The City of Edwardsville has a long history of supporting the arts. From community orchestras and high school performers, to dance schools and Opera Edwardsville, there has always been a flourishing arts community. Edwardsville Public Library has played a role in this by encouraging an appreciation of the arts by filling our shelves with the best books on artists and the arts. Right now, on our new bookshelf, we have three of the best new books about dance, ready to be checked out.
The Swans of Harlem: Five Black Ballerinas, Fifty Years of Sisterhood, and their Reclamation of a Groundbreaking History by Karen Valby
The story of the founding members of Dance Theater of Harlem, considered the first Black ballet company. Harlem Swans follows the careers of ballet dancers as they wreck the barriers that kept African-American dancers locked out of major ballet companies around the world. Their journey will take them from Broadway to a European Tour, performing before world leaders. If you are a fan of American dance, the lives of these women are an essential part of its history in the second half of the twentieth century.
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Pilobolus: A Story of Dance and Life by Robert Pranzatelli
With the use of previously unpublished archives and access to former dancers, Robert Pranzatelli tells the in-depth story on the 1971 founding of the Pilobolus Dance Company. He covers from the early inception at Dartmouth University to Broadway and beyond. Major events in the book include the creation of the Bob Marley-approved Parson Nibs and the Rude Beggars featured on the 1977 LP Exodus, which was abandoned early with founding members going on to form Momix in 1981.
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Errand in the Maze: The Life and Works of Martha Graham by Deborah Jowitt
Time Magazine’s “Dancer of the Century” in 1930, Martha Graham has been one of the most celebrated American dancers of the twentieth century. In this book author Deborah Jowitt explores Martha’s life through her multi-decade career, from her first exposure to dance in 1910 to the development of her unique dance technique that would put her on the world stage. Jowitt shows us Graham’s successful years, final performances, and difficult retirement. Truly a story for all dance enthusiasts.
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About the Author
Greg has worked for the library since 2022 starting in Circulation and moving to Adult Services where he helps with programs and events as well as providing technology support for patrons. He loves to read fiction of all kinds and play video games in his spare time.