It is not only a textbook and a dance artist's encylopedia. It doubles as a coffee table book, resplendent with beautiful photographs of some of contemporary dance's signal performance.

A densely illustrated and comprehensive introduction to an art form that is enjoying a boon in popularity due to its links with pop culture, fashion, and music. This engaging and unpretentious introduction to contemporary dance explores the discipline in all its facets, from opera to hip-hop and from circus skills to fashion. A chronology of the key dates in the history of dance, from the beginning of the twentieth century to the present, provides context on how the art form has evolved over time. The book is completed by profiles of contemporary dance's thirty most influential exponents and choreographers--from Merce Cunningham to William Forsythe, Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker to Akram Khan, and Trisha Brown to Pina Bausch. An explanatory chronology and a glossary of key vocabulary complete this essential resource.