I wasn’t aware of the existence of Mitchell, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Lydia Abarca, Gayle McKinney-Griffith, Sheila Rohan, and first-generation dancers Karlya Shelton and Marcia Sells before I read this book. The power that these 5 women got to reclaim on behalf of all of their dance family members and the passion that they continue to have after many years of being overlooked was what made this even more of a powerful read.

THIS BOOK was so good and I highly recommend it!

I had a great time reading this and had no knowledge of any of the people mentioned until this book. I'm grateful this will be party of solidifying their history. There were a couple of moments in the book that felt a bit slow for me but overrall it was a great read and I will be purchasing.

What a beautiful book about the first Black ballerinas and Black dance company. As a former dancer myself, I found this so interesting!

This may have been my favorite read of the year. The sad fact that these talented dancers did not get formal recognition for decades is being righted with this new book about their history. I was inspired by the sacrifices, the sorority, and the connections between the ballerinas. I loved hearing about Lydia, Sheila, and so many more women who danced with such beauty. As I read, I continuously searched internet articles to see what these dancers looked like at their height of popularity and how they had matured. I felt like I knew them from the way Karen Valby wrote about them. I was so proud of their legacy, and want to read more books about them. I hope children's books are written and shared so that little girls can see themselves in their shoes.

This book was so wonderful.
It is the story of the first black ballerinas along with the fist black ballet company.
I knew that the ballet community is a hard community. Lots of competition and mean girl attitudes. This book gave new insight into this ballet world. It showed me the different mindsets and prejudices that are there. This story gave me an insight into the ballet world that I never new existed.

This book is definitely a must read, for all of my friends and my book clubs.
Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor publishing for the opportunity to read this wonderful story.

This was such an interesting story! I listened on audio, and I would definitely recommend this - the second act was great on audio.

As someone who’s not a dancer and doesn’t know much about that world, I was worried I might find this too in the weeds. While in the beginning there was a lot of name dropping for famous dancers I don’t know, after a couple chapters I found myself thoroughly sucked into the story, and I wasn’t overwhelmed at all.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about Black ballerinas, the first Black ballet company, or just interested in some forgotten history of the arts!

Although starting off slow, and some parts being more difficult to get through this is one of the most enthralling non fiction stories I have read. As. a dancer this book continuously kept me interested and needing to know more about the stories of these women and how they ended up at Dance Theater of Harlem. Even without any dance knowledge I believe book can still be greatly enjoyed due to the heartwarming nature of the story.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher Pantheon, as well as Karen Valby for providing me this book.

Growing up in the late 70s and 1980s, when I thought of premier professional ballet, I thought of the Dance Theatre of Harlem. So, when I found out there was a book about the company’s forgotten ballerinas, I was instantly interested in reading it. I was not disappointed. The Swans of Harlem: Five Black Ballerinas, Fifty Years of Sisterhood, and Their Reclamation of a Groundbreaking History by Karen Valby is a poignant tribute to five of the company’s first ballerinas, whose time for recognition is long overdue. Valby brings the women’s stories to life by weaving their voices throughout the book. In fact, many times, it felt as if you were in the room with the women as they shared their stories. You really get to sense their emotions—laughter, disappointment, anger, tears, jealousy, joy. There was no sugarcoating, especially as they shared their recollections about the challenges they faced as a black woman in an industry that placed not a glass ceiling in their way, but a brick wall. A bonus of The Swans of Harlem is that you also get an insider’s view of the early days of the Dance Theatre of Harlem. Many times, histories are told from the perspective of the visionaries and leaders, but not from those who were the “workers”, in this case the actual dancers. Through their eyes, you got to see the sacrifices made to ensure that the company was a success. You also get a glimpse into the world of the legendary and extremely private Arthur Mitchell. Again, Valby does a good job balancing his portrayal in a way that actually humanizes him as a person as one who definitely deserves admiration, but also had flaws.

I would love to see this book adapted to a young reader’s version or even a picture book so that the black and brown girls who dream of being a ballerina can find inspiration to keep chasing their dreams and to know that their were trailblazers before them who also were the “Swans” of ballet.

Thank you to the publisher Pantheon for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

THE SWANS OF HARLEM – by Karen Valby

I have never been to the ballet before in my life, and after learning these five beautiful women endured to fulfill their dreams, I hope I one day get the chance.

I Love This Passage:

‘If Arthur Mitchell was once a lighthouse, may new generations of dancers look to the women in the Legacy Council as lanterns. The path is long and uncertain, but it has been traveled before. Trust in the light and the promise of a long table up ahead. A Black child twirling in front of a mirror deserves to know that being the only one in the room doesn’t mean that they’re alone. The elders, even the ones who have passed on, wait with arms outstretched.’

My Heart! Highly Recommend!


‘In 1968, his career at City Ballet still going strong, Mitchell was under commission to form the National Ballet Company of Brazil in Rio de Janeiro when news of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s, assassination shook the world. The trauma ignited within him a sense of spiritual purpose. He was needed at home. He would build a ballet school in Harlem, the neighborhood that had raised him up. And because children deserve role models who show them what is possible, he would simultaneously establish the first permanent Black professional ballet company.

Lydia Abarca
Sheila Rohan
Gayle McKinney-Griffith
Karlya Shelton-Benjamin
Marcia Sells

‘They trained in pointe shoes that felt like cement blocks on their feet, practicing until their toes bled and their nails peeled off in surrender. They obsessed over their every line and angle and gesture. And they gave of themselves gratefully. All that discipline, all that grind, they undertook as acts of love.’

Thank you, NetGalley and Pantheon Books (Penguin Random House LLC.), for providing me with an eBook of THE SWANS OF HARLEM at the request of an honest review.

A perfect read for February and March. Black History month and Women's Day. This book encompasses all. Five women, with five amazing talents, who were once on the world stage and yet no one knows their names. Nor does anyone associate their names with the role women and entertainers played in the civil rights movement.
Excellent eye-opening read on women, women of color, and the world of elite ballet.

"The Swans of Harlem" by Karen Valby is a poignant and inspiring account of five Black ballerinas who overcame racial barriers to achieve recognition in the ballet world. Despite facing discrimination and limited opportunities due to their skin color, these talented dancers found solace and success at the Dance Theatre of Harlem, founded by Arthur Mitchell. The book sheds light on their remarkable journey, their enduring sisterhood, and their significant contributions to ballet history, making it a compelling read that resonates with themes of resilience and friendship. Highly recommended for anyone interested in untold stories of perseverance and achievement in the arts.

Such an informative read! I really enjoyed this. Reading about these women persevering in the face of injustice was inspiring.

The Swans of Harlem is a well done look into the history of five Black ballerinas, Arthur Mitchell, and the Dance Theatre of Harlem. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the perseverance, dedication, and passion these women had. I do not have any kind of background in ballet, and I found this book fascinating. These women were some of the best in the world while also contending with discrimination and inequality. It is maddening and heartbreaking the things they had to go through outside of the everyday ups and downs of ballet. I was able to get my hands on the audiobook and to hear the women tell their stories was really special. I think this is a great read and can be enjoyed by those in and outside of the ballet world.

This tells the true story of the groundbreaking, international ballet company, Dance Theatre of Harlem, created at the height of the Civil Rights Movement. and its troupe of Black dancers. The book focuses mainly on the company’s founder and visionary, Arthur Mitchell, and five of the company’s ballerinas. The ladies have generously shared their history of struggle to create a place for themselves in the very white world of ballet, way before Misty Copeland came on the scene.
I found this to be an interesting account of true trailblazers; it’s unfortunate, though, that the main reason for this book is to remind the world that these dancers actually existed.
Unsurprisingly, a lot of the writing was about ballet, which is fine with me, but people not super into dance might find it boring.
Thanks to #netgalley and #pantheonbooks for this #arc of #theswansofharlem in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this book. It’s a story that needed to be told. Racism pervades all aspects of life and to see how it affected these women and their perseverance through it together was very inspiring. The research was thorough and delivery was sensitive yet poignant.

"The Swans of Harlem" by Karen Valby is a poignant and evocative novel that explores friendship, art, and resilience. Set against the backdrop of Harlem in the 1920s, the story follows a group of diverse women who find strength and solace in their shared passion for dance. Valby's rich prose brings to life the vibrant atmosphere of the Jazz Age, capturing both the exuberance and challenges faced by these captivating characters.

While the pacing occasionally slows, the depth of the characters and the exploration of racial and gender dynamics add layers of complexity to the narrative. The bond between the women is beautifully portrayed, making their triumphs and struggles deeply moving. I am grateful to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this novel, which immersed me in a captivating world of art, friendship, and personal growth.

A beautiful and much needed microhistory that encompasses so much.

While at times a bit of information overload, the stories of the different ballerinas were woven together so well and made up a story that was a joy to experience. I liked that we saw the breadth of their lives (even after the DTH) and got to see the many different experiences that they all had through firsthand accounts. This book holds a new lens up to both the Civil Right Movement as well as the world of dance that I feel better off for learning.

I am so happy to see the new trend of stories about women and their unknown contributions/struggles/lives in historical moments. Having records celebrating their contributions is a trend I hope continues.

Such an interesting history that I knew so little about! I loved reading about the lives of these women and how they are still working today to protect their legacy. If you’re interested in history or ballet or New York, I’d definitely recommend!

This is a must read for those wanting to continue to fill in places in history that are not discussed and expressed often enough. It has heart, it tells the true story of the lives of these women and offers great insight into the love and groundbreaking work these women put into dance and American history.

Valby does an excellent job letting the Swans of Harlem tell and reclaim their story! There are so many things I could say about this book, but really the best thing to say is go read this book. Learn about their story and continue to tell others about it.


Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review in exchange for the eARc of this work.

Loved it! What a gorgeous history written in a sincerely relatable and truthful way. Those women are true heroes who don't get recognized enough.Graceful and poised, I hope this story makes them role models.