Welcome to Litsy!

I originally checked this out from the library, got 2 chapters in and ran to my bookstore and bought a copy. This book is amazing. It is written with such care and tons of research. The 5 women it focuses on each have small chapters woven into the narrative. Their struggles are glaring on the page, the way they controlled their bodies while struggling with so much racism and socioeconomic challenges.
4.5/5 this is wonderful.

“She wanted to be like her childhood heroes Ginger Rogers and Natalie Wood, emerging from limousines onto red carpets to snapping bulbs, the plot of her life playing out like one of the feel-good Million Dollar Movie films she loved to watch on her family‘s black-and-white television.”

Photo of the 5 beautiful ballerinas featured in the book

The man behind the company.
The first Black dancer at the NYC Ballet.
Arthur Mitchell started the Dance Theater of Harlem. He is both a monster (yelling at the women for eating or not being loyal enough to him and the company) but also seen as a father figure. The women talk about how his death in 2018 crushed them. A complex and interesting look at a teacher relationship.

While this book is about the women of Dance Theatre of Harlem, there is tragedy in how the men of the company were abandoned by government. They died of AIDS
“'I witnessed and entire male ensemble pass away.' Sheila Rohan says of the epidemic. She was working at Alavin Ailey in those years. 'These were our Black gods. Prima donnas of the dance world. And then you had to see them decline. At least 25, 30 of them, 1 right after another dropped.“

Following up Agent Zo with another book about forgotten Women. These are 5 of the Black ballerinas that came before Misty Copeland

This is incredibly interesting. 5 Black ballerinas, famous (in their own way) during the 70s and 80s, tell their stories. Another rec from @TheBookHippie that I borrowed for my IRL NF book club.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

I love ballet. It is one of my favorite art forms, but I admit that as a Black Latina, I never looked for representation, even though I imagined it was there somewhere.

I‘m so glad this book exists, I cried many times reading about the stories of these 5 wonderful dancers and the legacy of the Dance Theater of Harlem.

Read this!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Harlem 1969 & the first Black principal dancer at the New York City Ballet sets up the Dance Theatre of Harlem, establishing the first all-Black ballet company. This book is about the lives of Mitchell & five of his female dancers who were at the forefront of making ballet more accessible to Black dancers, & how & why their careers, popularity, & influence have been so easily forgotten. (continued)

Felt like I needed to throw in a non-fiction book to the mix of books I‘m reading at the moment.

This one looks so interesting!

My only nonfiction book of the month but it was a good one.

Best of the week is the tagged book.

#WeeklyFavorites

@Read4life

The history of the Dance Theatre of Harlem and the founding ballerinas is important 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. Thanks to the author & The Swans for sharing their story. Thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for the opportunity to read this fascinating book.

#WeekendReads

50% left of Swans. I know very little about ballet but am enjoying this story of the building of The Dance Theatre of Harlem and the ballerina‘s who found a home there. Just got approved for Red Side on audio. Read Shades of Grey years ago and am looking forward to its sequel. Started a buddy read of the Follett with my daughter. We plan to read the series.

@rachelsbrittain

My suggestions for #CampLitsy24
—The Cemetery of untold Stories because I enjoyed her previous books & the whole concept of the book fascinates me.
— The Swans of Harlem- to learn more about the lives of these special women- intrigues me
— There‘s Always This Year- on Basketball and Ascension — I love basketball - on basketball & storytelling
— The Hunter - Tana French‘s novels/thrillers are engaging, at times disturbing, unique characters