Loved, loved, loved it! How is it I never knew of Swans? These magically gifted and talented women? I lived in NYC my entire life. I attended dance classes at Carnegie Hall. With me being the only black girl in that class. My first intro to theater was The Wiz with Stephanie Mills. I was amazed to learn that some of these women were in The Wiz( the film). And some went on to Broadway. I too thought Misty Copeland was the first ballerina. Not knowing that these ladies were right here under my nose. These ladies deserve more tribute and recognition for the barriers they have broken. This was an exceptional read! I highly recommend it! The perfect read for Women's History Month!

I am always thrilled to see light shed on underrepresented stories in the arts, but this masterpiece by Karen Valby, highlighting the contributions of the five previously-unsung women whose pioneering careers paved the way for Misty Copeland, is one of the best I've ever read. These "Swans of Harlem" are all incredible in their own individual rights, but their story of camaraderie and mutual love and support - instead of the competition that so often poisons the relationships between women, especially in such a demanding field - is the standout star of this intricately-woven dance of a book. At the same time, the utter injustice that their stories were so erased, and their contributions to the world of classical dance all but ignored for so long, infuriates me - not only on their behalf, but on the behalf of all of the aspiring dancers who never took the leap to follow their dreams because they thought there was no precedent for their inclusion in the world of ballet and classical dance. What an important, timely, and beautiful tribute to these women this book is; it's just a shame that it's only now coming to us in 2024.

This was an eye opening book. I have seen performances of the dance theater of Harlem but never thought about what these dancers must have gone through to achieve their goals in the world of dance. This book evoked many emotions while reading it. The main emotion was the anger I felt because of the treatment of these black swans and the trials they had to endure because they were women of color. It was well written and I had to stop many times to look up information on items that interested me. It is a must read for anyone interested in the world old dance and the struggles of minorities in the arts.

The Swans of Harlem by Karen Valby tells the story of five Black ballerinas, and their time with the Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH).

Predominately a character study, and a recount of the triumphs and trials of the featured five Black ballerinas, Swans also touches on history, racism, and AIDS. DTH was created in 1969 by Arthur Mitchell, and was one of the first all-Black ballet companies.

Capturing a forgotten history, The Swans of Harlem is a powerful narrative, and a reminder of how easily we can all be forgotten.

I enjoyed learning more about ballet, the history of DTH, and the ballerinas themselves. My only complaint about the novel is that it switches the narration and time abruptly, so I often felt lost as to whose story I was reading at a particular moment and when that story was taking place.

Recommended for fans of ballet or with an interest in history, both Women’s history and Black history.

"The Swans of Harlem: Five Black Ballerinas, Fifty Years of Sisterhood, and Their Reclamation of a Groundbreaking History" by Kellie Jones is a captivating exploration of the lives and legacies of five pioneering African American ballerinas. Through meticulous research and poignant storytelling, Jones unveils the untold stories of these remarkable women, shedding light on their struggles, triumphs, and enduring impact on the world of ballet.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of The Swans of Harlem by Karen Valby.

This is a great true story about a company started for Black ballerinas during the civil rights era, when Black women couldn't get a job as ballet dancers. It highlights many of the main players, especially the founder of the company, Arthur Mitchell, as well as a lot of his primary dancers. It's fascinating, inspiring, frustrating, and full of history. I loved going down the rabbit hole while I was reading it, looking at pictures, and watching these dancers. It's also just another reminder of the white supremacy in this country, and the heroes that have busted down doors to create opportunities for people of color.

Everything you could possibly want to know about Black ballerinas and the ballet scene in NYC and beyond. Well written, compelling stories. I liked how they focused on five individual women. It gave the book a lot of depth rather than it being a more straightforward history.

Had so much potential, but the format and writing was choppy and disjointed. I enjoyed the characters but the structure made it difficult for me to follow them.

Let me begin by saying I am very thankful I received an ARC of this book because I was so glad to learn about the women featured in this book who so deserve this recognition and MANY MORE ACCOLADES for the sweat and toil they gave to the art of ballet. I ended up skimming much of the book because the details were so dense, but it is definitely worth reading so we can SAY THEIR NAMES!!

Karen Valby skillfully blends contemporary insights from five pioneering women with their historical journeys to the Dance Theater of Harlem, revealing both the triumphs and challenges of their careers. Despite Valby's non-dancer background, she adeptly conveys the art's complexity and its physical toll. The women faced daunting racial and physical stereotypes in the 1950s and 60s, yet Arthur Mitchell's founding of DTH opened new opportunities for black dancers previously shut out from the ballet world.

The book also delves into the problematic aspects of leadership within such groundbreaking organizations, questioning the necessity of a strong ego for effective leadership. Despite personal conflicts with Mitchell, the women retrospectively acknowledge his crucial role in their careers and the broader impact on black artists. Issues of colorism within DTH and the external pressures to conform to traditional ballet aesthetics are also explored.

Misty Copeland's emergence as a prominent black ballerina brings a modern perspective, reminding readers of the ongoing struggle for recognition within the ballet community. The women's stories, interwoven with Copeland's acknowledgment of their pioneering roles, underscore the book's significance in chronicling the legacy of black dancers in America.

Swans of Harlem is a winding story that is quite overdue. It chronicles the founding of the Dance Theatre of Harlem, tells stories of it's creator Arthur Mitchell and 5 of his original ballerinas. This story weaves together past and present as we hear not just the stories of the dancers, but their children and grandchildren.
Emotions are felt right away as the women are reunited during the COVID-19 pandemic to make sure their story of being in the first all-Black ballet company is not erased, as it has seemed for years. This book is powerful, albeit hard to follow at times, and inspiring for someone who has a passion and no matter what they do, just want people to know who they are and that "we were here.".

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for the advance copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Before Misty Copeland, there was the Dance Theatre of Harlem, the vision of one man, but a company that would not have been possible without his ballerinas. Fifty years later, while the company was still going strong, Misty was being hailed as the first Black ballerina with a major company. She was in fact the first African American principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre, and her rise inspired the five ballerinas who were part of the founding of Dance Theatre of Harlem to tell their stories and take their place in ballet history.

This is a stunning piece of research that reads like a conversation between friends. There was some irony in the fact that the writer began meeting with the ballerinas to talk about their careers and events during the Civil Rights era of the late 1960s just as the Black Lives Matter movement was picking up steam. She spent three years meeting with them and their families, learning about their lives and communities, the different ways in which they became part of DTH, their experiences with DTH, and the paths that their lives took when they left. After being erased from history, together the women rebuilt their legacy.

This book is for anyone interest in ballet, Black history, Civil Rights, or history and memoir in general.

4 stars

Having some background in classical ballet myself, I was very curious to read the stories of these early prima ballerinas, all the more so after having read Misty Copeland's story. (I never achieved any of the company roles they speak of - my interest was genuine, but it wasn't my life.)

I was heartbroken over the lack of respect and honor given to these women simply because of the color of their skin. The writing was vivid enough for me to see the extensions, the grace, the suspension these mistresses of dance commanded while on (and off) stage. Oh, to be able to see some recordings and really soak in the beauty they've brought to ballet.

Parts of the book felt a bit redundant, but hearing each woman's story was refreshing as well as challenging. These women are ballerinas, but they are also warriors, determined to fight for what is right, and rightly theirs. A quote that summed the book up well, even if it was focused on Arthur Mitchell is this: "He wasn’t a Black man who dared to dance ballet. He was a dancer who dared ballet to see and celebrate his Blackness." This. 100% this.

I received an ARC; this is my honest review.

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

I don't know anything about ballet, so I found this book very interesting. It is especially interesting because the topic is the first black ballerinas. The story details each of the five women who were trailblazers under the direction of Arthur Mitchell. Unfortunately, until this book was published, those five women and the ones that followed, were a part of a forgotten history. Whether you are familiar with ballet or not, The Swans of Harlem is a wonderful book. You learn about the women and men who danced across stages in the USA and in Europe. You learn some history and some culture. The only item I wish the author had included was a photo of the women being interviewed.
Thank you #netgalley for an advanced copy of #theswansof harlem.

As an African American, I feel cheated when parts of our history or unknown or not talked about. Growing up, the only two African American dancers I knew of were Alvin Ailey, Judith Jamison and Arthur Mitchell. Later it was Misty Copeland. I believe any young Black person who is interested in ballet, needs to learn about these five extraordinary women and their contributions to the art and the opportunities made possible because of them. The author did amazing research. Bravo.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is the incredible story of the first black ballerina dance company. Unfortunately, these courageous women and man have been mostly forgotten. At the height of the Civil Rights movement, black ballerina dancers were not really accepted. Ballerina dancer Arthur Mitchell started the Dance Theatre of Harlem for these talented dancers. This story mostly centers on five of these dancers and their lives.
I really liked this story! I found myself going to google to learn more about these fascinating women. I even found some video clips. I enjoyed learned more about these talented dancers.

The Swans of Harlem was an excellent nonfiction book about five of the first Black ballerinas and founding members of the Dance Theater of Harlem starting in the 60's. The author covered the history of DTH through these women and how they came back together Hearing these ladies' stories was so inspiring and moving—some continued careers in the arts, others left dance altogether. The book was incredibly vivid and filled with so much detail.

Karen Valby’s The Swans of Harlem is part historical nonfiction, part group memoir that recounts the lives of five women and their contemporaries as Black ballerinas in the Dance Theater of Harlem. I always love reading history that focuses on a unique subject, and this dance theater and the company members in it were something I knew nothing about. The five women, who formed the Legacy Council, and directly recount their experiences to Valby, express their frustrations that people think Misty Copeland is the first Black prima ballerina. Let it be known that this is not coming from Copeland herself, who makes an active effort to bring awareness to the women who came before her. But it justifiably hurts these women that they were part of a revolution in who could be a ballerina, and so much of that history has either faded in memory, or in my case, was something I never knew about to begin with. Not to take anything away from the women, but the relationship they each had with company founder Art Mitchell and the expectations he had of them was fascinating too. A man of exceptional talent and unbounded ambition, Mitchell had his own prejudices, preferring tall, very slender, light skinned ballerinas, something devastating to those who could never fit that mold and talents were relegated to short cast. It’s a brutal, ultra competitive world that I wouldn’t want to be a part of as a white woman, and I would have an advantage if I was talented enough, purely because of the color of my skin. You know these women had to really love it to dance for years when so many odds were stacked against them. And yet these women during their time at Harlem Dance Theater had something that Misty Copeland hasn’t had for much of her career-each other. As they reconnect and recount their stories, they realize there are other Black ballerinas whose stories are fading into the shadows, and we’re running out of time to preserve them for the future. This was a great book that explored history I wasn’t aware of directly through the memories of the women who experienced it. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

During the Civil Rights Movement, Lydia Abarca became a black prima ballerina with the Dance Theatre of Harlem. The first all black company, DTH became a home and haven for dancers. It showed black dancers that they were not alone and that they were artists. Featuring multiple of these first-generation dancers this book outlines their careers, families, and lives.

Although this book was a bit slow, it is an extremely important read. The history of black ballerina’s has largely been forgotten. These women were trailblazers and fierce fighters. They knew the stereotypes present in the ballet world and defied them with their heads held high.