We invite you to take a look inside the book. These
full-sized layouts directly from the pages of this ground-breaking book let
you see the remarkable insight into the lives of these legends of ballroom
dancing.
You'll see for yourself why these icons are so highly regarded, and why
this book
is such an important work, preserving the incredible history of the world of
ballroom dancing before it is lost forever.
These represent only a handful of the powerful stories inside the book, a
total of 64 profiles covering 86 remarkable people.
Please note that, because of the file size, these documents may take some
time to download, depending on your connection speed.
The
files shown below require Adobe Reader, a free software package available from
Adobe. Version 7.0
or higher is required. If you are unable to open these files, or if some of
the pictures are missing, use the button at left to update your version of
Adobe Reader to the most recent version, then try again. These excerpts are
copyrighted material and may not be printed or copied.
Walter (Wally) Laird
The Master. Considered a dance giant with a brilliant
analytical mind. Simply put, he was a perfectionist. Born in England in 1920,
Walter's background as a scientist gave him a unique ability to analyze the
physics of body movements. In the process, he shaped many of the technical
details dancers use in the Latin dances. Read
the Walter Laird profile.
Doreen Freeman Burgess
After the Second World War when life became easier again,
ballroom dancing was to British youth what skateboarding and rollerblading
are to the adolescents of today. And the best testimonies of those times come
from those icons who were part of it all, like the beautiful and graceful Doreen
Freeman, a superstar of ballroom. As of 2009, she was still teaching, holding
lectures and capturing her audience through youthful expressiveness and graceful
movements, physical testimonies to her demanding training and deep understanding
of ballroom dance. Read the
entire Doreen Freeman profile.
Brian & Christine (Kristi) McDonald
They
fell in love with the land of the free and the home of
the brave, bridging the old and the new world. Among the world's top professional
competitors and hailing from Scotland, in 1977 they were asked to give
lectures and shows in the US and loved the experience. They moved there and
became highly instrumental in the development of the NDCA and the growth of
ballroom dancing in America.
Read Brian and
Kristi's entire profile.
Alan & Hazel Fletcher
One of the biggest concerns for the future of ballroom dancing
is that it may slip into a casual sportive style where athletes and spectators
enter the ballroom in sweatsuits or ripped jeans and baseball caps. This uneasiness
is not without merit, as the athletic component of competition receives ever
greater attention. Alan and Hazel Fletcher are key figures involved
in preserving the best of the past and connecting it with the future of ballroom
dancing. Read their
profile.
Copyright©2011 by Brigitt Mayer-Karakis. All rights reserved.