working in theatre, film, radio, TV and comedy, it contains invaluable resources such as a casting calendar and articles on a range of topics from your social media profile to what drama schools are looking for to financial and tax issues. An invaluable professional tool that anyone working in the industry will benefit from.Read more
£17.10 -
British Cinema and the Cold War: The State, Propaganda and Consensus (Cinema and Society)
Cinema was one of the Cold War’s most powerful instruments of propaganda. Movies blended with literary, theatrical, musical and broadcast representations of the conflict to produce a richly textured Cold War culture. Now in paperback, this timely book fills a significant gap in the international story by uncovering British cinema’s contribution to Cold War propaganda and to the development of a popular consensus on Cold War issues. Tony Shaw focuses on an age in which the ‘first Cold War’ dictated international (and to some extent domestic) politics. This era also marked the last phase of cinema’s dominance as a mass entertainment form in Britain. Shaw explores the relationship between film-makers, censors and Whitehall, within the context of the film industry’s economic imperatives and the British government’s anti-Soviet and anti-Communist propaganda strategies. Drawing upon rich documentation, he demonstrates the degree of control exerted by the state over film output. Shaw analyses key films of the period, including High Treason, which put a British McCarthyism on celluloid; the fascinatingly ambiguous science fiction thriller The Quatermass Experiment; the dystopic The Damned, made by one of Hollywood’s blacklisted directors, Joseph Losey; and the CIA-funded, animated version of George Orwell’s novel “Animal Farm”. The result is a deeply probing study of how Cold War issues were refracted through British films, compared with their imported American and East European counterparts, and how the British public received this ‘war propaganda’.Read more
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The Essential Guide to Tap Dance
From the propulsive rhythm of the African dancer, to the swinging ragtime of the American jazz age, tap dancing has evolved into a unique blend of cultural expression, improvisation and creativity, open to all ages and abilities. With clear step-by-step instructions, The Essential Guide to Tap Dance covers basic steps such as the shuffle, pick up and paddle, before building these into traditional combinations such as the time step and shim sham. Additional material includes the history and development of tap dancing; rhythm and musicality; learning the language of tap dancing; the role of improvisation and choreography and finally, the basic steps to advanced techniques. This is the perfect companion to instruct the beginner tap dancer and expand the more experienced dancer’s technique, offering full-colour pictures, helpful instruction and essential notes on this vibrant and accessible dance form.Read more
£16.90£19.00The Essential Guide to Tap Dance
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Strength and Conditioning for Dancers
Strength and Conditioning for Dancers is an accessible guide to how to design and incorporate supplemental fitness training into a dancer’s schedule. It links current evidence on the relationship between physical fitness, dance performance and injury incidence, breaking it down into clear and convenient sections, starting with the fundamentals of muscle physiology and training principles and moving on to specific training components. Key topics covered in the book include: self-screening; programme design; specific exercises for the core, upper and lower body; basic Pilates; nutritional support for training and finally, programmes to get you started. Featuring practical training programmes to get you started, this user-friendly book will be of great value to dancers, teachers and trainers looking to enhance both fitness and performance.Read more
£16.90£19.00Strength and Conditioning for Dancers
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HowExpert Guide to Dance and Choreography: 101 Tips to Learn How to Dance, Improve Your Choreography Skills, and Become a Better Performer
If you want to learn how to dance, improve your choreography skills, and become a better performer, then check out HowExpert Guide to Dance and Choreography.This book goes into detail about where to start as a beginner dancer, what you need to know going into dance, and step-by-step guides to help you become a better dancer. For those also interested in choreography, this book shares some tips on how to choreograph for dance and create a great performance. It focuses on the importance of every little step when it comes to dancing, and we discuss the order you should follow as both a dancer and a choreographer. There are examples given as well as first-hand experiences that will provide the reader with a deeper understanding as these 101 tips are explained. Any dancer or choreographer can benefit from the tips given within this book.
The readers will walk away from this with a better knowledge of dance, the elements that go into a performance, and a better understanding of the time and commitment that comes with being a dancer or choreographer. In addition, the readers will have an idea as to whether they want to start on the path of learning to dance or choreograph and why.
Check out HowExpert Guide to Dance and Choreography to learn how to dance, improve your choreography skills, and become a better performer starting today!
About the Expert
Sydney Marie Skipper is a dancer and choreography for hip hop dance and musical theatre. Sydney has been a dancer for 15 years and received training from the Millennium Dance Complex in California. Growing up, she competed at dance competitions; she danced in numerous performances such as Lip Sync Battle on Telemundo and music videos for artists Emilio Roman and Macy Kate. In addition, she worked alongside choreographers who work within the dance industry. Sydney has choreographed anything from quinceaneras, hip hop team performances, children’s theatre, and musical theatre at Grand Canyon University. Therefore, she wrote this beginner book for new dancers and choreographers.HowExpert publishes quick ‘how to’ guides by everyday experts.
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The Intent to Live: Achieving Your True Potential as an Actor
“I call this book The Intent to Live because great actors don’t seem to be acting, they seem to be actually living.”
-Larry Moss, from the IntroductionWhen Oscar-winning actors Helen Hunt and Hilary Swank accepted their Academy Awards, each credited Larry Moss’s guidance as key to their career-making performances. There is a two-year waiting list for his advanced acting classes. But now everyone-professionals and amateurs alike-can discover Moss’s passionate, in-depth teaching.
Inviting you to join him in the classroom and onstage, Moss shares the techniques he has developed over thirty years to help actors set their emotions, imagination, and behavior on fire, showing how the hard work of preparation pays off in performances that are spontaneous, fresh, and authentic.
From the foundations of script analysis to the nuances of physicalization and sensory work, here are the case studies, exercises, and insights that enable you to connect personally with a script, develop your character from the inside out, overcome fear and inhibition, and master the technical skills required for success in the theater, television, and movies.
Far more than a handbook, The Intent to Live is the personal credo of a master teacher. Moss’s respect for actors and love of the actor’s craft enliven every page, together with examples from a wealth of plays and films, both current and classic, and vivid appreciations of great performances. Whether you act for a living or simply want a deeper understanding of acting greatness, The Intent to Live will move, instruct, and inspire you.
From the Hardcover edition.
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The Dancers’ Study Guide: A dance guidebook of dance history, health and fitness, performance lessons, tips and advice
The Dancers’ Study Guide will help you become a professional performer. This detailed guide looks at what it really means to be a dancer with a strong emphasis on health and nutrition and maintaining your fitness given the high physical demands.It also covers learning to dance, coping with auditions and the psychology and mindset of success. It has everything you need to know about being a successful dancer and performer. This well-researched and insightful book is for anyone interested in dance from its origins to its evolution, stretching, technique, dance vocabulary and ballet basics including a comprehensive timeline of dance history. Based on solid scientific fact, lessons, tips and advice, world-famous dancer and choreographer Anthony King shares knowledge gained from over fifteen years as a dance teacher at Covent Garden’s Pineapple Dance Studios.Read more
£16.10 -
The Dancers’ Study Guide: A dance guidebook of dance history, health and fitness, performance lessons, tips and advice
The Dancers’ Study Guide will help you become a professional performer. This detailed guide looks at what it really means to be a dancer with a strong emphasis on health and nutrition and maintaining your fitness given the high physical demands.It also covers learning to dance, coping with auditions and the psychology and mindset of success. It has everything you need to know about being a successful dancer and performer. This well-researched and insightful book is for anyone interested in dance from its origins to its evolution, stretching, technique, dance vocabulary and ballet basics including a comprehensive timeline of dance history. Based on solid scientific fact, lessons, tips and advice, world-famous dancer and choreographer Anthony King shares knowledge gained from over fifteen years as a dance teacher at Covent Garden’s Pineapple Dance Studios.Read more
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The Essential Guide to Contemporary Dance Techniques
The Essential Guide to Contemporary Dance Techniques explores the multifaceted learning processes and underlying principles behind the technical skills and abilities of a contemporary dancer. The depth and complexity of this challenging sensorial, intellectual, reflective and creative process is presented with clarity, to support every training dancer in achieving the most from their learning experiences. Insights into three major technical forms: Graham technique, Cunningham technique and Release-based technique, reveal the distinct approaches, processes and experiences possible in contemporary dance training. Essential technical and performance considerations are covered, including: breath; alignment; core activation; connectivity; dynamic qualities of motion; use of the body; use of space; action and finally, relationships to the audience. With personal contributions from respected teachers at top dance institutions, this practical guide offers a unique insight into the expectations and processes of professional training classes as well as the success you can achieve with them. With images from real-life technique classes and dynamic performances, this is an essential companion for all contemporary dance students.Read more
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How to Do Standard English Accents: From Traditional RP to the New 21st-Century Neutral Accent (The Actor’s Toolkit)
The essential handbook for every actor In every drama school, in every English-speaking country, students from all over the world have to learn a Standard English Accent, and voice and drama tutor shave to teach it. But what exactly is it? How many varieties are there? And which one should they use when? Following on from How To Do Accents, this book provides a long awaited,up-to-date answer to these important questions and offers a complete course in how to do A Neutral Standard English Accent & Upper and Upper-Middle Class Varieties Part One: contains all the tools you need to learn a current Neutral Standard English Accent; neutral in terms of class, race, age, gender, occupation and social background Part Two: introduces you to the most useful Upper and Upper-Middle Class varieties of Standard English AccentRead more
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Ballroom: A People’s History of Dancing
‘This book is a MUST read for anyone curious and interested in the special origins and developments of Ballroom & Latin American dancing.’ – Marcus Hilton MBE, with Karen Hilton MBE nine times World Professional Ballroom champion
‘A fascinating book. Hilary French tells the history of dance from the very beginning. I learnt a lot and found it immensely interesting and insightful. If you are interested in dance and how we have got to where we are today, this is an essential read. Enjoy!’ – Matthew Cutler, British, UK and World’s Latin champion, Strictly Come Dancing champion and owner, Matico Dance Studio
‘Hilary French’s pioneering book combines social history, economics, fashion, music, dance technique and architecture and design in an engaging mix … it blends scholarship with infectious enthusiasm.’- Professor Sir Christopher Frayling, Cultural Historian, Broadcaster and Former Rector of the Royal College of Art
In the early twentieth century, American ragtime and the Parisian tango fuelled a dancing craze in Britain. Public ballrooms were built throughout the country, providing a glamorous setting for dancing. The new English style, defined in the 1920s and followed by the films of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in the 1930s, ensured that ballroom dancing continued to be the most popular British pastime until the 1960s, rivalled only by cinema.
This book explores the vibrant history of ballroom and Latin dancing: the dances, lavish venues, competitions and influential instructors. It also traces the decline of couple dancing and its resurgence in recent years with the hugely popular TV shows Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing with the Stars.Read more
£15.70£17.10Ballroom: A People’s History of Dancing
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Royal Academy Of Dancing Step By Step Ballet Class: Illustrated Guide to the Official Ballet Syllabus
Written with the full backing and expertise of the renowned Royal Academy of Dancing and following the international ballet examination syllabus, this is an updated edition of the bestselling Ballet Class.
From the basic positions of the feet to exercises for the most advanced ballet grades, Step-By-Step Ballet Class is an essential companion for all budding ballerinas. It gives a comprehensive selection of ballet exercises taken from each of the examination grades, beginning with Pre-Primary and working up to Grade Five, the most advanced. Clear step-by-step illustrations and explanatory text take the dancer through each exercise in turn and there are checklists of important points to remember. Topics such as how to find a good ballet school, dressing for dance and taking a ballet examination are also included. This important ballet book will ensure that dancers of all ages get the most out of their ballet lessons, both in and out of the classroom.
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How to Be a Working Actor, 5th Edition: The Insider’s Guide to Finding Jobs in Theater, Film & Television (How to Be a Working Actor: The Insider’s Guide to Finding Jobs)
How to be a Working Actor is the bible for anyone in the business of acting. It is considered to be the definitive resource to finding jobs in theatre, film and television. Establishing an acting career involves developing all aspects of an actor’s performing skills as well as learning how to manage one’s career as an ongoing business. No book does a better job of covering all the basics, from improving one’s image and auditon abilities to getting an agent, landing roles, surviving a screen test, making it through the first day on the set and finding regional work. In addition this book contains 15 illustrations that include sample headshots, business cards, iCards, flyers and other tools of the trade.Read more
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The Actor Speaks: Voice and the Performer (Performance Books)
Beginning with what every first-year acting student faces in class and ending with what leading professional actors must achieve every night on the three stages of the Royal National Theatre, Patsy Rodenburg’s celebrated work as one of the world’s foremost voice and acting coaches is fully revealed in this thoughtful and inspirational book about the process of acting. Through a seven-step process, she takes the actor through an intensive voice and speech workshop tackling the vexing problems faced in rehearsal and on stage: breathing and relaxation; vocal range and power, communication with other actors and the audience; integrating movement, singing and speaking; deciphering and animating a text; adjusting voice to different size stages and auditoria; working in mediums beyond the stage; sustaining a performance through an entire evening and a long run and identifying and overcoming the countless potential problems that face every performer who works in front of an audience.”The Actor Speaks is a stimulating read and an invaluable reference for all actors …a landmark book” (The Stage)Read more
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SHORT MONOLOGUES FOR ACTING CLASSES
A great choice for both professional actors and performing arts students who have been assigned a monologue in an acting class. You will learn how to select a monologue that is right for you and get valuable tips for presentation and how to present your choice within an acting class. Contains 80 original short monologues for presentation and practice.Read more
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Tap!: The Greatest Tap Dance Stars And Their Stories, 1900-1955
From the vaudeville era, through the Astaire-Rogers movies, to the intricate artistry of bebop, tap has dominated American dance with its rhythm, originality, and humour. This book collects the voices and memories of thirty of America’s best-loved tap-dance stars and two hundred rare theatre, film, and publicity photographs. Here Shirley Temple recalls her magical duo with Bill “Bojangles” Robinson Fayard Nicholas describes his days at Harlem’s Cotton Club performing with Cab Calloway Fred Kelly visits his and his brother Gene’s Pittsburgh dance studio Hermes Pan reminisces about his work with George Gershwin, Ginger Rogers, and Fred Astaire and, in a chapter new to this edition, Toy and Wing tell about their days as the world’s leading Asian tap duo. Appended with the most comprehensive listing of tap acts, recordings, and films ever compiled,newly updated for this paperback edition, Tap! brings to life the legends of one of America’s most cherished and enduring art forms.Read more
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An Actor’s Handbook: An Alphabetical Arrangement of Concise Statements on Aspects of Acting (Performance Books)
“I have felt there was nothing for me to do except to devote my labour and energy almost exclusively to the study of Creative Nature…I have acquired a sum of experience in the course of long years of work and this is what I have sought to share with you.” (Stanislavski)Here in concise form is what Stanislavski said about acting, alphabetically arranged to aid students, professionals and lay people interested in the stage craft. These collected short statements on a variety of subjects cannot replace the full expression of Stanislavski’s ideas and discoveries in his other books, but they will serve to refresh the reader’s memory and pinpoint what Stanislavski has to offer enquiring minds both in and out of the theatre.Read more
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Success for Actors (Psychology for Actors)
Is your quest to become a successful actor taking over your life and turning into self-sabotage?
Discover a psychological approach to success that will help you make the most of every opportunity.
Using psychological insights, Success for Actors explains in clear and jargon-free language how to avoid self-sabotage and navigate the rollercoaster of success with ease and grace.
By understanding how your mind works and learning simple yet powerful tools, you will find relief from your insecurities and build a solid foundation for your acting career.
Read this book and discover:
- How to navigate the emotional rollercoaster of success
- How to avoid letting your insecurities turn into self-sabotage
- How to make the most of every opportunity
- The impact of brain chemistry on your state of mind
- Practical tools you can use straight away
Short enough to read in an afternoon, yet jam-packed with practical advice, Success for Actors will help you develop a healthy mindset and build a successful acting career.
Alexa Ispas holds a PhD in psychology from the University of Edinburgh. The books in her Psychology for Actors Series provide actors with proven psychology techniques to thrive and build a successful career.
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Excellence for Actors (Psychology for Actors Series)
Do you want to achieve your full potential as an actor?
Discover how to apply “deliberate practice”–a type of practice used by top performers around the world–to turn your weaknesses into strengths.
We all know that becoming a great actor requires hard work, but what specific actions will help you get better?
Perhaps you have spent years taking acting classes without any noticeable improvement.
Or maybe your acting did improve for a while, but you don’t know how to make further progress.
This lack of clarity is likely to lead to dissatisfaction and a decline in your enthusiasm for the craft.
After all, nobody goes into acting aiming for mediocrity.
If this sounds familiar, psychology can help.
For many years, psychologists have been studying the process by which those dedicated to their craft achieve mastery.
The biggest reveal of this exploration has been “deliberate practice,” a process through which you can turn your weaknesses into strengths.
The impact of deliberate practice has been demonstrated by a wide variety of top performers, including athletes, musicians, and chess masters.
Excellence for Actors is the first book to explore the application of deliberate practice to acting. Reading this book will provide you with a new level of clarity about how to reach your full potential.
As you will learn, achieving excellence is not just about hard work, but also about taking the right actions with the right amount of dedication.
Read this book and discover:
- How to achieve mastery over any aspect of your craft
- How to turn your weaknesses into strengths
- How to avoid mediocrity and achieve excellence
- The mistakes actors make when trying to improve
- Practical tools you can use straight away
Short enough to read in an afternoon, yet jam-packed with practical advice, Excellence for Actors will give you the clarity you need to reach your full potential.
Alexa Ispas holds a PhD in psychology from the University of Edinburgh. The books in her Psychology for Actors Series provide actors with proven psychology techniques to thrive and build a successful career.
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Resilience for Actors (Psychology for Actors Series)
Life as an actor is full of setbacks. Discover proven psychology techniques to avoid damaging your mental health and sinking into despair.Building a successful acting career requires resilience.
Whether going to auditions, applying to drama school, or battling unemployment, you must be able to bounce back from setbacks and keep going.
Resilient actors benefit from the “familiarity effect:” the more industry professionals see you, the more they like you, and the more opportunities you get.
But how do you keep going despite repeated setbacks? How do you shake off the painful feelings that arise and get back in the game with a healthy mindset?
Encountering a setback changes your brain chemistry, which depletes your energy and affects your state of mind.
Repeated setbacks can have a cumulative effect, making it harder to bounce back and take on new challenges.
Fortunately, psychologists have studied these negative effects and developed a range of powerful techniques to avoid falling down this slippery slope.
Resilience for Actors distills these psychological insights specifically for actors using clear and jargon-free language.
Whether you got knocked back after delivering an amazing audition, or recently got fired from an acting job, this book provides you with the tools to bounce back and go after the next opportunity with optimism and enthusiasm.
Read this book and discover:
- How to deal with rejection in a positive way
- How to recover from disappointment
- How to stop the vicious cycle of despair
- Mindset hacks to turn failure into success
- Practical tools you can use straight away
Short enough to read in an afternoon, yet jam-packed with practical advice, Resilience for Actors will help you overcome any setback and find your inner strength.
Alexa Ispas holds a PhD in psychology from the University of Edinburgh. The books in her Psychology for Actors Series provide actors with proven psychology techniques to thrive and build a successful career.
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Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays The Rent
THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP 10 BESTSELLER
This Christmas let Dame Judi Dench take you behind the scenes as she shares her life with, and love of Shakespeare.
‘A MAGICAL LOVE LETTER TO SHAKESPEARE’ Sir Kenneth Branagh
‘Companionable and compelling – it genuinely feels like you’re sitting at her kitchen table with her. If you love Judi Dench or Shakespeare (and most of us do), look no further’ Guardian
‘It swirls and dances with brilliance and mischief’ Daily Mail
‘Gloriously entertaining’ ObserverTaking a curtain call with a live snake in her wig…
Cavorting naked through the countryside painted green…
Acting opposite a child with a pumpkin on his head…
These are just a few of the things Dame Judi Dench has done in the name of Shakespeare.
For the very first time, Judi opens up about every Shakespearean role she has played throughout her seven-decade career, from Lady Macbeth and Titania to Ophelia and Cleopatra.
Here she reveals her behind the scenes secrets; inviting us to share in her triumphs, disasters, and backstage shenanigans, all brightened by her mischievous sense of humour and striking honesty.
Witty, provocative and inspiring, this is ultimately Judi’s love letter to Shakespeare, or rather, The Man Who Pays The Rent.‘An utterly delightful book… Shakespeare from a great actor’s perspective – that repeatedly strikes to the heart of the matter with a sharp instinctive intelligence that puts fancy-pants literary critics to shame’ Telegraph
‘A wonderful ode to the bard’ I
‘The book is pure enchantment. It swirls and dances with brilliance and mischief, so forget traditional Shakespearean criticism and analysis. Sack the Eng. Lit. professors. As never before, this book brings the subject to wild, authentic life.’ Daily Mail‘Riveting, revealing and witty’ Gazette and Herald
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£15.00£25.00Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays The Rent
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Book The Fucking Job!: A Guide for Actors
As the follow-up to his best-selling At Left Brain Turn Right and Alphabet Soup for Grown-Ups, Book The F*cking Job is fast becoming the how-to manual for working actors all over the world. To Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Anthony Meindl’s Actor Workshop, we created a variety colorful covers for the re-issue of Book The Fucking Job! Pick the color that fits your mood!For over 20 years, top Acting Coach Anthony Meindl has been demonstrating his unique approach to modern acting training to thousands of actors worldwide. The demands for today’s actors have changed and with it have emerged many new breakthroughs in understanding creativity.From science to the power of the moment; from consciousness and mindfulness meditation to the art of the “f*ck it,” Mr. Meindl describes how you can let go of your control of how you think a scene should be and instead let something much more powerful and creative happen for you. Discover the exciting possibilities that await you in your creative journey when you learn the science of surrender.Find answers to your questions about technique, the business, and life in Book The F*cking Job! A new guide for the next generation of artists.Read more
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Contemporary Monologues for Young Actors: 54 High-Quality Monologues for Kids & Teens
Contemporary Monologues for Young Actors features 54 original monologues created specifically for actors and acting students ages 7-14 and for the teachers, directors and acting coaches who work with them.
These refreshing monologues encompass a broad range of circumstances and emotions perfect for young actors seeking new material to explore – some of which will appeal to slightly younger actors and others of which will excite slightly older actors.
Here are some of the features of this book:
- A broad range of circumstances and emotions, from comedic to heartfelt to quirky
- Emotional arcs and strong endings to challenge actors and keep audiences engaged
- Modern day topics with contemporary language
- Convenient organization from “younger” to “older” as the book progresses
- Ideal for auditions, as short performance pieces or for use in the classroom
This resource was created by Beat by Beat Press, the same award-winning publisher of Teaching Drama: The Essential Handbook, a #1 best-seller on Amazon which has sold over 35,000 copies and has been translated into 5 languages.
PLEASE NOTE: This is the only official volume of this title that has been tested and proven in thousands of classrooms around the world. Please check for the Beat by Beat logo before purchasing any similar products online to assure you’re receiving the highest quality of material for young actors.
Below are sample monologues from the book:
SHARING
Some people think I don’t like sharing, but that isn’t true at all. I love sharing. I mean, what’s not to love about being able to go up to someone and say, “Hey, can I have some of that candy?” And then they give you some! Or, “Can I ride your bike for a while?” And then you get to ride their bike! Sharing is awesome. Sometimes you have to be careful, though. Like if someone comes up to me and says, “Can I have one of your cookies?” Well, if I gave them a cookie, then I might not have any cookies left to share with other people and that would be, like, the opposite of sharing. So I have to say no. Because sharing is really important.
SCOUT
Before we moved here, we had this big dog named Scout. Mom always said he was a total mutt, but I think he was also part collie. And maybe part golden retriever. But he was definitely at least half mutt. Scout was supposed to be the whole family’s dog, but he was really mine. I mean, after school, it was me he would be waiting for. And when anyone threw his ball, I’m the one he always brought it back to. And at night, it was always my bed he slept in. But before we moved here, my Mom found out we weren’t allowed to have any pets, so we had to give him away to my cousins. I don’t really talk about it, but sometimes I dream about Scout. He’s got his ball in his mouth and he’s looking for me. And I’m saying, “Here, Scout. I’m right here.” But he doesn’t hear me, and he can’t see me, and I’m saying, “I’m right here. Scout. I’m right here.” And then, I don’t know, I guess I wake up . . . I don’t know if Scout dreams about me.
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An Actor’s Tricks (Performance Books)
A founding member of Peter Brook’s international theatre company, Yoshi Oida infuses his acting and directing with the artistry of the Oriental traditions and a mastery of Western forms. In this disarmingly accessible study of the art of acting he shares his unique experience and range of expertise. An Actor’s Tricks offers a meticulous scrutiny of the actor’s preparation for performance and comes with a foreword by Peter Brook.
Drawing on an unrivalled wealth and range of expertise in the fields of acting, directing and training, Yoshi Oida and Lorna Marshall provide an authoritative and fascinating study of the art of the actor.
In scrutinising the process of performance from the twin perspectives of the actor and director, An Actor’s Tricks is filled with hints, insights and stories from productions with Peter Brook and from around the world.
Beginning with the daily preparation to train the body, it moves to the process of rehearsal for a performance right up to the moment when the actor steps onstage. An appendix of practical exercises is included for the actor to follow.
The books combines principles and techniques from both Western and Eastern disciplines of acting to provide a masterful study essential for every actor and director.
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Jazz Dance: The Story Of American Vernacular Dance
The Story of American Vernacular DanceRead more
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Dance into Business: A how-to-guide for dance students, teachers and professionals
Dance into Business is intended primarily as a guide for dance students, teachers and professionals taking up their first teaching post, planning their own business, setting up a freelance career, contemplating a change in career, transitioning from employment to self-employment, returning to the work place and expanding or selling an existing business. Using insight from working in the dance world, chapters containing helpful tips, practical examples, and points to consider cover topics such as: Choosing your options; Going self-employed; Writing a business plan; Choosing a business name; Choosing a business structure; Using financial tools; Costing your business; Setting fees; Analysing cash flow; Funding; Paying taxes; Up and running Operating; Complying with the law; Attracting customers; Engaging freelancers; Using volunteers; Expanding; and Buying (or selling) a business.Dance into Business looks at demystifying some of the concepts around employment and self-employment. It looks at different types of employment and the main stages of getting into business: preparation, planning, setting up and starting out. It explains the principals of business plans, budgets, costing, pricing, cash flow, break-even, finance, operations, and other issues that can be key components to a successful business. The author assumes readers could be living and working anywhere in the world and therefore the book has not been written to answer specific queries relating to individual cases or jurisdictions. However the types of business and laws described in this book are generally those of the United Kingdom, although similarities exist in many countries. Because of this complexity, Dance into Business should be read as a guide or general overview, the examples and exercises illustrative only and readers should always seek appropriate professional advice as formal legal, accounting, or other professional advice has not been given in this book. Although not suitable for all individuals, businesses or situations, many of the principles can be applied to other dance businesses such as productions, conferences, workshops, and course provision, or to other products and services.Read more
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The Royal Ballet: 75 Years
This book is a perceptive and critical account of the first 75 years of The Royal Ballet, tracing the company’s growth, and its great cultural importance – an indispensable book for all lovers of ballet.
In 1931, Ninette de Valois started a ballet company with just six dancers. Within twenty years, The Royal Ballet – as it became – was established as one of the world’s great companies. It has produced celebrated dancers, from Margot Fonteyn to Darcey Bussell, and one of the richest repertoires in ballet.
The company danced through the Blitz, won an international reputation in a single New York performance and added to the glamour of London’s Swinging Sixties. It has established a distinctive English school of ballet, a pure classical style that could do justice to the 19th-century repertory and to new British classics.
Leading dance critic, Zoë Anderson, vividly portrays the extraordinary personalities who created the company and the dancers who made such an impact on their audiences. She looks at the bad times as well as the good, examining the controversial directorships of Norman Morrice and Ross Stretton and the criticism fired at the company as the Royal Opera House closed for redevelopment.
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£14.20The Royal Ballet: 75 Years
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The Actor’s Business Plan: A Career Guide for the Acting Life: 7 (Performance Books)
The Actors Business Plan is a self-directed practical guide for actors graduating from formal training programs, as well as for those already in the business whose careers need to move ahead more successfully. Using the familiar language of acting training, the book offers a method for the achievement of dreams through a five-year life and career plan giving positive steps to develop a happy life as an actor and as a person. It assists performers to flourish using the same kind of business/career planning that is a necessary part of life for entrepreneurs and business people. This introduction to the acting industry provides essential knowledge not only for how the business actually works, but also describes what casting directors, agents, and managers do, demystifies the role of unions, discusses how much things cost, and offers advice on branding and marketing strategies. It differs from other such handbooks in that it addresses the everyday issues of life, money, and jobs that so frequently destroy an actors career before it is even begun. While addressing NYC and LA, the guide also gives a regional breakdown for those actors who may wish to begin careers or to settle in other cities. It is loaded with personal stories, and interviews with actors, casting directors, and agents from throughout the US. The Actors Business Plan is the answer to the common complaint by students that they were not taught how to negotiate the show business world while at school. It is the perfect antidote for this problem and can easily fit into a ten or a thirteen-week class syllabus. Offering support as a personal career coach, empowering the actor to take concrete steps towards their life and career dreams, The Actors Business Plan: A Career Guide for the Acting Life is a must-have book for actors who are determined to be a part of the professional world .Read more
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The Elemental Actor: How to Release Your Hidden Powers
We are all a complex mixture of the elemental energies identified by many different cultures throughout history: Earth, Air, Fire, Water – and a fifth element called Quintessence or Spirit. As an actor, you need to be able to access each of them, so that you can draw on whichever element you need to bring your role fully into life.
In The Elemental Actor, Mel Churcher explores these deep, primal drives, and gives you practical tools to harness them to make your work more powerful and alive. Her unique approach combines elements of actor training, voice work and movement to increase your range and help you bring depth, specificity and intensity to your performance.
The book includes over one hundred games and exercises to help you explore each of the elements, incorporate this work into your practice, and apply it to the world of your role. There are also tips for preparing for auditions and dealing with performance anxiety, as well as advice on how to stay healthy in body, voice and mind.
Offering an everlasting palette that will enrich any performance, whether on stage or screen, The Elemental Actor will help you release the wellspring of your imagination, and put elemental power into your work.
Mel Churcher is an international acting, dialogue and voice coach who has worked with companies including the Royal National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, Shakespeare’s Globe, Young Vic, Royal Court Theatre and Graeae Theatre Company. She is one of the top acting and dialogue coaches in TV and movies, and has worked with some of the biggest stars of stage and screen.Read more
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Behind The Shoulder Pads – Tales I Tell My Friends: The captivating, candid and hilarious new memoir from legendary actress and Sunday Times bestselling author
‘I’m lucky to have an inexhaustible appetite for life. I’ve had many amazing adventures in Hollywood and beyond, but some stories I have only ever shared with my friends. After all, you’ve got to have a bit of mystery, so I hide a knowing smile behind my shoulder pads. Until now! So, read on for the tales I tell my friends . . .’
In her new book, Dame Joan Collins returns in dazzling form to share the most memorable moments from her eclectic and vibrant life, in and out of the limelight. Taking us on an incredible journey from her early years as a young star in the golden era of Hollywood to stamping her stilettos in Dynasty; from the glittering heights of St Tropez to the busy Oscars season in LA over the years.
Joan writes movingly about her grief and adventures with her sister Jackie, delving deeper into the ups and downs of love and relationships, and her happiness with husband Percy. Filled with a cast of household names, including the late Queen Elizabeth, Diana, Princess of Wales, Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Caine, Warren Beatty, and many more, Behind the Shoulder Pads is a spectacularly entertaining tour de force bound to delight and shock in equal measures.
Hilarious, intimate and completely spellbinding, Joan invites you into her life like never before, sharing the stories she had previously reserved for her closest of friends.
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£14.20£20.90
