Lead and Follow, is an in depth study for all who love dance. In it you will find seven great discussions on aspects relate to the parallels found between life and dance instruction. The author includes his thoughts and experiences taking place over several years as a professional dance teacher, with dozens of interviews with students of dance, and some well known professionals.

A warm and encouraging self-help book that draws inspiration and motivation from ballroom dancing. Precisely because the dance floor stands apart from the everyday world, allowing dancers to play, experiment and take on new roles, it also serves as a stage for human behavior. Antoinette Benevento, a former national ballroom dancing champion and co-owner of Fred Astaire Dance Studios, has been a student of that stage for 25 years. She has discovered that getting out on the dance floor is a powerful and empowering metaphor for living fully in all realms of life. Some of the tenets Antoinette Benevento lives, dances, and teaches by: -Persistence is a form of beauty -Give yourself permission to begin again--and again and again -If you're not willing to risk falling, you'll never learn to walk (or dance) -Desire is the energy that moves us forward in dance and in life -To dance well and to live fully, body and soul need to work together Building on the ballroom dancing craze that has swept the country, including the popularity of "Dancing with the Stars", this illuminating and highly readable book shows that what you learn on the dance floor can help you dance through life. ANTOINETTE BENEVENTO is co-owner of and National Training Director for the Fred Astaire Dance Studios and a former national ballroom dancing champion. EDWIN DOBB is a contributing editor of Harper's Magazine, and has written for numerous other national publications, including The New York Times Magazine, Vogue, and Discover.

Derek Hough, the dashing Emmy Award-winning fan favorite, and only five-time champion of the hit ABC reality show Dancing With the Stars, tells the inspiring story of his life and career, and shares insider tips of how he transforms his celebrity dance partners into confident, charismatic champions. For eleven seasons, millions of people have tuned in to Dancing with the Stars to watch Derek Hough, the talented, consummate competitor whose skill and commitment have made him the show’s all-time champion. Whether he’s dancing with an Olympic gold medalist, an internationally renowned recording star, or a celebrated actress, Derek instills in each of his celebrity partners a deep passion, respect for hard work, and an irrepressible joie de vie spirit. Now, for the first time ever, Derek opens up about his life and the lessons he’s learned on and off the dance floor, revealing how he went from bullied boy to ballroom boss. He details how his experiences have taught him to embrace a positive outlook, and shares the insights he’s gained working with celebrity partners, along with never-before-told, behind-the-scenes stories from the show. Throughout, Derek spills the real secrets of learning to dance—connection, respect, and cooperative commitment—and demonstrates how he draws on the lessons of dance and competition to embrace and overcome the daily challenges we all face.

A Wall Street Journal Bestseller “For nearly thirty years, my life’s work has been to help people like you find ways to bring the often warring aspects of life into greater harmony.” — Stew Friedman, from Leading the Life You Want You’re busy trying to lead a “full” life. But does it really feel full—or are you stretched too thin? Enter Stew Friedman, Wharton professor, adviser to leaders across the globe, and passionate advocate of replacing the misguided metaphor of “work/life balance” with something more realistic and sustainable. If you’re seeking “balance” you’ll never achieve it, argues Friedman. The idea that “work” competes with “life” ignores the more nuanced reality of our humanity—the interaction of four domains: work, home, community, and the private self. The goal is to create harmony among them instead of thinking only in terms of trade-offs. It can be done. Building on his national bestseller, Total Leadership, and on decades of research, teaching, and practice as both consultant and senior executive, Friedman identifies the critical skills for integrating work and the rest of life. He illustrates them through compelling original stories of these remarkable people: • former Bain & Company CEO and Bridgespan co-founder Tom Tierney • Facebook COO and bestselling author Sheryl Sandberg • nonprofit leader and US Navy SEAL Eric Greitens • US First Lady Michelle Obama • soccer champion-turned-broadcaster Julie Foudy • renowned artist Bruce Springsteen Each of these admirable (though surely imperfect) people exemplifies a set of skills—for being real, being whole, and being innovative—that produce a sense of purpose, coherence, and optimism. Based on interviews and research, their stories paint a vivid picture of how six very different leaders use these skills to act with authenticity, integrity, and creativity—and they prove that significant public success is accomplished not at the expense of the rest of life, but as the result of meaningful engagement in all its parts. With dozens of practical exercises for strengthening these skills, curated from the latest research in organizational psychology and related fields, this book will inspire you, inform you, and instruct you on how to take realistic steps now toward leading the life you truly want.

Why it really does take two to tango . . . At forty-five, Jamie Rose was an independent, take-charge woman whose career as an actress was going nicely, with frequent roles on hit television shows and in films. Yet there was one area of her life that wasn't working: her love life. She'd been living with her boyfriend for five years, and although she was ready to get married, he wasn't. His reason? They fought too much-and unfortunately, he was right. But something magical happened when she signed up for tango lessons: She began to appreciate the power of being a partner in a dance for two-and that letting someone else take the lead from time to time wasn't giving up, but rather, letting go. In this funny and wise book, Rose shares with readers the life lessons she's learned from tango and the other great partner dance traditions. Dance changed Rose's life, and she discovered that she wasn't the only one. Over and over, the women she encountered at dance halls-women from age twenty to ninety-three-told her how falling in love with dance helped them fall in love with life again. The secret? Whereas before they may have worried that if they let go of their grip on things for a moment, everything would fall apart, now they knew that sometimes letting go of the lead was the best way to keep things together-especially in a relationship. For anyone who has ever marveled at Fred and Ginger up on the silver screen (how could they be so in sync?), Shut Up & Dance shows readers how to dance their way into a happier, sexier life-even if they never step onto a dance floor.

One woman embarked on a dance journey around the world, finding out how each dance tells a story of its country and learning how beautiful life can be when you take the lead. If you could do anything you wanted, what would it be? Aliénor Salmon was working as a happiness researcher in Bangkok when a friend asked her the question that turned life as she knew it on its heels. A novice dancer but experienced social researcher, the Franco-British Aliénor headed west from Bangkok to dance her way through Latin America. As she learns eighteen dances, each native to the countries she visits, she engages with esoteric customs, traditions, and cultures. Through conversations and arduous studio hours, she learns that every step, pivot, and shake thrums with an undeniable spirit of place. And that in a world where we are over-connected but increasingly disconnected from one another, dance offers an authentically human experience. One that allows her to develop tolerance, kindness, truth, and love by holding the hands of a stranger and gazing into their eyes for the time of a song. With her fearless and candid approach, Aliénor will inspire you to take the reins of your own life—and have some fun along the way. In this dance-travelogue, you’ll learn the history and steps of dances like salsa, samba, and tango, enjoy a resplendent meditation on happiness and wanderlust, and receive a life-affirming answer to the question: How do I take the first step?

Claires Salsa instructor was the last person she would have imagined could provide her with spiritual guidance. She had known him as a coarse, angry young man. Yet it was the comments from this teacherdirected to improve her dancingthat began to change her life. Was her twenty-something-year-old Cuban-American Salsa instructor being used as a channel for the Divine? Claire Timberlake began dancing Salsa, as a 42 year-old newly divorced mother of three. For years, she danced away lonely nights with partners from across the globe. Then illness struck, taking her not only off the dance floor but out of her normal life. After a lengthy recovery, she found herself at a crossroads, questioning her career path and her value to the world. Her love of dancing still strong, she returned to Salsa. Soon Claire realized that the knowledge she gleaned from Salsa was leading her toward health, happiness, and a new career. What she had learned about following her Salsa partner was all she needed to know to follow her heart. This guidebook of life lessons will help you learn to let go and let your spirit lead in life's dance.