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deblovestoread's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
4.5
I do not know much about ballet in general and would have said Misty Copeland was the first known black ballerina. How wrong I would be. The history of the Dance Theatre of Harlem and the founding ballerinas is important for so many to see the determination of young black girls striving to fulfill their dreams. Making their dreams a reality and forming a life long sisterhood under the tutelage of Arthur Mitchell is art history that needed to be told. Thank you to the author and The Swans for sharing their story. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this fascinating book.
momadvice's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
At the height of the civil rights movement, Lydia Abarca was a well-renowned ballerina whose credentials boasted performing for queens and kings, dancing in the movie production of The Wiz, and dancing for Bob Fosse on Broadway. She was an Essence cover star, one of Revelon's original Charlie models, and the first Black ballerina to grace the cover of Dance Magazine.
But half a century later, during Black History Month, Abarca's thirty-two-year-old daughter Daniella's granddaughter wanted to share about her ground-breaking grandmother at school. However, when their family searched for information about the first Black ballerina, only one ballerina's name appeared- Misty Copeland.
At the time, Copeland was unaware of Abarca and her fellow dancers work in ways that genuinely surprised me, leading to beautiful full-circle moments when the discovery of their historic work became known. But the payoff for for formal recognition was long overdue.
Karen Valby, whose New York Times article about the Legacy Council ignited public interest in creating a book about these dancers, meticulously documents their journey from a church basement in Harlem to their incredible rise onto the world's stages.
But this story is as much about the passion of the five women profiled as it is about their fearless founder, Arthur Mitchell, who did all he could to keep the dream of this ballet troupe alive. He sacrificed any money he had earned from his dance career that would go to his retirement to fund this dream instead. Training, costuming, and each show's execution are described in vivid detail, along with the challenges each dancer faced working under Mitchell's strict eye.
As this sisterhood of women navigates pivotal moments—like the discovery that dyeing their shoes and tights to match their skin tone helped them feel connected to their bodies—navigating the AIDS crisis that took their lifelong dance partners, and navigating another pandemic together—the camaraderie is gorgeously captured.
While this examination certainly does not set out to discredit Copeland's work, it does ask why "there only can be one" regarding Black Excellence. It helps us understand and acknowledge the rich history of a sisterhood of pioneer ballerinas who were part of the revolutionary Dance Theatre of Harlem: Lyida Abarca, Gayle McKinney Griffith, Shelai Rohan, Marcia Sells, and Karlya Shelton.
The novel is divided into three acts, and the accounts of these five women's stories are narrated. To fully appreciate the stunning images of their performances and better understand the plot, I suggest obtaining a physical copy of the book. The story comprises a large cast of characters, and having a hard copy would help you keep track of all these incredible women.
TAGS: Books About Dance, Black History
rieboppers's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
donnadeck's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
raccoonriverpress's review
4.0
*Thank you to Libro.fm, Pantheon, & Penguin Randomhouse for the free ALC in exchange for an honest review*
This was so, so informative, but so emotional. Most people today with even a cursory knowledge of dance have heard of Misty Copeland and think of her as the "first Black principal dancer" or "first Black prima ballerina". This book - The Swans of Harlem - highlights just how much cultural erasure has happened within the world of ballet and within the greater culture (at least here within the United States) that has hidden all the Black dancers that came before.
Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) began in 1969 during the Civil Rights Movement (and still exists today). The women discussed within this text - Lydia Abarca, Gayle McKinney-Griffith, Sheila Rohan, Karlya Shelton, & Marcia Sells - performed ballets across the world, graced the covers of magazines, and even starred in The Wiz. Yet they have been largely forgotten to history.
During the struggle to bring DTH and Black dancers into the ballet world, there was a heavy amount of body shaming to keep the women "bone thin" to fit the typical thin, white, ballet "ideal" and honestly it was really uncomfortable to hear the Director, Arthur Mitchell, forcing this "standard" on these young women. These women (and their male counterparts) battled through racism, colorism, extreme pressure on their weight, and so much more just to pursue their passion for their art. They pioneered the expansion of flesh tones by literally painting their shoes with makeup to match their skin! They had to fight for so much, only to need to fight to be remembered now.
The audio version includes segments by the women themselves (or family members if the women highlighted here were not able to read for the book).
-Jena B.
This was so, so informative, but so emotional. Most people today with even a cursory knowledge of dance have heard of Misty Copeland and think of her as the "first Black principal dancer" or "first Black prima ballerina". This book - The Swans of Harlem - highlights just how much cultural erasure has happened within the world of ballet and within the greater culture (at least here within the United States) that has hidden all the Black dancers that came before.
Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) began in 1969 during the Civil Rights Movement (and still exists today). The women discussed within this text - Lydia Abarca, Gayle McKinney-Griffith, Sheila Rohan, Karlya Shelton, & Marcia Sells - performed ballets across the world, graced the covers of magazines, and even starred in The Wiz. Yet they have been largely forgotten to history.
During the struggle to bring DTH and Black dancers into the ballet world, there was a heavy amount of body shaming to keep the women "bone thin" to fit the typical thin, white, ballet "ideal" and honestly it was really uncomfortable to hear the Director, Arthur Mitchell, forcing this "standard" on these young women. These women (and their male counterparts) battled through racism, colorism, extreme pressure on their weight, and so much more just to pursue their passion for their art. They pioneered the expansion of flesh tones by literally painting their shoes with makeup to match their skin! They had to fight for so much, only to need to fight to be remembered now.
The audio version includes segments by the women themselves (or family members if the women highlighted here were not able to read for the book).
-Jena B.