Studies in Dance Submission Guidelines

The Editorial Board welcomes the submission of proposals and manuscripts for our book series, Studies in Dance History. Because we define dance history and dance studies in the broadest possible terms, we encourage the submission of proposals on a wide range of topics and encourage innovation in subject matter, methodology, theoretical approaches, and writing. The series publishes monographs by single authors (both emerging and established), as well as anthologies and translations. We pride ourselves on providing close mentorship for first-time authors and detailed feedback on work-in-process for all authors.

One of the greatest advantages of publishing with our series is that your book will be sent to all Dance Studies Association members. 

Please keep in mind as you prepare your materials this wide distribution means that the series has an international readership, so it is important to contextualize and historicize your project accordingly.

Submission Guidelines

The guidelines below—one set for monographs and anthologies and a second set for translations—should be followed to ensure the most thorough review possible from the Editorial Board. Please be in touch with the SiDH Editorial Board Chair ([email protected]) for guidance on making your submission as competitive as possible.

Monographs and Anthologies

 1.    Cover Letter

The cover letter, addressed to the Chair of the SiDH editorial board, should include the following information:

• Title of the work.
• Contact information for the Author/Editor(s).
• Clear statement of the book’s primary argument and aims.
• Statement of the original contributions the book will make to the international field of dance studies, explanation of how the book differs from work already published, and description of how the book will speak to a general dance studies readership.
• Number and nature of illustrations to be included.
• Estimated extent of previously published material to be included.
• Disclosure about whether or not the material is under consideration with another publisher.
• Estimate of total word count and number of images.
• Estimate of timeline for completion and submission.
• Listing of items included with the submission.

2. C.V. of Author/Editors

Note: For anthologies, please submit bios of 100-150 words for all contributors in addition to the CV of the editor(s). 

3. Table of Contents

4. Book Proposal

Your proposal should be between 5-10 pages in length, single-spaced. We expect this proposal to be high-quality, as it gives us a sense of your ability to write a strong book. The proposal should include

• Description of the Project: including the book's argument, scope, theoretical approach(es), methodologies, and key contributions to dance studies.

For anthologies, in addition to all items listed above, it is particularly important editors clarify the specific aims of the project, what the primary through-line will be across all essays, and how the editors have curated the list of invited authors in relation to the book’s larger argument and scope.

• Justification: Why is this book important to an international dance studies readership, and why would it fit well within this series? 
• Interdisciplinary: If this is an interdisciplinary project, what are the fields the project brings together? How is the book conversing with or adding to these fields?
• Competition: What previously published books is your book most like? How will your book add to, converse with, build on, or fill in gaps compared to these other books?
• Audience: Who will the book appeal to? Is the book appropriate for undergraduate or graduate student readers, readers within the field, in other fields, and/or the general public?
• Book Outline: Outline each section and chapter in the book so that we understand the book's scope and structure. Include abstracts for each chapter.   

Sample Chapters

Send two sample chapters. This might include the introduction and a single chapter, or two body chapters. They need not be sequential. If we would like additional materials, we will request them. These chapters should be strong, well edited, and give our board a good sense of your main ideas, methods, and writing style. Do not substitute a previously published article for one of your chapters.

For anthologies, send two chapters that represent the most developed essays-in-process. If the anthology’s argument depends on a wide range of types of essays, it is ideal if the two sample chapters demonstrate that range.

For Translations

Cover Letter

The cover letter, addressed to the Chair of the SiDH editorial board, should include the following information:

• Title of the work.
• Contact information for the Author/Editor(s). (Submissions may come from the original author, or from another scholar advocating—in collaboration with original author or publisher—for a translation project. In the latter case, the advocate will become the primary contact for the translation project.)
• Clear statement of the book’s primary argument, scope, theoretical approach(es), methodologies, and aims within its original publication context, including information about the reception of the book in its current language (copies sold, impact on the field(s), book reviews, etc.).
• Statement of the original contributions the translation will make to the international field of dance studies in its English-language version. Given the limited resources for translations, why does this book warrant resources?
• Information about any new material written specifically for the English-language translation (a new introduction, contextualizing preface by another scholar, etc.).
• Word count and number of illustrations.
• Statement regarding who owns the rights to the publication and, if it is not the person submitting the proposal, a statement regarding that person or entities’ knowledge of the submission.
• Estimate of timeline for completion and submission.
• Listing of items included with the submission.

C.V. of Primary Author(s)/Editors

In the case of a translation of a multi-authored volume, please submit bios of 100-150 words for non-primary authors/editors.

Table of Contents, including brief overviews of each chapter

 Additional Material (as available):

• Any material (chapters, new material for English-language version) that exists in English at the time of submission.
•  If no material already exists in English, please submit one chapter and/or 20-30 pages of the manuscript in the original publication language.
• Published reviews of the book (in any language).
• Letter of support from scholars familiar with the book in its original form.

Submission Logistics  

Submission Format: Submit your materials as word documents or PDFs via email to the Chair of the Editorial Board.

Send Submissions and Inquiries to:

The Editor at [email protected] 

Manuscript Review

Your materials will first be reviewed by the Chair of the Editorial Board. If judged appropriate for the series, the Chair will forward the materials to the SiDH Editorial Board for review. We accept submissions year-round, and meet two to three times per year. (Exact dates shift based on the timing of DSA’s Annual Conference. Contact the SiDH Editorial Board Chair [email protected] for information on best submission dates.) Materials are due to the Chair at least two weeks prior to Editorial Board meetings, and all authors receive general feedback on their materials within a month of review. In certain cases, we are able to accelerate this process.

Sometimes we see promise in a submission, but may send the materials back for revision and resubmission. In these cases, we will provide generous feedback to help you refine and improve your materials for resubmission.

If the Board approves your submission, we will work with you to ready your materials for submission to the University of Michigan Press Editorial Board for review and the awarding of an advance contract (for work-in-progress) or a contract (for full manuscripts). All books undergo blind peer review under the management of University of Michigan Press.