Synopses & Reviews
Country & Western Dance turns the spotlight on a uniquely American form of dance, one that has been scuffing the floorboards for nearly a century but is often overlooked.
Fun, lively, and thoroughly researched, this revealing volume tells the full story of country and western dance music from the days of Bob Wills and Tulsa to Oklahoma's Cain's Ballroom to John Travolta and Gilley's of Houston, Texas. Each chapter provides information on the historical roots of the most popular country and western dances as well as the pioneers of the music of a particular era, all in the context of changing cultural, social, political, and economic forces in America. The book also examines the seminal impact of radio, television, and the movies in helping spread the music, the moves, and the good times on the country dance floor.
Review
"Enjoyed your manuscript very much! Made us want to put on our cowboy boots and go out two-steppin."
< p="">Tami Stevens, Pasadena Ballroom Dance Association <>
Synopsis
A fun, fact-filled, and thoroughly researched journey of country and western dancing from the roots of Western Swing to Hank Williams, the Urban Cowboy two-step of John Travolta, and the nationwide sensation of country line dancing.
Synopsis
• Includes never before published photographs of country and western dancing
• Offers a detailed bibliography of sources and references including a YouTube reference for dance shows such as "Club Dance," a TNN 1990s favorite
Synopsis
Not long after helping launch the disco craze, John Travolta played a central role in another dance phenomenonthe boot-scooting two-step from his film, Urban Cowboy. But it wasn't the first time the nation danced to American country and western musicthat happened a half-century earlier, when the "western swing" of bands led by Bob Wills and Milton Brown ruled the airwaves and music halls.
Synopsis
• Tells the story of country and western dancing from the Jazz Age emergence of Western Swing to the
Urban Cowboy era to the present
• Draws on an extraordinary wealth of research by the author—an aficionado of western dancing for over 30 years
• Shows the powerful influence of the media—first radio, then television and the movies—on spreading the popularity of country and western dancing