Readers will not forget: The Swans of Harlem (Karen Valby)

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#TheSwansofHarlem #NetGalley

The Swans of Harlem is a must read for those who love ballet and social history. Here readers will meet some remarkable women. They are Lydia Abarca, Gayle McKinney Griffith, Sheila Rohan, Karlya Shelton, and Marcia Sells. Readers will also spend time with the Dance Theater of Harlem and witness the many accomplishments of that company and its dancers.

In her prologue, the author notes that Abarca’s daughter was very proud of all that her mother had done as a dancer who broke barriers and was an exquisite performer. However when she did some research, she found that there was a dearth of material on any Black dancer except for the wonderful Misty Copeland. This book is in some ways a response to the need for documentations and recognition of the contributions of earlier ballerinas. No one who reads it will forget these dancers/friends/colleagues/barrier breakers and more.

This book benefits from the author’s connection to her subjects. She documents their beginnings, careers, retirements and legacy. Those who read it will have met some remarkable women and deepen their knowledge of dance.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor | Pantheon for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 30 April 2024

“Remarkable…Spirited…Valby’s extensive interviews with the dancers lend an intimacy to the narrative, the details of their lives elevated and their perspectives clearly observed. The women of the 152nd Street Black Ballet Legacy Council are determined to bring their story out of obscurity. In The Swans of Harlem, they become unforgettable.”
—Bookpage

“A loving tribute.”
—Smithsonian Magazine
 
“Five of the world’s greatest dancers helped change the face of ballet—they performed at the White House, they appeared on Broadway, they were on the covers of magazines…This insightful history from Karen Valby tells the stories of Lydia Abarca, Gayle McKinney-Griffith, Sheila Rohan, Karlya Shelton, and Marcia Sells, celebrating the contributions they made to their art form and giving them the recognition they so greatly deserve.”
—Town and Country Magazine