Dance Partnering Basics
Published by Human Kinetics
Reviewed by Chris Duncan for DanceLife Australia
In an ever-evolving dance landscape where inclusion, safety, and technical excellence are becoming non-negotiables, Dance Partnering Basics: Practical Skills and Inclusive Pedagogy lands as a timely and vital resource for dance educators and students alike. Authored by Brandon Whited with Joshua Manculich and published by Human Kinetics, this comprehensive text aims to fill a long-standing gap in dance education—providing a thoughtful, skill-based, and gender-inclusive approach to teaching partnering technique.
This is not your typical “how-to” book on partnering. Rather, Dance Partnering Basics offers a pedagogy-driven structure designed to suit a wide range of teaching environments and student abilities. Its 18 illustrated partnering exercises serve as the backbone of the text, methodically guiding dancers through fundamental to advanced concepts. Each exercise is more than a simple drill—it includes mechanical breakdowns, safe technique instructions, progressive variations, and thought-provoking questions for reflection.
What truly sets this book apart is its non-gendered framework. By rejecting the outdated male-female binary roles often found in partnering technique, Whited and Manculich invite educators and students to engage with partnering as a shared dialogue—based on weight sharing, trust, and mutual intention, rather than physical stereotypes. This inclusive lens opens the door for a broader and more authentic exploration of movement possibilities, especially valuable for contemporary and modern dance settings.
Instructors will appreciate the practical applications embedded throughout the text. From clear video clip integration (with over 45 online demonstrations via HKPropel access), to sample class plans, vocabulary, and strengthening drills, the book provides plug-and-play solutions for both studio and academic settings. The emphasis on safety and mechanics ensures that dancers are not just mimicking lifts and weight transfers, but understanding the “why” behind each movement—a crucial component in developing long-term partnering competency.
Whether you’re a dance educator looking to introduce partnering into a syllabus, or a choreographer seeking to build more equitable and responsive duets, Dance Partnering Basics is a thoughtful, well-researched, and pedagogically sound addition to your professional library. With its inclusive philosophy and technically sound structure, this book is more than a teaching tool—it’s a statement on the future of dance education.
Highly recommended for:
- Dance teachers in secondary or tertiary institutions
- Contemporary and modern dance educators
- Choreographers exploring new approaches to partnering
- Advanced students interested in developing technical and artistic partnering skills
