Dancing Till Dawn fills a gap long apparent on the shelves of the dance libraries of America. Thanks to Julie Malnig we now have a proper history. -- Marge Champion This book about ballroom dance is also a book about American social history. Whether polished for the stage or performed in the dance hall, ballroom dancing distills crucial information in a gorgeous time capsule of motion... Now, for the first time, Julie Malnig has gathered together the facts about this curious and wonderful world of dance. Dancing Till Dawn not only sheds light on our past, it provides a strong cornerstone for future research. -- Sally Sommer

This fascinating book explores the rich history of exhibition ballroom dancing from its heyday in the 1910s to the present. Julie Malnig's record of this intimate, theatrical genre of dance features male-female teams--idolized as theatre personalities in cabaret, vaudeville, musicals, and, later, as stars of film and television. Both role models and teachers, exhibition ballroom teams showed the public exciting new forms and styles.

Exhibition ballroom dancing is examined as a cultural and social phenomenon promoting new cultural standards, including the emancipation of women and a casualness and spontaneity between the sexes. A comprehensive study of this dance genre and entertainment form, this volume utilizes unexplored primary sources and is illustrated with original photographs. This book can be used by students, researchers, and anyone interested in the history of dance, theatre, and all forms of popular entertainment.