After 11 years in the making...
I am ready to share my new book with the world Teaching and Learning Dance Through Meaningful Gestures.
It is the crystallization of all that I've learned and taught through experimentation. It is what I consider essential in the training of a performer as well as a dancer, and how to teach movement and dance, distilled over 35 years as dance teacher, scholar, and pedagogue across 3 continents.
Teaching and Learning Dance Through Meaningful Gestures as a companion to my first book, Unveiling Motion and Emotion. My first book was a memoir in which I shared my experiences as a dance artist.
Teaching and Learning Dance Through Meaningful Gestures is a deeper exploration of training and artistic realization.
Teaching and Learning Dance Through Meaningful Gestures explores how technique is a philosophy and a theory, and how the body is an instrument for expression.
This text will be accompanied by Todd Carroll’s photographs to illustrate the book.
Creative Team:
Writer: Anabella Lenzu
Photography: Todd Carroll
Editor: Christina Graybard
Illustrations: Rathi Varma
Graphic Designer: Isabel Webre
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“Teaching and Learning Dance Through Meaningful Gestures is a thought-provoking exploration of the profound relationship between dance technique and expressive movement. More than just a guide to dance pedagogy, this book serves as a manifesto for a more holistic, humanistic, and intellectually engaged approach to dance education. Drawing on over 35 years of experience as a dance teacher and choreographer across multiple continents, Lenzu presents a comprehensive, deeply personal perspective on how movement serves as a vessel for communication, artistry, and self-discovery.” Barbara Sellers-Young, PhD/ Journal of Dance Education
“Teaching and Learning Dance Through Meaningful Gestures is a refreshing reminder that artistry lies in the ability to communicate, connect, and create meaning through movement.” Barbara Sellers-Young, PhD/Journal of Dance Education
“There is a lot to love about this book. It has over 250 images and 50 illustrations, numerous personal anecdotes and stories, and a bubbly, positive tone. The author’s expertise and experience are indisputable. There are sample syllabi for university pedagogy and ballet classes, and there is a list of recommended readings, numerous diagrams throughout, and the suggestion to follow the author on YouTube, where she has accumulated a video library of 150 playlists comprised of over 2,000 videos. The generosity is quite extraordinary. This is not an artist who is gatekeeping...and in that regard, it is a successful and valuable addition to the dance compendium.” Nancy Dobbs Owen/L.A. Dance Chronicle
"A highly regarded dancer and teacher who explores dance practices, along with choreographic and film techniques, Lenzu feels the need to address the craft of performance. In her 35 years as a professional, Lenzu believes today’s students are seduced by the athletic demands of dance technique while `setting aside the one thing that differentiates dance from sports–artistry. She quipped “sometimes I think the students think dance studios are a gym for training–they forgot about the body, mind, spirit connection.” Celia Ipiotis/ Eye on Dance
"Already incorporated in university dance curriculums, including New York University, Teaching and Learning Dance Through Meaningful Gestures is a highly practical guide to better understand the art and function of dance." Celia Ipiotis/ Eye on Dance
"Many accolades that celebrate her innovative pedagogy, the significant impact of her teachings in the field of dance, and her exemplary leadership at both the state and national levels in the United States. Anabella Lenzu is also a prolific writer, having contributed to various dance and art magazines." Nicola Campanelli/ Campadidanza
"Teaching and Learning Dance through Meaningful Gestures resonates deeply because of its openness, sincerity, and experimental spirit. Through vivid personal reflections and philosophical insights, Lenzu invites educators and dancers to re-examine familiar assumptions, embrace complexity, and appreciate the profound interconnectedness between dance and life itself. As a dance educator navigating these complexities daily, I found genuine companionship and validation in her words…Dance educators, students, and practitioners across disciplines will discover in this text not only practical inspiration but also profound affirmation of dance as a powerful, integrative force within our lives." Garamh Kim/ thINKingDANCE
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The Dance Floor Podcast
“Ms. Lenzu is a deeply knowledgeable and sensitive educator to the many colors that make artists who they are capable of becoming. This book is a wonderful resource exploring her many years of pedagogical study and should be shared to give voice to this vibrant artistic journey.”
“Anabella’s insightful, deep-in-detail, and masterful new book equips dancers and dance educators with a wealth of practical knowledge.
Her methods are not just precise, concise, and valuable, but also practical, providing a clear direction that is an essential tool for success in any teaching art form.”
“Teaching and Learning Dance Through Meaningful Gestures” is both instructive and inspirational. Lenzu generously shares her insights into dance pedagogy honed over 30 years of dancing, teaching, and choreographing. The book is a most powerful teaching guide and deep dive into the choreographic process that will aid students and teachers alike.”
“Rarely do I read a book that is in total alignment with my own values and philosophies as a dance educator. Teaching and Learning Dance Through Meaningful Gestures by Anabella Lenzu is that book, thoughtfully challenging old modalities of training so dance educators can meet the educational needs of students training in dance with a more humanistic and holistic approach. Through years of experience, Ms. Lenzu offers a new way forward for dance, one that honors traditional methods of training, while simultaneously inviting educators to introduce new methods that address not just the body, but the mind and spirit, in an effort to further unlock the potential and humanity of dancers today. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to any dance educators looking to bring their teaching practice into the 21st century and beyond. ”