 It looks like the records are an audio supplement to a the Manual of Classic Dancing published by Sergei Marinoff School of Classical Dancing, Chicago, 1922. The outline of the course is divided into three parts and 19 lessons with detailed instructions, musical score, history of dance, examinations to complete and send in, illustrations and plates with photographs of dance positions and famous dancers. Parts are divided as follows: Part I: Elementary ballet work, which includes bar exercises, fundamental positions and elementary steps; Part II: Toe Dancing; Part III: Classic Dances, which included ballet dances, character dances (Russian, Spanish and Oriental) , and Greek (interpretive dancing). Most lessons are 8 pages and have a few plates for each lesson. Lessons 2 and 4 are repeated at the end of the course book. An example of an examination from Lesson 4: "1. Tell briefly why dancing is a healthful form of exercise. 2. Why did the ancient Greeks lay such stress on dancing? 3. What do you think is the purpose of the third exercise at the bar? 4. Is your half-toe position correct? Does it look like the sketch? 5. Are you able to do the point and return step properly? 6. How often can you do the point and return step before tiring? 6. Is this any improvement over the number of times you could do it the first time you tried?" and so on. Vera Caspary was the writer for the Sergei Marinoff School of Classical Dance, but she is most well known for her novel "Laura" along with twenty other published works (Jewish Women's Archive Online). This course book provides any willing recipient with the means to study and achieve perfection in the captivating art of dance, as long as they remember: "the wrist always leads!". Course book is leather bound with embossed illustration and title is gilt. It looks like there were five records issued. |
