Pre-Classic Dance Forms supplies its readers with complete historical descriptions of 16th and 17th century dances. For the student of music and dance, Horst offers a brief, readable introduction to this important era of dancing and its customs and styles and shows how the early dances influenced the growth of modern dance in this century.

Through examining the past and applying it to his times, Horst gives modern dancers new ways to study movement. As Janet Soares remarks in the Foreword to Horst's text, "By returning to a time when court composers wrote specifically for dance, Horst felt that a renewed independence could emerge with dance taking a predominant position." A well-respected text when originally published in 1937, Pre-Classic Dance Forms remains an important resource for students, choreographers, stages directors, dance historians and musicologists.

The book is illustrated with period artwork and photographs of dancers from the 16th, 17th and early 20th century, among them Angna Enters, Martha Graham, Arthur Mahoney and Berta Ochsner. A chapter is devoted to each of the following dances: Pavan, Galliard, Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Gigue, Minuet, Gavotte, Bourrée, Rigaudon, Passepied, Chaconne and Passacaglia. Musical scores and dance notations supplement many of the dances. Includes 24 illustrations.