Libraries

Dance: Books & Encyclopedias

This guide will give the user suggested resources regarding Dance.

Selected Reference Books

Reference Resources

Library of Congress Guides

The University of Kansas Libraries use the Library of Congress classification system, which groups books on similar topics together on the shelf. This allows you to browse the physical shelves, or browse by call number in the Library Catalog, and find other books that are relevant to your research on a particular topic. Dance materials generally fall within the range of GV 1580 - GV 1799, and are located in the Thomas Gorton Music & Dance Library. Within that range, some of the useful subdivisions for Theory & Philosophy are: 

  • GV 1580: Periodicals
  • GV 1585: Dictionaries, encyclopedias
  • GV 1588: Philosophy (and theory)
  • GV 1589: Study and teaching
  • GV 1590 - GV 1594: General works
  • GV 1595: Special aspects of the subject as a whole
  • GV 1597: Dancing as a profession
  • GV 1600: Dance criticism, appreciation
  • GV 1645 - GV 1728: Dance history (and historical dance)
  • GV 1743: National dances. Folk dances and dancing (General)
  • GV 1746 - GV 1771: Social dancing. Ballroom dancing
  • GV 1781 - GV 1795: Theatrical dancing
    • GV 1785: Biography
  • GV 1796: Special dances

Call numbers for other topics that relate to dance can be found in other sections of the library. 

  • Books and music scores with the following call numbers are located in the Music & Dance Library:
    • M 1450: Dance music [scores]
    • M 1520 - M 1526: Ballets (full scores, piano scores, excerpts) [scores]
    • ML 3400 - ML 3465: History and criticism - dance music [books]
    • MT 950: Music to accompany instruction in ballet, folk dancing, gymnastics, etc. [books]
  • Books with the following call numbers are located in Anschutz Library:
    • QM 1 - QM 511: General human anatomy
    • QP 1 - QP 345: General phsyiology
    • RC 1220: Sports medicine - Dance

The following are useful Library of Congress Subject Headings to search when looking for dance materials. To search one of these terms, select "Subject Headings" in the "Search By" menu. 

  • Arts, Medieval

  • Ballerinas

  • Ballet

  • Ballet -- Aesthetics

  • Ballet -- Costume

  • Ballet dance music

  • Ballet dancers

  • Ballet dancing -- Accidents and injuries

  • Ballets -- Excerpts -- Piano Scores

  • Bible and dance

  • Choreographers -- Germany -- Biography

  • Choreography -- Philosophy

  • Dance

  • Dance -- Aesthetics

  • Dance -- Anthropological aspects

  • Dance -- Biography

  • Dance companies

  • Dance criticism

  • Dance -- History

  • Dance in literature

  • Dance music -- Europe -- 14th century [Dance music -- Continent -- century]

  • Dance notation

  • Dance -- Philosophy

  • Dance -- Production and direction

  • Dance -- Religious aspects

  • Dance -- Religious aspects -- History -- Medieval period

  • Dance -- Sex differences

  • Dance -- Social aspects

  • Dance -- Spain -- History [Dance--Country--History--"X" Century]

  • Dance -- Study and teaching

  • Dancers

  • Dancers -- Germany -- Biography [Dancers -- Country -- Biography]

  • Dancing injuries

  • Labanotation

  • Modern dance -- Aesthetics

  • Modern dance -- Political aspects -- Germany -- History

  • Modern dance -- Social aspects -- Germany -- History

  • Modern dance -- United States -- History

  • Movement, Aesthetics of

  • Movement analysis

  • Movement notation

  • Movement, Psychology of

  • Movement, Psychology of -- Cross-cultural studies

  • Religious dance

  • Sex in dance

Finding Books in the KU Libraries

Using the Libraries

Subjects: Dance