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The Swans of Harlem: Five Black Ballerinas, Fifty Years of Sisterhood, and Their Reclamation of a Groundbreaking History
The forgotten story of a pioneering group of five Black ballerinas and their fifty-year sisterhood, a legacy erased from history—until now.
At the height of the Civil Rights movement, Lydia Abarca was a Black prima ballerina with a major international dance company—the Dance Theatre of Harlem, a troupe of women and men who became each other’s chosen family. She was the first Black ballerina on the cover of Dance magazine, an Essence cover star; she was cast in The Wiz and in a Bob Fosse production on Broadway. She performed in some of ballet’s most iconic works with other trailblazing ballerinas, including the young women who became her closest friends—founding Dance Theatre of Harlem members Gayle McKinney-Griffith and Sheila Rohan, as well as first-generation dancers Karlya Shelton and Marcia Sells.
These Swans of Harlem performed for the Queen of England, Mick Jagger, and Stevie Wonder, on the same bill as Josephine Baker, at the White House, and beyond. But decades later there was almost no record of their groundbreaking history to be found. Out of a sisterhood that had grown even deeper with the years, these Swans joined forces again—to share their story with the world.
Captivating, rich in vivid detail and character, and steeped in the glamour and grit of professional ballet, The Swans of Harlem is a riveting account of five extraordinarily accomplished women, a celebration of both their historic careers and the sustaining, grounding power of female friendship, and a window into the robust history of Black ballet, hidden for too long.
At the height of the Civil Rights movement, Lydia Abarca was a Black prima ballerina with a major international dance company—the Dance Theatre of Harlem, a troupe of women and men who became each other’s chosen family. She was the first Black ballerina on the cover of Dance magazine, an Essence cover star; she was cast in The Wiz and in a Bob Fosse production on Broadway. She performed in some of ballet’s most iconic works with other trailblazing ballerinas, including the young women who became her closest friends—founding Dance Theatre of Harlem members Gayle McKinney-Griffith and Sheila Rohan, as well as first-generation dancers Karlya Shelton and Marcia Sells.
These Swans of Harlem performed for the Queen of England, Mick Jagger, and Stevie Wonder, on the same bill as Josephine Baker, at the White House, and beyond. But decades later there was almost no record of their groundbreaking history to be found. Out of a sisterhood that had grown even deeper with the years, these Swans joined forces again—to share their story with the world.
Captivating, rich in vivid detail and character, and steeped in the glamour and grit of professional ballet, The Swans of Harlem is a riveting account of five extraordinarily accomplished women, a celebration of both their historic careers and the sustaining, grounding power of female friendship, and a window into the robust history of Black ballet, hidden for too long.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published April 30, 2024
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March 31, 2024
Many people think Misty Copeland, who became a principal dancer for the American Ballet Theatre in 2015, was American's first Black ballerina. This is incorrect. In 1969, African American danseur Arthur Mitchell founded the Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH), a company that featured Black ballet dancers.
Misty Copeland
Arthur Mitchell
For many years, it was 'common knowledge' that Black dancers belonged in modern dance, not classical ballet. Mitchell explains, "I said to hell with that; I wasn't raised speaking Swahili or doing native dances. Why not classical ballet?" So Mitchell became a danseur in George Balanchine's New York City Ballet, and later founded DTH.
Arthur Mitchell
Arthur Mitchell instructing a ballerina
Dance Theatre of Harlem
DTH's five pioneer ballerinas were well known in their time, but subsequently faded from memory. Author Karen Valby, who's White, thought it was time to restore these women - whom she calls the Swans of Harlem - to their place in history. In an interview, Valby said, "Fundamentally, I consider this book a gift to my [adopted] daughters — young Black girls who are dancers themselves. They deserve to know about the Swans, and to feel surrounded by the power of example. Writing in this case felt like an act of mothering.”
DTH's first group of ballerinas were Lydia Abarca, Gayle McKinney-Griffith, Sheila Rohan, Karlya Shelton and Marcia Sells, all of whom shared a calling to the classical stage. Valby writes about the ballerinas' lives and careers, then describes how, during the Covid pandemic, the women formed the '152nd Street Black Ballet Legacy Council.' Valby writes, "They had all been knocked off balance by the anointing of Misty Copeland, by what felt like a deliberate scrubbing of their groundbreaking history." The (now golden age) dancers would gather online once a week to "throw out an anchor to one another from their scattered perches across the country." This provides a platform for discussing the women's lives after they left DTH, and their stories are inspiring and touching.
I'll say a few words about each pioneering Black ballerina, to introduce these talented women. (There's much much more in the book, of course.)
Lydia Abarca: Abarca, who grew up in a working class family in Harlem, loved to dance. Lydia dreamed of being a celebrity, with limousines, red carpets, and enough money to buy her parents a house. Lydia's passion drew her to Mitchell's studio, where her talent soon made her a star. As for Lydia's dream, Valby notes, "For a flash of time, a decade of her youth, [Abarca] had a taste of all that, as Mitchell's muse and Dance Theatre of Harlem's first prima ballerina.
Lydia Abarca and danseur Paul Russell
Gayle McKinney-Griffith: McKinney-Griffith was raised in Connecticut, and as a young girl, learned ballet from former Bolshoi dancers. Later, at Julliard, Gayle's instructors pointed her toward modern dance, even though Gayle was a ballerina. Gayle persisted, however, and became the only Black dancer in Juilliard's ballet classes. Gayle became frustrated at Julliard, and when she heard Arthur Mitchell was auditioning for an all-Black ballet company, Gayle tried out.....and the rest is history.
Gayle McKinney-Griffith
Sheila Rohan: Rohan was raised in Staten Island, had asthma, and contracted polio as a child. Sheila's doctor prescribed exercise to strengthen her polio ravaged body, and Sheila was enrolled in tap and ballet classes - where her talent shone. By the time Sheila joined DTH, she was a 28-year-old wife and mother, which made things difficult. However, Sheila was determined, and she recalls, "You know how they talk about planting seeds? Arthur Mitchell planted a seed in me, and [the other ballerinas] helped to nurture that seed and make it grow."
Sheila Rohan
Karlya Shelton: Shelton's family lived in Denver, Colorado and Karlya took ballet lessons in the local dance shop. When Karlya was seventeen, she saw a picture of Lydia Abarca on the cover of 'Dance Magazine' and was amazed to see the visage of a Black dancer and a story about DTH. Karlya's parents helped her move to New York City, where she joined DTH, and in time (after many trials and tribulations and a strict diet) Mitchell made Karlya a full company member.
Lydia Abarca on the cover of Dance Magazine
Karlya Shelton
Marcia Sells: Sells was raised in Cincinnati, where she started ballet classes at the age of four. When Marcia was ten, DTH performed in her home town, and Marcia was amazed to see a Black ballerina perform. Marcia would imagine herself dancing in productions like the 'Sugar Plum Fairy' and Balanchine's 'Serenade' and 'Concerto Barocco' and she "daydreamed about greeting her fans backstage, her arms heavy with roses." When Marcia met Mitchell - and he examined her feet - Mitchell insisted the girl move to New York City, live with a local family, and train at DTH. Young Marcia didn't move right away, but eventually joined Mitchell's company.
Marcia Sells as a young dancer and as Harvard's Law Dean
Arthur Mitchell was a perfectionist and a VERY hard taskmaster. Mitchell was relentless about practice; insisted the ballerinas be rail thin; had rules about ALWAYS looking perfect in public; and so on. Mitchell would rage and shout if he was confronted (even a drop), and the troupe had to walk on eggshells around him. Still, Mitchell was an amazing talent who gave unprecedented opportunities to people of color.
In a sad section, Valby writes about the horrible toll of AIDS on the ballet world. Take out your tissues for these chapters.
At it's height, DTH toured Europe and America; performed for presidents, royalty, and celebrities; and was feted and wined and dined. It's hard to imagine how the ground-breaking DTH dancers were forgotten by history. Valby's book should help right that wrong.
Aficionados of ballet will enjoy all the talk about pirouettes, relevés, pas de deux, pas de trois, arabesques, échappés, etc; and mentions of ballets such as 'Afternoon of a Faun', 'Swan Lake', 'Holberg Suite', and more. I'd like to emphasize, though, that one needn't be knowledgeable about ballet to enjoy the book, which is excellent. Highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley, Karen Valby, and Pantheon for a copy of the book.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com
May 10, 2024
The Swans of Harlem: Five Black Ballerinas, Fifty Years of Sisterhood, and Their Reclamation of a Groundbreaking History by Karen Valby was both heartbreaking and inspiring. It told the story of five aspiring black ballerinas that grew up knowing that they were talented but were almost always denied the opportunities to dance as the principal dancer just because of the color of their skin. Outrageous, you say? That was the mentality of the big dance theatres during the 1960’s and in subsequent years that followed. These young ballerinas found this belief and practice frustrating and it saddened them beyond measure. The roles of classical ballerinas were reserved and opened to white ballerinas exclusively in the elite dance programs like The American Ballet Theatre and the New York City Ballet. During that time, Black ballerinas were encouraged to pursue Modern dance no matter how talented they were in the art of ballet. There was no place, dance school or teacher who was willing to award a black ballerina a chance based on her talent alone. Skin color was the deciding factor.
In 1969, with the catalyst of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Arthur Mitchell, had a vision which gave birth to the Dance Theatre of Harlem. It would become a school where Black ballerinas could learn, make their dreams come true, be taught by black dance instructors and be recognized for their accomplishments and talents. Arthur Mitchell had grown up in Harlem and was an accomplished black male ballet danseur. He knew what it was like to be the “lone” black danseur amongst a sea of white ballet dancers. Arthur Mitchell was intent on opening “the first permanent Black ballet company “. Among the first ballerinas at the Dance Theatre of Harlem were Lydia Albarca, a Harlem native, Gayle McKinney-Griffith who was brought up in a Connecticut suburb, Shelia Rohan from Staten Island, Marcia Sells from Cincinnati and Karlya Shelton who grew up in Denver, Colorado. They each grew up being told, NO! even though they each belonged on the stage. Over the years that these five talented Black ballerinas practiced, performed, cried, smiled, laughed and became friends, they also found a place that recognized them for who they were, a place that was safe and a home they called The Dance Theatre of Harlem. They formed a special bond, a sisterhood. They became each other’s family, shoulder to cry on, sounding board and receptor for the great things they accomplished individually and collectively. These five black ballerinas, under the umbrella of the Dance Theatre of Harlem, performed for Queen Elizabeth, an American president and quite a few celebrities during their prime years as Black ballerinas. They performed in both Europe and the United States. In later years, these five groundbreaking black ballerinas, went on to form The 152nd Street Black Ballet Legacy Council. Their relationship under the guidance of Arthur Mitchell had been tested over and over but it only got stronger. Arthur Mitchell was like a father figure to these young ballerinas. He was demanding, critical and sometimes verbally abusive but deep down he loved them all. He required perfection from them and nothing less.
In more recent years, the accomplishments of these barrier breaking ballerinas have all but been forgotten. Misty Copeland earned the respect of being named the first Black ballerina to “kick down doors”. Lydia Abarca’s granddaughter, Hannah, came home one day from her preschool class and questioned her mother and grandmother about the truth about that fact. She had grown up being told that her grandmother held that title. Little Hannah and her classmates had been studying Black History in their preschool class. Each child was given the assignment to choose a famous Black American to report on for this project. Four of the girls in Hannah’s class had chosen Misty Copeland. Hannah was confused. She had always been told that her grandmother held that special place in Black history. Why was Misty Copeland receiving this recognition then? Unfortunately, Lydia and the other pioneer Black ballerinas that had broken down those doors during the 1960’s at the Dance Theatre of Harlem had never been given the recognition they deserved. Their accomplishments and roles they had in promoting the acceptance of Black ballerinas had long been buried and forgotten.
The Swans of Harlem brought forth the incredible achievements, talents and stories of these five talented Black ballerinas who forged a path for all the Black ballerinas who followed them. I vaguely remember seeing advertisements for the Dance Theatre of Harlem in the newspaper growing up in a suburb not that far from New York City. Even though I am not an avid ballet fan, I really enjoyed learning about these ballerinas and all they went through to be recognized for their innate talents. I thought it was extremely well written and it educated its readers about a piece of history that was not widely known. It made me extremely happy to learn how these five ballerinas stayed in contact with each other even when their careers as ballerinas were long over. The Swans of Harlem touched upon the AIDS epidemic and the impact it had on the ballet community, racism and discrimination, friendship, the act of resilience, the effects of verbal abuse, the nonexistent act of being able to decide independently what was best for each dancer and a beautiful and special sisterhood. I really enjoyed reading The Swans of Harlem by Karen Valby and highly recommend it.
Thank you to Pantheon Books for allowing me to read The Swans of Harlem: Five Black Ballerinas, Fifty Years of Sisterhood, and Their Reclamation of a Groundbreaking History by Karen Valby through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
In 1969, with the catalyst of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Arthur Mitchell, had a vision which gave birth to the Dance Theatre of Harlem. It would become a school where Black ballerinas could learn, make their dreams come true, be taught by black dance instructors and be recognized for their accomplishments and talents. Arthur Mitchell had grown up in Harlem and was an accomplished black male ballet danseur. He knew what it was like to be the “lone” black danseur amongst a sea of white ballet dancers. Arthur Mitchell was intent on opening “the first permanent Black ballet company “. Among the first ballerinas at the Dance Theatre of Harlem were Lydia Albarca, a Harlem native, Gayle McKinney-Griffith who was brought up in a Connecticut suburb, Shelia Rohan from Staten Island, Marcia Sells from Cincinnati and Karlya Shelton who grew up in Denver, Colorado. They each grew up being told, NO! even though they each belonged on the stage. Over the years that these five talented Black ballerinas practiced, performed, cried, smiled, laughed and became friends, they also found a place that recognized them for who they were, a place that was safe and a home they called The Dance Theatre of Harlem. They formed a special bond, a sisterhood. They became each other’s family, shoulder to cry on, sounding board and receptor for the great things they accomplished individually and collectively. These five black ballerinas, under the umbrella of the Dance Theatre of Harlem, performed for Queen Elizabeth, an American president and quite a few celebrities during their prime years as Black ballerinas. They performed in both Europe and the United States. In later years, these five groundbreaking black ballerinas, went on to form The 152nd Street Black Ballet Legacy Council. Their relationship under the guidance of Arthur Mitchell had been tested over and over but it only got stronger. Arthur Mitchell was like a father figure to these young ballerinas. He was demanding, critical and sometimes verbally abusive but deep down he loved them all. He required perfection from them and nothing less.
In more recent years, the accomplishments of these barrier breaking ballerinas have all but been forgotten. Misty Copeland earned the respect of being named the first Black ballerina to “kick down doors”. Lydia Abarca’s granddaughter, Hannah, came home one day from her preschool class and questioned her mother and grandmother about the truth about that fact. She had grown up being told that her grandmother held that title. Little Hannah and her classmates had been studying Black History in their preschool class. Each child was given the assignment to choose a famous Black American to report on for this project. Four of the girls in Hannah’s class had chosen Misty Copeland. Hannah was confused. She had always been told that her grandmother held that special place in Black history. Why was Misty Copeland receiving this recognition then? Unfortunately, Lydia and the other pioneer Black ballerinas that had broken down those doors during the 1960’s at the Dance Theatre of Harlem had never been given the recognition they deserved. Their accomplishments and roles they had in promoting the acceptance of Black ballerinas had long been buried and forgotten.
The Swans of Harlem brought forth the incredible achievements, talents and stories of these five talented Black ballerinas who forged a path for all the Black ballerinas who followed them. I vaguely remember seeing advertisements for the Dance Theatre of Harlem in the newspaper growing up in a suburb not that far from New York City. Even though I am not an avid ballet fan, I really enjoyed learning about these ballerinas and all they went through to be recognized for their innate talents. I thought it was extremely well written and it educated its readers about a piece of history that was not widely known. It made me extremely happy to learn how these five ballerinas stayed in contact with each other even when their careers as ballerinas were long over. The Swans of Harlem touched upon the AIDS epidemic and the impact it had on the ballet community, racism and discrimination, friendship, the act of resilience, the effects of verbal abuse, the nonexistent act of being able to decide independently what was best for each dancer and a beautiful and special sisterhood. I really enjoyed reading The Swans of Harlem by Karen Valby and highly recommend it.
Thank you to Pantheon Books for allowing me to read The Swans of Harlem: Five Black Ballerinas, Fifty Years of Sisterhood, and Their Reclamation of a Groundbreaking History by Karen Valby through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 29, 2024
First of all, this is a hugely important book as it joins the ranks of recent historical narratives that uncover how much whitewashing has taken place in our cultural histories and memories. Even Misty Copeland, so often feted as the 'first' Black ballerina, appears in the book not completely aware of whose shoulders she has stood on: though she admits this with grace and humility and is embraced by her Black ballerina 'foremothers' with ultimate generosity. I say this not to point the finger in any way but to stress the extent to which this is a hidden history, unaccountably so, given the establishment of Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) in 1969 and its revival in 2012.
The women at this book's heart are extraordinary: for their boldness, artistry and courage in Civil Rights America when the KKK was still terrorising not just local communities but also targets Black artists on tour. But the revelations in this book are frequently smaller and more telling than that: that dance teachers and companies couldn't conceive of Black ballerinas because their skin colour would spoilt the aesthetic line of the corps; that no-one knew what to do with their hair and forced them into taming natural curls into greased down imitations of ballerina buns. That there were no ballet shoes or tights that weren't pale pink so that the costumes ruined the lines of performing Black bodies until these women started dying their own accessories. Even the way just the mode of classical ballet was deemed irredeemably 'white' so that Black dancers were pushed towards modern and contemporary dance instead.
For all the excellent material and crucial story being told here, I found the book itself a little clumsy: it never feels completely sure whether it's telling the story of the ballerinas themselves, of DTH, of racism in the arts, or even of Arthur Mitchell, the Black male dancer who established DTH in 1969. For a book about women, he takes up an awful lot of page space, some justified as he gave these women opportunities that simply didn't exist elsewhere, but he also turns increasingly toxic and authoritarian. There is also more that might be said about the kind of racially-inflected discourses that ring-fence arts in terms of exclusion; and even about the ways in which these women were perhaps forced into imitating white forms of aesthetic beauty standards in order to participate in ballet at all.
There is a real warmth about this book, especially when the ballerinas speak for themselves and their families talk of how proud they were to watch their mothers, daughters, sisters make history on stage. It's also delightful to find these women cheerleading each other, and that sense of support and understanding, rather than competition, that has existed amongst them for such a long time.
So picky me can't help analysing this as a piece of research and narrative history and finding it a little messy, a little amateur, a little homely - but the other me was cheering along with these extraordinary women and finding it jaw-dropping that this book even needed to be written. A much-needed and unconfrontational corrective to standard ballet histories: 3.5 stars.
The women at this book's heart are extraordinary: for their boldness, artistry and courage in Civil Rights America when the KKK was still terrorising not just local communities but also targets Black artists on tour. But the revelations in this book are frequently smaller and more telling than that: that dance teachers and companies couldn't conceive of Black ballerinas because their skin colour would spoilt the aesthetic line of the corps; that no-one knew what to do with their hair and forced them into taming natural curls into greased down imitations of ballerina buns. That there were no ballet shoes or tights that weren't pale pink so that the costumes ruined the lines of performing Black bodies until these women started dying their own accessories. Even the way just the mode of classical ballet was deemed irredeemably 'white' so that Black dancers were pushed towards modern and contemporary dance instead.
For all the excellent material and crucial story being told here, I found the book itself a little clumsy: it never feels completely sure whether it's telling the story of the ballerinas themselves, of DTH, of racism in the arts, or even of Arthur Mitchell, the Black male dancer who established DTH in 1969. For a book about women, he takes up an awful lot of page space, some justified as he gave these women opportunities that simply didn't exist elsewhere, but he also turns increasingly toxic and authoritarian. There is also more that might be said about the kind of racially-inflected discourses that ring-fence arts in terms of exclusion; and even about the ways in which these women were perhaps forced into imitating white forms of aesthetic beauty standards in order to participate in ballet at all.
There is a real warmth about this book, especially when the ballerinas speak for themselves and their families talk of how proud they were to watch their mothers, daughters, sisters make history on stage. It's also delightful to find these women cheerleading each other, and that sense of support and understanding, rather than competition, that has existed amongst them for such a long time.
So picky me can't help analysing this as a piece of research and narrative history and finding it a little messy, a little amateur, a little homely - but the other me was cheering along with these extraordinary women and finding it jaw-dropping that this book even needed to be written. A much-needed and unconfrontational corrective to standard ballet histories: 3.5 stars.
June 21, 2024
I'm not a ballet person, I can't say that I have even a passing interest in it, that would be overstating my level of interest in the topic, I picked up this book because it was one of last week's new nonfiction titles at my library and went in with no idea of what it was about.
There's a rather big chunk of this book that I found a bit meandering and sometimes a little hard to follow (even though these ladies are really bad ass and I assume that someone who has an interest in dance company dynamics and is better at remembering names than me might feel differently about just how meandering that part is) and that I was therefore not crazy about. That being said, the last 20/25% of the book is so packed with poignancy it made the more meandering part worth sticking with. The parts about remembering the dance partners they lost to the AIDs epidemic and the reunion between the older ballerinas and Misty Copeland were so beautifully and impactfully described that it was downright devastating.
Seriously though, this book would make a fantastic movie or show.
I liked that at the end the author shows that even when people do want to remember it's easy to lose track of people who paved the way and that it's important to share the duty to remember and honor them especially when they are part of a marginalized group which is routinely erased from their own history.
There's a rather big chunk of this book that I found a bit meandering and sometimes a little hard to follow (even though these ladies are really bad ass and I assume that someone who has an interest in dance company dynamics and is better at remembering names than me might feel differently about just how meandering that part is) and that I was therefore not crazy about. That being said, the last 20/25% of the book is so packed with poignancy it made the more meandering part worth sticking with. The parts about remembering the dance partners they lost to the AIDs epidemic and the reunion between the older ballerinas and Misty Copeland were so beautifully and impactfully described that it was downright devastating.
Seriously though, this book would make a fantastic movie or show.
I liked that at the end the author shows that even when people do want to remember it's easy to lose track of people who paved the way and that it's important to share the duty to remember and honor them especially when they are part of a marginalized group which is routinely erased from their own history.
March 5, 2024
When Misty Copeland, who was born in 1982, was touted as the first Black ballerina, several women who had danced with the Dance Theater of Harlem were dismayed, since they all had been ballet dancers in the 1960’s. Much of the book is the author’s interviews with these women, and they tell of the disturbing discrimination they experienced when ballet was considered a “whites only” profession. It’s hard to imagine that they were forgotten even though not only had one of them had been on the cover of Dance magazine, but they had also performed for Queen Elizabeth. This book ensures that their contributions will not be forgotten again. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
March 31, 2024
I am completely emotionally invested in this book, The Swans of Harlem, written brilliantly and honestly by Karen Valby, published by Pantheon Books. The cover says "Five Black Ballerinas, Fifty Years of Sisterhood and Their Reclamation of a Groundbreaking History". This book, told with austere authenticity, is the story of the 152nd Street Black Ballet Legacy and its members, Lydia Abarca, Gayle McKinney-Griffith, Sheila Rohan, Marcia Sells and Karlya Shelton. From their beginnings studying ballet with Dance Theatre of Harlem and Arthur Mitchell, to becoming the artists they are and ballerinas in the company, this book covers their dancing lives as well as their lives after. Heartbreaking and so very very real, the decisions that they made and the decisions others made for them....are depicted in these chapters of Swans. All beautiful, all talented, all dealt with, brutally, many times, by Arthur Mitchell, this is their story and reclamation! It is a dance book that needs to be read by everyone, yes, even those of you who do not dance! Other chapters deal with the horrible occurrence of AIDS, and how it stripped the dance and artistic world of incredible artists. I loved how Ms. Valby devoted a chapter to each of these women, followed up in italics by their exact words. I didn't want this book to end...absolutely one of the best books of the year! Thank you to these women for their legacy and to Ms. Valby, for enriching my life with these words!
March 29, 2024
3.5 Stars
I love reading about the ballet culture. This was an interesting piece of history about The Dance Theatre of Harlem, which was founded in 1969 and is renowned for being the first Black classical ballet company. It became an inspiration and refuge for young Black ballerinas who were welcomed and celebrated at DTH, when they were often scarce and marginalized in other ballet companies. While a lot of people think of Misty Copeland as the face of a famous Black ballerina, they need to read this book to know the true origins and the five Black ballerinas who actually own this ground. These were Lydia Abarca, Gayle McKinney-Griffith, Sheila Rohan, Marcia Sells, and Karlya Shelton. Lydia was the "chosen one" or the principal / prima ballerina.
I enjoyed reading about the inside workings of being a ballerina like staying lithe, physical challenges, family/love/work balance, and hair and makeup. I also loved learning about how the ballerinas adapted their pale pink pointe shoes, ribbons and tights, tinting them a darker shade to blend in more with their skin. I performed internet searches to see images of the DTH ballerinas, as this advanced reader copy did not contain photos (and I don't know if the final publication will).
The writing style was good, but I sometimes found it difficult to keep track of the various ballerinas being discussed because they alternatively would be cited by their first names while other times referenced only by their last names. It caused a bit of a disconnect for me like I was lost at sea as to whom I was reading about. However, this was an important piece of history and a worthwhile book to read.
Thank you to the publisher Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
I love reading about the ballet culture. This was an interesting piece of history about The Dance Theatre of Harlem, which was founded in 1969 and is renowned for being the first Black classical ballet company. It became an inspiration and refuge for young Black ballerinas who were welcomed and celebrated at DTH, when they were often scarce and marginalized in other ballet companies. While a lot of people think of Misty Copeland as the face of a famous Black ballerina, they need to read this book to know the true origins and the five Black ballerinas who actually own this ground. These were Lydia Abarca, Gayle McKinney-Griffith, Sheila Rohan, Marcia Sells, and Karlya Shelton. Lydia was the "chosen one" or the principal / prima ballerina.
I enjoyed reading about the inside workings of being a ballerina like staying lithe, physical challenges, family/love/work balance, and hair and makeup. I also loved learning about how the ballerinas adapted their pale pink pointe shoes, ribbons and tights, tinting them a darker shade to blend in more with their skin. I performed internet searches to see images of the DTH ballerinas, as this advanced reader copy did not contain photos (and I don't know if the final publication will).
The writing style was good, but I sometimes found it difficult to keep track of the various ballerinas being discussed because they alternatively would be cited by their first names while other times referenced only by their last names. It caused a bit of a disconnect for me like I was lost at sea as to whom I was reading about. However, this was an important piece of history and a worthwhile book to read.
Thank you to the publisher Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
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April 30, 2024When a kid came home from school claiming that Misty Copeland was the first ballerina to break the race barrier, it caused consternation among some who had gone before, and seemed to be completely forgotten.
This book sets out to fix that by giving a vivid, well-researched account of the founding of the Dance Theatre of Harlem, and focuses in on the lives of five of its original ballerinas. This long-overdue examination highlights an important segment of Black cultural and artistic history by restoring the women to their proper groundbreaking place. And it was groundbreaking. Not only had these women had the ferocious discipline required of a ballet dancer, they had to face the nasty barrier that had been keeping the ballet world white.
The book shifts skillfully between the women's artistic and personal lives, highlighting their families, their teachers, and their colleagues in the world of dance, giving us a vivid portrait of each ballerina. The research is impressive, with an emphasis on presenting the women with their individual voices. With the publication of this book, their overdue credit is re-established--something that Misty Copeland herself would applaud.
I think one of the best aspects of the book is how it shows not only how tough they were to endure the long-established and unexamined racism of the dance world, but how much they supported one another.
This book sets out to fix that by giving a vivid, well-researched account of the founding of the Dance Theatre of Harlem, and focuses in on the lives of five of its original ballerinas. This long-overdue examination highlights an important segment of Black cultural and artistic history by restoring the women to their proper groundbreaking place. And it was groundbreaking. Not only had these women had the ferocious discipline required of a ballet dancer, they had to face the nasty barrier that had been keeping the ballet world white.
The book shifts skillfully between the women's artistic and personal lives, highlighting their families, their teachers, and their colleagues in the world of dance, giving us a vivid portrait of each ballerina. The research is impressive, with an emphasis on presenting the women with their individual voices. With the publication of this book, their overdue credit is re-established--something that Misty Copeland herself would applaud.
I think one of the best aspects of the book is how it shows not only how tough they were to endure the long-established and unexamined racism of the dance world, but how much they supported one another.
February 21, 2024
Here’s another one I read for Black History Month, and I loved it! If you are at all interested in dance, this is a fascinating read, about the first all Black ballet company, The Dance Theater of Harlem, and the amazing women (and men) who were its heart. Most people have heard of Misty Copeland, the first Black principal dancer for the American Ballet Theater, but these women blazed that trail 30 years before her, and sadly, had seemed to have drifted away into obscurity. This book tells their story—their struggle, heartbreak, and joy. It’s a story of friendship, resilience and of sisterhood and it was eye opening to finally read their history.
March 8, 2024
Wow! Such a tour de force and engrossing read! Five fine ballerinas of color lost to the annals of history. That is, until now.
Karen Valby has done a spectacular job of recounting the lives of five amazing women of grace and inordinate strength. Women who endured hardship, pain, humiliation, and loss - all for the sake of their passion - to be a classical dancer. Through the courage and sheer grit of these women, today's women of color can rise to even greater heights in the classical ballet world. They were the pioneers of the Ballet Theater of Harlem and set the course for so many dancers to follow in their footsteps. These are their stories and they're worth every moment spent in the pages of this inspiring book.
The writing is solid and the research vast. The reader really gets to know each of the celebrated dancers; their motivations, challenges, fears, desires and depth. They are smart, dedicated and driven artists. As hard as each dancer is on themself, driving themselves toward perfection, collectively they lift one another up and have created a life-long bond and support system. Their devotion to their art and to one another is inspiring. But their stories don't end when they step off the stage at the end of their dance careers. The lives they step into when the footlights dim are equally inspiring, if not even more so.
This was an engaging, inspiring and beautifully delivered story of five amazing women. I'm glad I got the chance to meet them and hear their compelling stories.
I am grateful to Pantheon Books for having provided a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.
Publisher: Pantheon Books
Publication date: April 30, 2024
Number of Pages: 304
ISBN: 978-0593317525
Karen Valby has done a spectacular job of recounting the lives of five amazing women of grace and inordinate strength. Women who endured hardship, pain, humiliation, and loss - all for the sake of their passion - to be a classical dancer. Through the courage and sheer grit of these women, today's women of color can rise to even greater heights in the classical ballet world. They were the pioneers of the Ballet Theater of Harlem and set the course for so many dancers to follow in their footsteps. These are their stories and they're worth every moment spent in the pages of this inspiring book.
The writing is solid and the research vast. The reader really gets to know each of the celebrated dancers; their motivations, challenges, fears, desires and depth. They are smart, dedicated and driven artists. As hard as each dancer is on themself, driving themselves toward perfection, collectively they lift one another up and have created a life-long bond and support system. Their devotion to their art and to one another is inspiring. But their stories don't end when they step off the stage at the end of their dance careers. The lives they step into when the footlights dim are equally inspiring, if not even more so.
This was an engaging, inspiring and beautifully delivered story of five amazing women. I'm glad I got the chance to meet them and hear their compelling stories.
I am grateful to Pantheon Books for having provided a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.
Publisher: Pantheon Books
Publication date: April 30, 2024
Number of Pages: 304
ISBN: 978-0593317525
April 30, 2024
“Starting a Black ballet company at the end of the civil rights era.” This was no easy task for Arthur Mitchell, who, with sheer determination proved a harsh, and effective, taskmaster as he worked with and trained Black classical dancers. These would-be ballerinas mostly unheard of in the world of classical ballet.
It was 1969, and the Dance Theater or Harlem (DTH) was founded by Mitchell, and featured Black ballet dancers. This involved breaking the color line Fighting racism. Even fighting colorism. Where did Black dancers belong? Mitchell wanted to pull them from modern dance and turn them into ballerinas.
The DTH began with five ballerinas, among men also being trained by Mitchell. We have Lydia Abarca, who achieved more than a bit of success. This success included being the first Black ballerina on the cover of the now defunct Dance magazine, popular with Essence, and even cast in the Wiz. Then she was cast by Bob Fosse and was on broadway. This in no way was a life of ease for Lydia. Pain came in a close second, often even first when it came to fame. Lydia was only one of the five ballerinas Mitchell worked hard to gain recognition. However, without research resources, their names are largely hidden in history.
Karen Valper and Pantheon do a fabulous job of celebrating these five women, even correcting popular history when it needs correcting. Mitchell became a ballet dancer of some fame himself - breaking the stereotype often expected of Black dancers during that era. As this led to him creating the DTH, he broke that stereotype. These Black dancers were pioneers and they really belonged in classical dancing
Arther Mitchell was hard on his female ballet dancers. Strict beyond belief, he wanted these young ballerinas to get the notoriety they deserved. In most cases at the beginning, at least, these young Black ballerinas went mostly unnoticed. A lonely world to be sure. But these young people had artistry and, although time ran out for most of them, the AIDS crisis really hitting the dance world hard, it was a true epidemic that ended many careers.
Lydia Arbaca was only one of the five ballerinas featured in this book. There were also Gayle McKinney-Griffith, Sheila Rohan, Karlya Shelton and Marcia Sells. These women belonged on the classical stage. Of that there was no doubt. Their lives and careers hit a lot of stumbling blocks, but with great research having gone into this book, it was easy to connect to each dancer. This was made possible by some of the dancers’ own words at times. These women deserve to be celebrated, honored and are due our respect.
Many thanks to Pantheon and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
It was 1969, and the Dance Theater or Harlem (DTH) was founded by Mitchell, and featured Black ballet dancers. This involved breaking the color line Fighting racism. Even fighting colorism. Where did Black dancers belong? Mitchell wanted to pull them from modern dance and turn them into ballerinas.
The DTH began with five ballerinas, among men also being trained by Mitchell. We have Lydia Abarca, who achieved more than a bit of success. This success included being the first Black ballerina on the cover of the now defunct Dance magazine, popular with Essence, and even cast in the Wiz. Then she was cast by Bob Fosse and was on broadway. This in no way was a life of ease for Lydia. Pain came in a close second, often even first when it came to fame. Lydia was only one of the five ballerinas Mitchell worked hard to gain recognition. However, without research resources, their names are largely hidden in history.
Karen Valper and Pantheon do a fabulous job of celebrating these five women, even correcting popular history when it needs correcting. Mitchell became a ballet dancer of some fame himself - breaking the stereotype often expected of Black dancers during that era. As this led to him creating the DTH, he broke that stereotype. These Black dancers were pioneers and they really belonged in classical dancing
Arther Mitchell was hard on his female ballet dancers. Strict beyond belief, he wanted these young ballerinas to get the notoriety they deserved. In most cases at the beginning, at least, these young Black ballerinas went mostly unnoticed. A lonely world to be sure. But these young people had artistry and, although time ran out for most of them, the AIDS crisis really hitting the dance world hard, it was a true epidemic that ended many careers.
Lydia Arbaca was only one of the five ballerinas featured in this book. There were also Gayle McKinney-Griffith, Sheila Rohan, Karlya Shelton and Marcia Sells. These women belonged on the classical stage. Of that there was no doubt. Their lives and careers hit a lot of stumbling blocks, but with great research having gone into this book, it was easy to connect to each dancer. This was made possible by some of the dancers’ own words at times. These women deserve to be celebrated, honored and are due our respect.
Many thanks to Pantheon and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
February 17, 2024
After the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1968, Arthur Mitchell returned to Harlem, where he was determined to provide opportunities in dance for the children in that community. A year later, he and his teacher, Karel Shook, inaugurated a classical ballet school. They started with 30 children in a church basement Two months later, Mr. Mitchell had attracted 400 youngsters to attend classes.
The Swans of Harlem is an eye-opening read. It's a book that is both inspiring and maddening to read. Inspiring because those first ballerinas worked their tails off (and for little pay) to become the very first black ballerinas. Maddening because of the tyrannical way they were treated by Mitchell.
I appreciated that The Swans of Harlem also touched a bit into the lives of the children and grandchildren of these amazing women.
Many thanks to both #Pantheon and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of The Swans of Harlem. The expected publication date is April 30, 2024.
#KarenValby #Ballet
The Swans of Harlem is an eye-opening read. It's a book that is both inspiring and maddening to read. Inspiring because those first ballerinas worked their tails off (and for little pay) to become the very first black ballerinas. Maddening because of the tyrannical way they were treated by Mitchell.
I appreciated that The Swans of Harlem also touched a bit into the lives of the children and grandchildren of these amazing women.
Many thanks to both #Pantheon and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of The Swans of Harlem. The expected publication date is April 30, 2024.
#KarenValby #Ballet
February 3, 2024
While I've long been aware of the Dance Theatre of Harlem, like many who will read Karen Valby's "The Swans of Harlem," I was largely clueless to its history and to its role for the Black community and for America's ballet community.
If you were to Google Black ballet dancers, there's a pretty good chance that the first name to pop up would be American Ballet Theatre's Misty Copeland.
In fact, I just did this and such was the case.
However, "The Swans of Harlem" lays the foundation that allowed for a dancer like Copeland's rise including, more specifically, the five Black ballerinas at the center of "The Swans of Harlem" - Lydia Abarca, Gayle McKinney-Griffith, Sheila Rohan, Karlya Shelton, and Marcia Sells.
Abarca, McKinney-Griffith, and Rohan were founding dancers in the 1969 establishment of Arthur Mitchell's Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH). Mitchell was the first Black principal dancer at the New York City Ballet and a protégé of the choreographer George Balanchine. Determined to provide opportunities in education and professional dance for the community in which he grew up, Mitchell quickly established DTH as a powerful presence in dance. These Swans of Harlem performed for the Queen of England, Mick Jagger, and Stevie Wonder, on the same bill as Josephine Baker, at the White House, and beyond.
Yet, for many, they became lost to history and largely unacknowledged when DTH would eventually succumb, thankfully temporarily, to financial issues. As Copeland would begin her rise and the media would embrace her as the first Black dancer in a major ballet company, these five swans would be left to wonder "What about us?"
With vivid character development and detailed storytelling, Valby has crafted an engaging and informative account of five Black ballerinas, fifty years of sisterhood, and a passionate reclamation of a truly groundbreaking history.
By the end of "The Swans of Harlem," you'll likely find yourself rushing to find out more about these five swans and the people who surrounded them from Mitchell, who passed away from heart failure in 2018, to many of the male dancers who comprised DTH and even those who would come and go from this groundbreaking dance organization.
I found myself completely immersed throughout "The Swans of Harlem," though the multiple narratives also occasionally allowed for confusion to creep in. At one point, right about the time DTH's financial issues were at their peak, it was clearly stated that DTH had closed. A couple pages later, there were conversations about DTH events and it was obviously operational. For the uninitiated folks like me, it's a tad confusing though eventually clarity reigns again.
I will confess that at book's end, I had to look up Dance Theatre of Harlem just to clarify if it was still in existence.
While we learn much about DTH throughout "The Swans of Harlem," there's never any doubt that the book is truly about the swans themselves. From the early days of DTH through burgeoning successes to the AIDS crisis that savaged dance organizations everywhere to a current day America that celebrates Misty Copeland and is just learning about DTH's history all anew, "The Swans of Harlem" is an ideal read for Black History month but a vital read for every month of the year.
If you were to Google Black ballet dancers, there's a pretty good chance that the first name to pop up would be American Ballet Theatre's Misty Copeland.
In fact, I just did this and such was the case.
However, "The Swans of Harlem" lays the foundation that allowed for a dancer like Copeland's rise including, more specifically, the five Black ballerinas at the center of "The Swans of Harlem" - Lydia Abarca, Gayle McKinney-Griffith, Sheila Rohan, Karlya Shelton, and Marcia Sells.
Abarca, McKinney-Griffith, and Rohan were founding dancers in the 1969 establishment of Arthur Mitchell's Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH). Mitchell was the first Black principal dancer at the New York City Ballet and a protégé of the choreographer George Balanchine. Determined to provide opportunities in education and professional dance for the community in which he grew up, Mitchell quickly established DTH as a powerful presence in dance. These Swans of Harlem performed for the Queen of England, Mick Jagger, and Stevie Wonder, on the same bill as Josephine Baker, at the White House, and beyond.
Yet, for many, they became lost to history and largely unacknowledged when DTH would eventually succumb, thankfully temporarily, to financial issues. As Copeland would begin her rise and the media would embrace her as the first Black dancer in a major ballet company, these five swans would be left to wonder "What about us?"
With vivid character development and detailed storytelling, Valby has crafted an engaging and informative account of five Black ballerinas, fifty years of sisterhood, and a passionate reclamation of a truly groundbreaking history.
By the end of "The Swans of Harlem," you'll likely find yourself rushing to find out more about these five swans and the people who surrounded them from Mitchell, who passed away from heart failure in 2018, to many of the male dancers who comprised DTH and even those who would come and go from this groundbreaking dance organization.
I found myself completely immersed throughout "The Swans of Harlem," though the multiple narratives also occasionally allowed for confusion to creep in. At one point, right about the time DTH's financial issues were at their peak, it was clearly stated that DTH had closed. A couple pages later, there were conversations about DTH events and it was obviously operational. For the uninitiated folks like me, it's a tad confusing though eventually clarity reigns again.
I will confess that at book's end, I had to look up Dance Theatre of Harlem just to clarify if it was still in existence.
While we learn much about DTH throughout "The Swans of Harlem," there's never any doubt that the book is truly about the swans themselves. From the early days of DTH through burgeoning successes to the AIDS crisis that savaged dance organizations everywhere to a current day America that celebrates Misty Copeland and is just learning about DTH's history all anew, "The Swans of Harlem" is an ideal read for Black History month but a vital read for every month of the year.
April 10, 2024
A powerful and proud Black lineage of goddesses who not only graced the stage but--through this book and more--have become legends and activists, bringing attention to so many "hidden" issues within a popular art form.
This book of collected memories, emotions, thoughts, and revelations surrounding their time with the famed Dance Theatre of Harlem can be summed up with a recurring line: "We were there too."
Lydia Abarca. Gayle McKinney-Griffith. Sheila Rohan. Karlya Shelton. Marcia Sells.
Before Misty Copeland, the ballet world had these five remarkable dancers (and many more dancers of color who will sadly go unrecognized by the mainstream media). These are their stories--their reclaimed dancing lives. This book shows great reverence for their legacy in order to help those who wish to follow their guidance and wisdom. "History isn't a one-person thing, or a one-group thing. It's going to take all of us."
[bookseller ARC review]
--
note: above is my general review, but I'm a dance history researcher-student-educator so I'm going to go off a bit below...
Dance history (and really all areas of arts history, in every time period, across the world) often ignores/forgets/omits--whether intentional or not--the value and contributions of the Black women who are working, living, and dying as pioneering dancers in their respective dance genres/forms.
The general public and annual Nutcracker audience might not know this, but ballet is especially prone to racist and colorist ways of thinking/teaching, some of which are vividly described in this book. The current ballet industry across the world is also actively invested in ablest, sexist, elitist, transphobic, etc. modes based on hundreds of years of European "traditions" (see: (Re:) Claiming Ballet, Choreographing Copyright: Race, Gender, and Intellectual Property Rights in American Dance, American Dance: The Complete Illustrated History, and everything by the incomparable Brenda Dixon Gottschild)
So how do BIPOC dancers not only survive but thrive? And how do elder dance educators, researchers, and practitioners course-correct for the dance students who are eager to learn the full scope of dance history?
We listen to the stories of BIPOC dancers. We give them space. We create space. We publish. We present.
With dance gatherings and research conducted in spaces like the "Black Ballerina Magic Celebration" which resulted in the 152nd Street Black Ballet Legacy Council later on. This was monumental not only for the eventual publishing of this book, but as a standard to be set for more communities of dancers to reconnect--whether formally or in a more private way--and talk. Listen. Learn. Remember.
With the publishing of critical and intersectional books such as this (see also: Urban Bush Women: Twenty Years of African American Dance Theater, Community Engagement, and Working It Out, Turning Pointe: How a New Generation of Dancers Is Saving Ballet from Itself, Don't Think, Dear: On Loving and Leaving Ballet, Final Bow for Yellowface: Dancing between Intention and Impact, Banishing Orientalism: Dancing between Exotic and Familiar, Rooted Jazz Dance: Africanist Aesthetics and Equity in the Twenty-First Century, Dance, Disability and Law: InVisible Difference, The People Have Never Stopped Dancing: Native American Modern Dance Histories, and so so so many more)
Personally, I'm also struck by the stark and honest memories of Arthur Mitchell that these women brought to light. In all of my dance history classes, anecdotal research was definitely missing when talking about BIPOC legends such as him. Maybe my teachers just glossed over any personal flaws or maybe they simply had little-to-no material to turn to when trying to uncover their personality; on the other hand, we have TONS of first-person accounts of Martha Graham, Margot Fonteyn, and Merce Cunningham.
So in reading about this icon's brash ego and "of-the-times" treatment of women (definitely a very Balanchine-esque patriarchal attitude with forced diets, dating restrictions, favoritism, colorism, etc.), I felt the threads of history finally weaving together.
It's okay to be critical of the people and things you love, especially in the arts. To be critical is to be honest. And Arthur Mitchell was a complex human living in a complex time in American dance history. To have this first-person context from the very women who felt his full range of emotions and actions is VITAL.
We--and we as in not just the dance world but the general public--need more critical exploration and emotional reclaiming of history.
This book of collected memories, emotions, thoughts, and revelations surrounding their time with the famed Dance Theatre of Harlem can be summed up with a recurring line: "We were there too."
Lydia Abarca. Gayle McKinney-Griffith. Sheila Rohan. Karlya Shelton. Marcia Sells.
Before Misty Copeland, the ballet world had these five remarkable dancers (and many more dancers of color who will sadly go unrecognized by the mainstream media). These are their stories--their reclaimed dancing lives. This book shows great reverence for their legacy in order to help those who wish to follow their guidance and wisdom. "History isn't a one-person thing, or a one-group thing. It's going to take all of us."
[bookseller ARC review]
--
note: above is my general review, but I'm a dance history researcher-student-educator so I'm going to go off a bit below...
Dance history (and really all areas of arts history, in every time period, across the world) often ignores/forgets/omits--whether intentional or not--the value and contributions of the Black women who are working, living, and dying as pioneering dancers in their respective dance genres/forms.
The general public and annual Nutcracker audience might not know this, but ballet is especially prone to racist and colorist ways of thinking/teaching, some of which are vividly described in this book. The current ballet industry across the world is also actively invested in ablest, sexist, elitist, transphobic, etc. modes based on hundreds of years of European "traditions" (see: (Re:) Claiming Ballet, Choreographing Copyright: Race, Gender, and Intellectual Property Rights in American Dance, American Dance: The Complete Illustrated History, and everything by the incomparable Brenda Dixon Gottschild)
So how do BIPOC dancers not only survive but thrive? And how do elder dance educators, researchers, and practitioners course-correct for the dance students who are eager to learn the full scope of dance history?
We listen to the stories of BIPOC dancers. We give them space. We create space. We publish. We present.
With dance gatherings and research conducted in spaces like the "Black Ballerina Magic Celebration" which resulted in the 152nd Street Black Ballet Legacy Council later on. This was monumental not only for the eventual publishing of this book, but as a standard to be set for more communities of dancers to reconnect--whether formally or in a more private way--and talk. Listen. Learn. Remember.
With the publishing of critical and intersectional books such as this (see also: Urban Bush Women: Twenty Years of African American Dance Theater, Community Engagement, and Working It Out, Turning Pointe: How a New Generation of Dancers Is Saving Ballet from Itself, Don't Think, Dear: On Loving and Leaving Ballet, Final Bow for Yellowface: Dancing between Intention and Impact, Banishing Orientalism: Dancing between Exotic and Familiar, Rooted Jazz Dance: Africanist Aesthetics and Equity in the Twenty-First Century, Dance, Disability and Law: InVisible Difference, The People Have Never Stopped Dancing: Native American Modern Dance Histories, and so so so many more)
Personally, I'm also struck by the stark and honest memories of Arthur Mitchell that these women brought to light. In all of my dance history classes, anecdotal research was definitely missing when talking about BIPOC legends such as him. Maybe my teachers just glossed over any personal flaws or maybe they simply had little-to-no material to turn to when trying to uncover their personality; on the other hand, we have TONS of first-person accounts of Martha Graham, Margot Fonteyn, and Merce Cunningham.
So in reading about this icon's brash ego and "of-the-times" treatment of women (definitely a very Balanchine-esque patriarchal attitude with forced diets, dating restrictions, favoritism, colorism, etc.), I felt the threads of history finally weaving together.
It's okay to be critical of the people and things you love, especially in the arts. To be critical is to be honest. And Arthur Mitchell was a complex human living in a complex time in American dance history. To have this first-person context from the very women who felt his full range of emotions and actions is VITAL.
We--and we as in not just the dance world but the general public--need more critical exploration and emotional reclaiming of history.
June 16, 2024
In The Swans of Harlem, author Karen Valby narrates the history of the Dance Theatre of Harlem (1969-present, considered the first Black classical ballet company), in close collaboration with several Black ballerinas who were early members of the company. The first half of the book presents the history of DTH, from its founding by Arthur Mitchell (the first Black principal dancer in the New York City Ballet) to DTH's local, national, and international tours to its years of hiatus before its recent revival. The second half of the book profiles a handful of Black ballerinas more closely, relying heavily on interviews and narratives provided by the women as they've reunited to share their legacy in recent years. Much of the book focuses on the question of why DTH and its prominent Black dancers, both men and women, haven't been remembered more prominently, especially in light of the rise of contemporary prominent Black ballerina Misty Copeland. Copeland makes an appearance toward the end of the book as she attends a celebration in honor of the DTH dancers, acknowledging that she hadn't heard of them either when she was writing a book about famous Black ballerinas of the past.
I enjoyed this read, though the cast of characters was quite large and sometimes hard to keep track of. I would love to read any memoirs that these women may write where they can tell their individual stories more fully, especially Lydia Abarca (Mitchell's star dancer with a turbulent personal life) and Sheila Rohan (who was 27 and a married mother of 3 when she joined DTH).
Further reading:
Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina by Misty Copeland - Copeland's memoir on her rise to fame
Don't Think, Dear: On Loving and Leaving Ballet by Alice Robb - for the discussion on unrealistic body expectations and gender politics in ballet, also relevant to this book
American Sirens: The Incredible Story of the Black Men Who Became America's First Paramedics by Kevin Hazzard - another under-recognized Black group of the 1960s-80s that's recently come to light
Third Girl from the Left a memoir by Christine Barker - I was reminded of this exquisite memoir from another woman in the performing arts during the discussion toward the end of the book about how many DTH dancers passed away of AIDS in the 80s and 90s, largely unacknowledged.
My stats:
Book 121 for 2024
Book 1724 cumulatively
I enjoyed this read, though the cast of characters was quite large and sometimes hard to keep track of. I would love to read any memoirs that these women may write where they can tell their individual stories more fully, especially Lydia Abarca (Mitchell's star dancer with a turbulent personal life) and Sheila Rohan (who was 27 and a married mother of 3 when she joined DTH).
Further reading:
Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina by Misty Copeland - Copeland's memoir on her rise to fame
Don't Think, Dear: On Loving and Leaving Ballet by Alice Robb - for the discussion on unrealistic body expectations and gender politics in ballet, also relevant to this book
American Sirens: The Incredible Story of the Black Men Who Became America's First Paramedics by Kevin Hazzard - another under-recognized Black group of the 1960s-80s that's recently come to light
Third Girl from the Left a memoir by Christine Barker - I was reminded of this exquisite memoir from another woman in the performing arts during the discussion toward the end of the book about how many DTH dancers passed away of AIDS in the 80s and 90s, largely unacknowledged.
My stats:
Book 121 for 2024
Book 1724 cumulatively
January 29, 2024
What a thrilling enchanting read. The story of these remarkable women is finally being told. I read it quickly over course of three days, but was constantly sidetracked googling away in search of pictures of the women, clips of the dances and the recorded interviews mentioned. Ms, Valby has written a very thorough, enjoyable account, she has helped bring the reality of the dance world and lives of these “forgotten” black ballerinas to the light of day.
April 27, 2024
This was a very interesting read! I loved hearing the story from the different points of view of the dancers from Dance Theater of Harlem who are still alive! I appreciate the people who write books like this to keep these stories alive.
Arthur Mitchell was quite the character! His vision for the DTH was inspiring, but some of the stories of how he treated his dancers were hard to hear, but the way the dancers formed bonds was lovely. The stories of young Black dancers who were so excited to see dancers who look like them on covers of magazines and being principal dancers on stage really shows how important representation is. And here we are where people still lose their damn minds over Black mermaids
I am glad that I got a window into this piece of history!
Thank you to Netgalley for an advance copy of this book for review purposes.
Arthur Mitchell was quite the character! His vision for the DTH was inspiring, but some of the stories of how he treated his dancers were hard to hear, but the way the dancers formed bonds was lovely. The stories of young Black dancers who were so excited to see dancers who look like them on covers of magazines and being principal dancers on stage really shows how important representation is. And here we are where people still lose their damn minds over Black mermaids
I am glad that I got a window into this piece of history!
Thank you to Netgalley for an advance copy of this book for review purposes.
May 16, 2024
This was a book I would not have probably picked up on my own, but I was offered it as an ARC.
I was absorbed into this story, the ballet, the dancers & all they had to do to be recognized as professional ballet dancers regardless of the color of their skin.
We follow the lives of the main 5 female dancers who danced with the Dance Theater of Harlem under the direction of Arthur Mitchell. He is also a very huge part of this story.
These dancers, there are many along the way, were dancing long before Misty Copeland was even born. Dancing across the country & around the world- a black dance company with dancers who danced as children & teens in other dance companies but we never given the opportunity to be a fully accepted dancer. This is where Arthur Mitchell sees a need & starts the Harlem dance company.
I will not do this story justice. It was beautiful, sad, infuriating & I learned so much.
While I was reading, one of the main 5 women passed away, I gasped when I read the news. These were such strong & determined women. It was a slow read, but not in a negative way- there was a lot to take in, some interesting history & sad times also.
Amazing amount of research went in to the writing of this book- great job Karen Valby
I was absorbed into this story, the ballet, the dancers & all they had to do to be recognized as professional ballet dancers regardless of the color of their skin.
We follow the lives of the main 5 female dancers who danced with the Dance Theater of Harlem under the direction of Arthur Mitchell. He is also a very huge part of this story.
These dancers, there are many along the way, were dancing long before Misty Copeland was even born. Dancing across the country & around the world- a black dance company with dancers who danced as children & teens in other dance companies but we never given the opportunity to be a fully accepted dancer. This is where Arthur Mitchell sees a need & starts the Harlem dance company.
I will not do this story justice. It was beautiful, sad, infuriating & I learned so much.
While I was reading, one of the main 5 women passed away, I gasped when I read the news. These were such strong & determined women. It was a slow read, but not in a negative way- there was a lot to take in, some interesting history & sad times also.
Amazing amount of research went in to the writing of this book- great job Karen Valby
May 18, 2024
What an amazing book!! WOWSERS!!
What a horrible stain on our history that these amazing women, and all they accomplished and all of their hard work had [until recently] just been regulated to the back of the closet [so to speak] and essentially forgotten by everyone EXCEPT the women themselves. Bravo to the author for writing these amazing women's stories and opening their lives and accomplishments to new generations. Also, kudos to these women for being willing to revisit a time in their lives that was both exhilarating and often so taxing and heartbreaking, all so girls of color, all over the world, can see that their dream is completely possible.
Filled with history, personal stories, and all the joys *AND* perils of ballet [even more so due to their skin color], this was such a great story from page one, and I am so very glad I read this!!
Thank you to NetGalley, Karen Valby, and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What a horrible stain on our history that these amazing women, and all they accomplished and all of their hard work had [until recently] just been regulated to the back of the closet [so to speak] and essentially forgotten by everyone EXCEPT the women themselves. Bravo to the author for writing these amazing women's stories and opening their lives and accomplishments to new generations. Also, kudos to these women for being willing to revisit a time in their lives that was both exhilarating and often so taxing and heartbreaking, all so girls of color, all over the world, can see that their dream is completely possible.
Filled with history, personal stories, and all the joys *AND* perils of ballet [even more so due to their skin color], this was such a great story from page one, and I am so very glad I read this!!
Thank you to NetGalley, Karen Valby, and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 20, 2024
For me this was a beautifully written introduction to the Swans of Harlem (Lydia Abarca, Gayle McKinney-Griffith, Sheila Rohan, Marcia Sells, and Karlya Shelton) and the creation of the Dance Theatre of Harlem founded by Arthur Mitchell.
Like many others, I considered Misty Copeland to be the first black ballerina, but these women were breaking barriers and forging paths even before Copeland was born! It’s sad how there identities and accomplishments have been buried and almost forgotten. In this book, we get first hand accounts from these incredible women.
This is an important of history that everyone should familiarize themselves with. This book is definitely worth reading.
Like many others, I considered Misty Copeland to be the first black ballerina, but these women were breaking barriers and forging paths even before Copeland was born! It’s sad how there identities and accomplishments have been buried and almost forgotten. In this book, we get first hand accounts from these incredible women.
This is an important of history that everyone should familiarize themselves with. This book is definitely worth reading.
May 5, 2024
First of all, thank you to Netgalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for the ARC in exchange for an honest review of The Swans of Harlem by Karen Valby. This was an expansive account of Arthur Mitchell and the foundation of the Dance Theatre of Harlem which included five Black ballerinas; Lydia Abarca-Mitchell, Gayle McKinney-Griffith, Sheila Rohan, Marcia Sells, and Karlya Shelton-Benjamin. Before Misty Copeland became the first Black principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre, these women were touring the world and bringing the idea of Black classical ballerinas to people who couldn't even imagine it.
I am not shy about reading about Black history. I am well aware of the fact that there are many Black trailblazers whose stories have been lost to history or white-washed so I've read many books and accounts about people like this. I am very familiar with the Dance Theatre of Harlem so it was easy for me to get an idea of who these women are and I quickly understood their stories. The book starts like most biographies about lesser-known figures. I was more interested in how they got into ballet and their lives after they retired from dancing. The middle is where the book sags for me. Again, it's not lost on me that Black people have to be spectacular and perfect. Nothing mentioned in this book about racism, misogynoir, and colorism taught me anything new about either of those things and so when the book begins to focus more on that, it was difficult for me to read through it. Not because those topics are painful, but because I am used to talking and thinking about them. I wanted a bit more of these women's stories and this book did a great job of breaking down these five Black ballerinas and giving a historical account.
It's great for people with little to no knowledge of ballet culture or Black history, but it can feel repetitive for those who are fully invested in both. This is more like a 3.5.
I am not shy about reading about Black history. I am well aware of the fact that there are many Black trailblazers whose stories have been lost to history or white-washed so I've read many books and accounts about people like this. I am very familiar with the Dance Theatre of Harlem so it was easy for me to get an idea of who these women are and I quickly understood their stories. The book starts like most biographies about lesser-known figures. I was more interested in how they got into ballet and their lives after they retired from dancing. The middle is where the book sags for me. Again, it's not lost on me that Black people have to be spectacular and perfect. Nothing mentioned in this book about racism, misogynoir, and colorism taught me anything new about either of those things and so when the book begins to focus more on that, it was difficult for me to read through it. Not because those topics are painful, but because I am used to talking and thinking about them. I wanted a bit more of these women's stories and this book did a great job of breaking down these five Black ballerinas and giving a historical account.
It's great for people with little to no knowledge of ballet culture or Black history, but it can feel repetitive for those who are fully invested in both. This is more like a 3.5.
February 23, 2024
Oh this book........ I can't say enough so I'm going to keep it brief. So let's see how that are going to be on the weekend when you're done all this stuff is that book. When you think about black ballerinas and what they go through now, it's unbelievable. When you think about the way they came from and what they saved just to get to where they are right now it's remarkable on being seriously. I think this book is very well written and it is a piece that were big in history for a long time
Thank you Netgalley and #KarenValby for an opportunities to read this eARC in exchange for my remote.
Thank you Netgalley and #KarenValby for an opportunities to read this eARC in exchange for my remote.
May 10, 2024
What an eye-opener this book was. Being a balletomane I of course knew about Arthur Mitchell from NYCB although I never saw him dance in person, just on film. But I didn't know about all of these women except for Lydia Abarca. I was amazed that one of them was the mother of three! They had interesting lives and hopefully this book will make others look into their dance careers more. I've been googling them all! I was sorry to discover that Mr. Mitchell was not a very nice person though.
May 14, 2024
I’m not really a ballet person, but I loved learning more about the culture, history and impact of these incredible dancers. It is very well written and provides a background of the Dance Theatre of Harlem as well as a history of the ballet community that was detailed without being over done. I’m so happy that these talented ladies are having a spotlight shined on their many achievements!
The audiobook was fantastic- it’s primarily narrated by one of my favs, January LaVoy, but it also includes voiceover from each of the five women for their featured sections. There are also pictures included in the book that really helped bring the story to life.
This was such an amazing book - heartbreaking but also inspiring. It’s an emotional journey and I loved every second of it!
The audiobook was fantastic- it’s primarily narrated by one of my favs, January LaVoy, but it also includes voiceover from each of the five women for their featured sections. There are also pictures included in the book that really helped bring the story to life.
This was such an amazing book - heartbreaking but also inspiring. It’s an emotional journey and I loved every second of it!
January 27, 2024
Beautifully written informative look at the original black ballerinas.I love watching ballet and reading about ballerinas I had never head of this group.A group of ballerinas who not only danced together but also formed a sisterhood.A wonderful read.#netgalley #knopf
May 22, 2024
4.5 stars (Bumping it up because of the book's importance.)
I both listened to and read along to the narration. When my daughter was young, Misty Copeland was one of her favorite ballet dancers, and she even had a chance to meet her in person. Like most people, we believed that Misty Copeland was the first black woman to knock down walls and make it as a prima ballerina. This book tells a different story, but without taking away from all that Misty Copeland has accomplished. In fact, at the end, these five ballerinas are brought together at an event with Copeland that has them all in tears of gratitude.
This story tells us partly about Arthur Mitchell, the man who founded the Dance Theatre of Harlem (something I had never heard of before), but the focus is on the ballerinas Lydia Albarca, Gayle McKinney-Griffith, Shelia Rohan, Marcia Sells and Karlya Shelton, which is an important distinction. While there was genuine love between Mitchell and the dancers, he had demons of his own, which often led to difficult relationships. The Dance Theatre of Harlem was his one true love, and that's something that was evident from the stories these women now tell. While these five women are not the only incredible dancers that came from Dance Theatre, they were groundbreaking ballerinas who were there at the start, the ones who danced internationally, who danced for the queen and the president, and who later formed the 152nd Street Black Ballet Legacy Council to bring back these stories and preserve them for later generations. The first three women listed above were founding members and Marcia Sells and Karlya Shelton came in the next generation. They came from different backgrounds and different parts of the country, but what they had in common was a strong desire to dance ballet regardless of what society was telling them, that black people could not dance ballet.
Besides telling their stories, they talk about their fellow dancers, including the danseurs, the men who kept them safe on the stage. While there were some issues with jealousy, for the most part, these women talked about how they supported each other over the years, because if they didn't, who would? Some of these women hadn't talked for years, so the frank conversations they had about what they each thought back then was so eye-opening for them and it was also healing. Lydia was Mitchell's muse, but never his prima, because his vision of his company was that there not be primas--they were all dancers on equal footing. Of course, that's not really what happened--he had his favorites, and he took things personally if they didn't fit his mold. As mentioned before, his company was his real love and he protected it to the point of tunnel vision, not letting others more skilled in various aspects of running a company take charge. This was particularly interesting because these women got together decades after that time and were able to see through the lens of history to better understand what it was they had all gone through.
They also talk about the loss of many of their danseurs to the AIDS epidemic and the government's failure to address it quickly enough, as it first showed up among the gay population, and then was much more prevalent in the African American population. Throughout they talk about how the only reason Lydia's grandchildren knew she was such a prominent dancer was because her family had told her over the years. Yet, they knew very little about her life during that time because she didn't talk about it. But they talk about how this history was basically hidden away and forgotten, and even Misty Copeland had never heard of these black ballerinas who danced all over the world, dancing for prominent figures. This is part of what this council wants to change, both through this book and through their organization.
Overall, I found this book compelling, fascinating, angering, and inspiring. I've seen videos of these women talking now (you can check out some interviews, zoom calls, etc., on their website) and they are impressive. I hope their story will inspire generations of young girls to reach for their dreams of dancing.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I both listened to and read along to the narration. When my daughter was young, Misty Copeland was one of her favorite ballet dancers, and she even had a chance to meet her in person. Like most people, we believed that Misty Copeland was the first black woman to knock down walls and make it as a prima ballerina. This book tells a different story, but without taking away from all that Misty Copeland has accomplished. In fact, at the end, these five ballerinas are brought together at an event with Copeland that has them all in tears of gratitude.
This story tells us partly about Arthur Mitchell, the man who founded the Dance Theatre of Harlem (something I had never heard of before), but the focus is on the ballerinas Lydia Albarca, Gayle McKinney-Griffith, Shelia Rohan, Marcia Sells and Karlya Shelton, which is an important distinction. While there was genuine love between Mitchell and the dancers, he had demons of his own, which often led to difficult relationships. The Dance Theatre of Harlem was his one true love, and that's something that was evident from the stories these women now tell. While these five women are not the only incredible dancers that came from Dance Theatre, they were groundbreaking ballerinas who were there at the start, the ones who danced internationally, who danced for the queen and the president, and who later formed the 152nd Street Black Ballet Legacy Council to bring back these stories and preserve them for later generations. The first three women listed above were founding members and Marcia Sells and Karlya Shelton came in the next generation. They came from different backgrounds and different parts of the country, but what they had in common was a strong desire to dance ballet regardless of what society was telling them, that black people could not dance ballet.
Besides telling their stories, they talk about their fellow dancers, including the danseurs, the men who kept them safe on the stage. While there were some issues with jealousy, for the most part, these women talked about how they supported each other over the years, because if they didn't, who would? Some of these women hadn't talked for years, so the frank conversations they had about what they each thought back then was so eye-opening for them and it was also healing. Lydia was Mitchell's muse, but never his prima, because his vision of his company was that there not be primas--they were all dancers on equal footing. Of course, that's not really what happened--he had his favorites, and he took things personally if they didn't fit his mold. As mentioned before, his company was his real love and he protected it to the point of tunnel vision, not letting others more skilled in various aspects of running a company take charge. This was particularly interesting because these women got together decades after that time and were able to see through the lens of history to better understand what it was they had all gone through.
They also talk about the loss of many of their danseurs to the AIDS epidemic and the government's failure to address it quickly enough, as it first showed up among the gay population, and then was much more prevalent in the African American population. Throughout they talk about how the only reason Lydia's grandchildren knew she was such a prominent dancer was because her family had told her over the years. Yet, they knew very little about her life during that time because she didn't talk about it. But they talk about how this history was basically hidden away and forgotten, and even Misty Copeland had never heard of these black ballerinas who danced all over the world, dancing for prominent figures. This is part of what this council wants to change, both through this book and through their organization.
Overall, I found this book compelling, fascinating, angering, and inspiring. I've seen videos of these women talking now (you can check out some interviews, zoom calls, etc., on their website) and they are impressive. I hope their story will inspire generations of young girls to reach for their dreams of dancing.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 30, 2024
I learned a lot about the history of Black ballerinas through this book. I'd never heard about the Dance Theatre of Harlem or its role in the Civil Rights Era. It was fascinating to learn about the Black ballerinas and I loved their dynamic and friendship - but it was so frustrating to see all the things they had to put up with. Arthur Mitchell was great but also frustrating. I appreciated Mitchell's wisdom, but the way he treated the ballerinas in pursuit of it was aggravating. How the ballerinas inspired young, Black dancers was my favorite part of the book!
Most of the videos I was able to find on YouTube were interviews with the ballerinas or videos of Mitchell dancing. I could only find pictures and no videos of the ballerinas dancing, which was disappointing. I think they added some depth and context to the story, but the story stood without them too.
I wish we'd come further as a society but we still have so many people who get riled up about the role of Black people in the arts. The way so many people lost their mind because Beyonce, a Texan, put out a Country Music album is absurd. Especially given so much of the Country Music genre is built on Black musical roots. In many ways, I think reading this book in the midst of that outrage really brought home the themes about the Swans of Harlem.
A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
Most of the videos I was able to find on YouTube were interviews with the ballerinas or videos of Mitchell dancing. I could only find pictures and no videos of the ballerinas dancing, which was disappointing. I think they added some depth and context to the story, but the story stood without them too.
I wish we'd come further as a society but we still have so many people who get riled up about the role of Black people in the arts. The way so many people lost their mind because Beyonce, a Texan, put out a Country Music album is absurd. Especially given so much of the Country Music genre is built on Black musical roots. In many ways, I think reading this book in the midst of that outrage really brought home the themes about the Swans of Harlem.
A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
March 3, 2024
“The Swans of Harlem” by Karen Valby was an absolutely awesome Biography/Memoir of the original black women ballerinas of Dance Theatre of Harlem. Their story’s are incredibly powerful and their determination and sacrifice is something to celebrate even though we are very late in doing so. I must also mention that along with the personal stories of Marcia Sells, Sheila Rohan, Gayle McKinney-Griffith, Karlya Shelton-Benjamin, Lydia Abarca-Mitchell we also learn intimately about Arthur Mitchell the founder of Dance Theatre of Harlem. His influence and commitment to create a world class black ballet company is a legend all by itself. Misty Copeland has always said she was not “the First” but until now I’m afraid most of us had no idea about these amazing pioneers. I hope this book is read widely and a huge success, it deserves every one of the 5 stars I’m giving it!
Thank you NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
May 2, 2024
In Swans of Harlem, Karen Valby brings to life five pioneer members of the Dance Theatre of Harlem, the all-black ballet troupe started by Arthur Mitchell (1934-2018), the first black dancer in the New York City Ballet. Valby organizes the book into three acts, typical of many ballets.
Act One focuses on the formation of the Dance Theatre of Harlem, telling the stories of its director, five major female members, and the black ballet troupes’ revolutionary role in a white ballet world. Among the pioneer members of the resulting Dance Theatre of Harlem were the five women at the center of this outstanding, emotional history: Lydia Abarca-Mitchell (no relation to Arthur), Gayle McKinney-Griffith, Sheila Rohan, Marcia Sells, and Karlya Shelton. Whether from the projects in Harlem or prosperous neighborhoods in other parts of the country, the five young women came together not only to fulfill their personal dreams but also to make history as the first all-black ballet troupe—and to fulfill their personal dreams.
Following the eleven chapters comprising Act One, the six chapters of Act Two are divided among the five women. No matter how successful, performing lives are generally short, and over time, each woman left the troupe. What would each do with the rest of her life? How would Shiela, Gayle, Marcia, Lydia, and Karlya adjust to life after no longer in the spotlight and with their fame forgotten? Wherever life took them, whether excessive drinking or career success, the five “sisters” kept in touch.
Roughly a half century after retirement from the stage, Act Three brings them back together, determined to let the world know who they once were, members of the long-forgotten Dance Theatre of Harlem. Valby also devotes a portion of Act 3 to Arthur Mitchell and several other former members of the troupe, mostly male, who had passed away. After forming a non-profit organization called the 152nd Street Black Ballet Legacy, the women meet Misty Copeland for the first time, a much younger dancer whose name appears earlier in the book. With Copeland touted as the first black ballet star, the Dance Theatre of Harlem having been long forgotten, readers have previously seen Lydia Abarca’s thirty-two-year-old daughter and only granddaughter react to the history-making label assigned to Copeland. Not only the five former dancers but also descendants felt “the anointing of Misty Copeland” was “a deliberate scrubbing of their groundbreaking history.: Although I’ll give away no further details, rarely does a history book bring tears to a reader’s eyes, but portions of Act Three brought tears to mine.
Although Valby provides a chapter-by-chapter list of selected resources at the back of the book, much of her information came from her close contact with the five former Dance Theatre of Harlem pioneer dancers. A white woman herself, Valby dedicates the book to her two black daughters, who she hopes will someday share a similar passion for their future careers, whatever those careers may be.
Thanks to NetGalley and Pantheon for an advance reader egalley of Karen Valby’s important and engaging contribution to American cultural history.
Act One focuses on the formation of the Dance Theatre of Harlem, telling the stories of its director, five major female members, and the black ballet troupes’ revolutionary role in a white ballet world. Among the pioneer members of the resulting Dance Theatre of Harlem were the five women at the center of this outstanding, emotional history: Lydia Abarca-Mitchell (no relation to Arthur), Gayle McKinney-Griffith, Sheila Rohan, Marcia Sells, and Karlya Shelton. Whether from the projects in Harlem or prosperous neighborhoods in other parts of the country, the five young women came together not only to fulfill their personal dreams but also to make history as the first all-black ballet troupe—and to fulfill their personal dreams.
Following the eleven chapters comprising Act One, the six chapters of Act Two are divided among the five women. No matter how successful, performing lives are generally short, and over time, each woman left the troupe. What would each do with the rest of her life? How would Shiela, Gayle, Marcia, Lydia, and Karlya adjust to life after no longer in the spotlight and with their fame forgotten? Wherever life took them, whether excessive drinking or career success, the five “sisters” kept in touch.
Roughly a half century after retirement from the stage, Act Three brings them back together, determined to let the world know who they once were, members of the long-forgotten Dance Theatre of Harlem. Valby also devotes a portion of Act 3 to Arthur Mitchell and several other former members of the troupe, mostly male, who had passed away. After forming a non-profit organization called the 152nd Street Black Ballet Legacy, the women meet Misty Copeland for the first time, a much younger dancer whose name appears earlier in the book. With Copeland touted as the first black ballet star, the Dance Theatre of Harlem having been long forgotten, readers have previously seen Lydia Abarca’s thirty-two-year-old daughter and only granddaughter react to the history-making label assigned to Copeland. Not only the five former dancers but also descendants felt “the anointing of Misty Copeland” was “a deliberate scrubbing of their groundbreaking history.: Although I’ll give away no further details, rarely does a history book bring tears to a reader’s eyes, but portions of Act Three brought tears to mine.
Although Valby provides a chapter-by-chapter list of selected resources at the back of the book, much of her information came from her close contact with the five former Dance Theatre of Harlem pioneer dancers. A white woman herself, Valby dedicates the book to her two black daughters, who she hopes will someday share a similar passion for their future careers, whatever those careers may be.
Thanks to NetGalley and Pantheon for an advance reader egalley of Karen Valby’s important and engaging contribution to American cultural history.
April 16, 2024
This was such an interesting topic to read about, and one that I had absolutely zero existing knowledge on. The book started off really strong for me, but there were so many ballerinas being discussed that it was hard to keep track of them all, and I really found myself struggling through the middle.
Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for sending me this book!
Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for sending me this book!
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