And Then We Danced: A Voyage into the Groove

by Henry Alford

Equal parts memoir and cultural history, from acclaimed comic stylist and professional hobbyist Henry Alford comes a hilarious journey through the world of dance that will inform, entertain and leave readers tapping their toes.

When Henry Alford wrote about his experience with a Zumba class for The New York Times, little did he realize that it was the start of something much bigger. Dance would grow and take on many roles for Henry: exercise, confidence builder, an excuse to travel, a source of ongoing wonder and--when he dances with Alzheimer's patients--even a kind of community service.

Tackling a wide range of forms (including ballet, hip-hop, jazz, ballroom, tap, contact improvisation, Zumba, swing), this grand tour takes us through the works and careers of luminaries ranging from Bob Fosse to George Balanchine, Twyla Tharp to Arthur Murray. Rich in insight and humor, Alford mines both personal experience and fascinating cultural history to offer a witty and ultimately moving portrait of how dance can express all things human.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Humor, Memoir, Music, Autobiography

256 pages, Paperback

Published June 18, 2019

About the author

Henry Alford is an American humorist and journalist who has contributed to Vanity Fair and The New York Times for over a decade. He has also written for The New Yorker.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_A...

Librarian Note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The New York Times nailed the description of Henry Alford's wonderfully descriptive book in their review this past Sunday. It is a great read, witty and warm for dancers and non-dancers, alike. It's just a wonderful book, beautifully written and so very interesting. Thank you to Henry Alford for writing it, and to Netgalley and Simon and Shuster for publishing it. A great tribute to a great art form!!!

[Mehrsa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to read a book about the cultural history of dance, but this was not that book. It's much more a memoir. It's hilarious though and Alford has a quick wit and is a pleasure to read. But I just think it's more a bunch of different stories about him meeting different dance icons and I didn't know who they were---which is why I was trying to read a book about dance.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was the perfect amount of adventure, dance history and relevance, realness, and humor. A very fun read!

[Frederike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Different gateways into dance are discussed, following the writer's odyssey, especially improv, a bit too niche for me

[Andy White · Rating 5 out of 5]

David Sedaris meets the world dance. Alford is funny!

[Corene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had great fun listening to the author read his book aloud in the audio edition of this non-fiction work. As the description notes, it is part memoir and part cultural history. Alford explores the dancing lives of icons like Isadora Duncan and George Balanchine, while he himself dabbles in a variety of dance classes as a non-professional.

His enthusiasm for dance is infectious and inspiring; the week I listened to his book I upped my Zumba class attendance to three times in four days. I just wanted to move!

Truthfully, the amusing and self-deprecating anecdotes of the middle-aged author's own forays into dance, starting with grooving with his junior high friends to Earth, Wind and Fire's "Shining Star," held my interest more than the researched biographies of famous dancers and choreographers. But I appreciated the factoids about these people and their place in history.

At four years older than the author, I also appreciated the toll on his body all the classes incur. Some people may have called it a day when back strain put him out of commission for weeks, but he admirably returns to his passion. His book is probably best recommended to readers with their own interest in dance and dance history.

[Vovka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny gay man has some dance misadventures (and adventures) and takes us on a tour of dancing, from low (Zumba) to high (avante garde), from medical (dancing with Alzheimers patients) to spiritual (ecstatic dance). As someone who loves dance, and comedy, I enjoyed the book.

Some things I learned from the book that I'll be trying on my next big dance floor (March 16 & 17, to be exact):

* be more expressive -- there was a move described as "the bear" where dancers wander around the dance floor as if they're inebriated bears and sometimes exclaim "I'm a bear!" I'll be trying that one for sure. I'm going to work my way through a whole zodiac of inebriated animals. I'm not joking. I'll have 12 hours of dance over a weekend to do this.

* break the rules -- the book describes some of the ways in which dance leaders through time have steered away from (or crashed through) convention to create fresh new expression; I'm going to look for rules that I see people following and see what I can do to deliberately break them (within the realm of etiquette -- I'm not looking to make anybody else have a bad time)

* try dancing on the 1s and 3s and compare that to dancing on the 2s and 4s -- I've never consciously switched between beat pairs, but I'm going to do so after the book described an exercise where a dance teacher encouraged her students to do it.

* try this disco move: "there's a particular disco move that made me uncomfortable: closing your eyes and rocking your head with an opened "o" mouth, you rub your hands up and down the sides of your head as if trying to force the nut butters stored in your cheeks to ooze out of your ears." Yeah, that's a move I'll be trying out.

* I learned that anthropologists sometimes divide dance into three categories: dance done for the gods, dance done for other people, and dance done for oneself. I'm going to deliberately try to mix all three modes on the same dance floor.

* "Give permission to your armpits." That's a bit of guidance given by a Five Rhythms teacher to dance students, and I think I know what it means. I'm going to see if I can give permission to my armpits on the dance floor.

* Bring a problem and then dance the problem: I'll enter the dancefloor with a question or problem, and see what kind of answer the dancefloor might provide. "The smaller the hurt, the better it works," writes the author, but I think a corollary exists: "The bigger the hurt, the bigger/harder the dance work required."

* Try contact improv on the dancefloor. Started in 1972, "based on gravity and trust", "contact is mostly an improvised duet form in which dancers share their weight with each other, collapsing onto each other, lifting each other up in the air on their backs or shoulders, colliding their bodies." See the video below for a link to the best-known dance troupe (Pilobolus) that adheres to this style. Wild - -I want to see what that might feel like. Now to find a partner willing to hold my 200 lbs on their back! Any volunteers?!

https://www.youtube.com/@Pilobolus

[Autumn Kovach · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another audiobook that I'm glad to have listened to rather than read. The author sounded like Jim Parsons and was nice to listen to. Sometimes his witty punchlines fell flat but he did have some good moments that articulated the emotion of dance and good points pretty well;

"If you and a love interest have a great dance together the memory of it can live on in your consciousness like a phantom limb."

"If you live in a major metropolitan area that does not annually offer a variation on a jazz age lawn party, then you need to write a strongly worded letter to your chamber of commerce and sign it Daisy Buchanan"

"Hobbies are hope."

I was very curious about this book because I've always wanted to read about dancing but it's most often enjoyed participating rather than in book form. I thought he did a good job summarizing and articulating all the different aspects that dancing does to one's mental health, community, friendships and self. It certainly is a tricky topic and I think he did a good job.

[Denise Chojnacki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Never miss a chance to dance. We've all heard the saying but why do we dance? What motivates us? That's what this book is all about. Henry Alford goes through 9 different motivations for what moves people. He is a dancer himself so there are stories woven in throughout his rather broad and somewhat accomplished experiences. Some of them are more relatable than others and truly, even though I am a dancer, I learned some forms of dancing I was not aware of and probably will never take part in but interesting nonetheless. This book is also peppered with humorous quips such as "It was like having three glasses of wine at lunch and realizing THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE AN ALL-CAPS KIND OF AFTERNOON." One of the most interesting parts of this book was the stories of famous dancers that used dance as a form of healing to come back from some pretty serious accidents and illnesses. It just further cemented for me that dance is so much more than just movement.

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Organized in chapters based on the various roles Dance plays in human life (social entree, politics, rebellion, emotion & release, pure physicality, religion & spirituality, nostalgia, intimacy & socializing, and healing).

Best if you have some idea of dance history from the past 100 years so that you recognize the name dropping and have some idea of the movements he's describing. Having watched a bunch of musicals helps, too.

Most things are filtered through the author watching performances and taking classes in several different disciplines (including some that aren't really performance based).

Note that he's a 40-something and then 50-something year old man taking dance class in NYC.

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love to dance. I’ve grown up enough to realize I’m not really that GOOD at it, but I really love to get out and spin, and sway, and shimmy. I’ll twist and shout. I’ll do some jumping, jumping. I love to lose myself in the music, and I for sure will dance like nobody’s watching. I recently realized I want to learn this newfangled thing the kids are doing nowadays, “flossing,” but I’m hopeless at it. I also love to watch other people dance. Online, on TV, in person.... I love it all. So I shouldn’t be at all surprised to find out I also really enjoy reading about dancing. This was a super fun book to read.

[Rick Rapp · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alford's book is tough to categorize. He starts out writing about the effects of dance, then veers into some important historical figures in the evolution of dance, then talks about the effects dance has had on his self-acceptance in terms of his sexuality, then moves on to the physical and psychological benefits of dance. Along the way are a myriad of characters with whom he participates and situations in which he has experienced the benefits and self-doubt firsthand. A few parts where he delves into his own physicality and sexuality seemed uncomfortably gratuitous, but for the most part this was a deftly written book on a subject that many can find interesting.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alford provides an insidery view of dance, which as a former student of dance, is familiar and fun. For me -- the way he breaks down the different functions of dance doesn't resonate and I found it a bit confusing. I totally enjoyed learning about contact improv dance. His personal revelations of inhibitions, pain and decrepitude (because dance is for the young) are authentic, funny and close to home. Perhaps my favorite part of the book is near the end, when he describes a class that is dedicated to engaging those with various stages of Alzheimer -- touching and inspiring. I am eager to put on those tap shoes and begin again. Thank you.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming book from Henry Alford about his experience with dance. After taking a zumba class in 2011, he becomes more entranced with dance in general and sets out to meet people who perform different dance forms such as ballet, hip-hop, ballroom, ect. He finds dance medically curing for him reducing stress, building his confidence, and an interest that he desires to build on. He looks at a history of dance from an American perspective mostly and interviews many great dancers to those in a nursing home who have dementia and dance. A very uplifting, fun, rambling tale of dance.

[Sharen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Henry Alford has a keen eye for details that may escape most of us, and he can be wicked and funny. In this social history/memoir it's fascinating to find names we can research, leading us off in so many directions. That is marvelous. My one sadness is that Fred and Ginger receive scant attention. This is a shame as there are so many fascinating tales to tell. Moreover, watching The Continental, an unparalleled 20 minute dance sequence in The Gay Divorcee is an experience filled with the joyfulness and splendour of dance. Why didn't you include it, Henry? ...sigh...

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful look into the world of dance from a writer who found himself immersed in the New York City scene later in life. This book had both history and memoir in spades. Imagine David Sedaris writing a history book, and this is what you'd get. I listened to the audiobook which was delightful. My favorite chapters were when Henry Alford found himself performing (badly) in various public venues. I learned a lot about the juicy filming of THE TURNING POINT and the horrors of fact-checking your own articles at the New York Times. I was amused throughout.

[June · Rating 3 out of 5]

A personal journey so intimate that I doubt another dance fanatic (such as myself) would feel the same witticism, touched by all the idioms and slangs, even with our favorable overlaps of dance genres.
Narrative on contact improv impressed me the most, but not saying I’d rescind my avoidance of the class.
With jazz and tap dances in his flourish, little space for Street dance (hip hop), bet not in his realm of practice.

[jennifer lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whitty filled with historically interesting tidbits about dance. His personal journey into dancing and so many memorable moments, some so touching my it brought tears to my eyes.
"is she the love of your life?"
"No she's the essence of my life. There's a difference."
"What is the difference?"
"A love might be unrequited. Or it might be episodic. Essence is every day"
What a triumphant and moving book.

[Erika Jost · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the details of dance history; his humor is best suited to these sections. I found the author's personal meditations about dance to be heartfelt though a little half-baked. Needed tighter editing in the parts about his personal history--the seemingly endless digressions slowed down an otherwise delightful book.

[Mme Forte · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not a technical or historical perspective on dance; rather, it's an exploration of various roles dance plays in human life and examples of each. Alford has done extensive research and is a dancing dilettante himself, and his knowledge blends nicely with his humor so that you learn things without even realizing it. If you love dance -- or a dancer -- this is a fun and informational read.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I randomly borrowed this on Overdrive from the library, and it was so fun to read because he writes like I think, and that gives me more permission to write like I think, too. I also respect dance even more now!

[Allie Rocheleau · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really sweet book. I can't imagine going to the dance classes described by the author, but I absolutely relate to the joy of living-room dance parties and that dancing can be transcendent. Absolutely delightful read.

[M]

I enjoyed reading about Mr. Alford's personal forays into dance quite a lot, but I ended up skimming the broader historical and cultural ruminations.

[Midori · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting dance history, I admire alford's willingness to immerse himself with enthusiasm, but I lost momentum after the fosse anecdotes and am moving back to fiction.

[Jen Yip · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who has danced in NYC since 2001 I enjoyed completely the 'insider's' view of the different styles and classes the author enjoyed. I felt it got funnier as the book progressed.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun book! The author shared his mid-life dance crave with a subtle colorful history of the art. I smiled a lot.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly enjoyable romp

[Michelle Bizzell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious and made me want to dance again. Full of fun facts and lots of stories of the author's various dance escapades.

[Jennifer Loe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely delightful. It’s insightful, genuinely funny and also a brief history of dance.

[Jodie Hammonds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I’ve… In this case listened to in a long long time. I dance so it’s close to my heart, but I think non-dancers would also appreciate his writing and humor. Loved it.