When I was eight years old, a Black man was my ballet class instructor. I remember him keenly: Massively tall and broad-shouldered, with a voice so rich and deep it filled the large classroom with no effort at all, yet was ever gentle.

He mispronounced my name to make it sound French, and this fascinated me. At the year’s end recitals, he chose me to wait in the middle of the stage as all my other dozens of classmates ran into the wings. I stood there alone under the lights of the huge auditorium, put a finger to my lips, and tip-toed off the stage.

It never occurred to me then to wonder at my teacher’s story, to notice his relative uniqueness, or to question him in any way. I never considered how he had come up in ballet or whether this had been his life’s vision as a dancer. All I knew was that he stood in the world I loved, and he stood tall.

In many ways, he stood just as the women in Karen Valby’s The Black Swans of Harlem still do today. As I learned their stories and saw their incredible struggles and triumphs displayed on the pages in emotionally raw form, I remembered this teacher. And I wonder now, what was his story?

The Black Swans of Harlem is as steeped in history as the dance of ballet itself, yet time and culture have kept much of its story buried. The book details the creation and rise of the first permanent Black ballet company, and begins on the heels of the greatest tragedy of the American Civil Rights movement — the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

In the aftermath of that shock, people moved. One of those was Arthur Mitchell, a Black ballet dancer determined to break open performance opportunities to all skin colors in the historically White-only dance genre. He founded the Dance Theater of Harlem as an all-Black dance company and school. Both the company and the school expanded greatly and still exist today.

Mitchell died in 2018, having led his company through innumerable highs and lows for decades, so it is his first ballerinas who now tell this story: Lydia Abarca-Mitchell, Gayle McKinney-Griffith, Sheila Rohan, Marcia Sells, and Karlya Shelton-Benjamin. Their triumphs and traumas reach deep into one’s heart, demanding the attention long due them.

These women’s words and memories sprinkle the pages with images, ideas, disappointments, and dreams. Personal tragedies bring tears; moments of glory euphoria. As if listening to an expertly crafted documentary film, we follow these talented ballerinas through their long years of intense efforts.

We witness them in their painful, hours-long practices as Mitchell rages at tiny imperfections. We glory with them under the stage lights as they leap to the sky and bring audiences to their feet. And we sit with them in intimacy, learning their secrets, hearing their deepest hurts, and wishing them only good, just as they did with each other.

We also feel the impact of society on these women’s hearts and lives: the differences between American and European companies and audiences, the major Supreme Court decisions of the time, the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s. But most of all, we experience the tenacious drive Mitchell placed on his dancers to be perfect, to lead, and to prove themselves and their race.

One by one, each woman shares her story: How ballet called to her, how she struggled to find a place of belonging, the moment she realized what she could be, and the sacrifices she made on Mitchell’s demanding altar. Each story is equal parts heartbreaking and inspiring. No one is as strong or as resilient as a ballerina with a chance to prove herself.

When reading this book, it helps to have a basic knowledge of ballet — some history, key individuals, or the names of movements or poses — as these occur frequently and with little explanation throughout.

But knowing these things isn’t necessary to understanding the book’s core purpose, which is to tell of these women who fought and sacrificed tremendously to ensure that the world would open to those who came after, to remember them for who they were and what they did, and to know for fact that ‘they were there’ and are yet here among us.

The Black Swans of Harlem will be published in April 2024. Watch for it. Purchase it. Allow it to absorb you into the beautiful and difficult world of dance performance. And then afterward, ask yourself if you also have a part to play in furthering their story.

Karen Valby has brought so much history to light! The Swans of Harlem tells the story of five Black ballerinas who, in 1968, heard about the new Harlem School of Dance. Arthur Mitchell, a ballet dancer himself, was on a mission. Black children deserved to be trained in classical dance and he believed he was the man to do it.
Arthur was not an easy person to get along with. He wanted everything about the school to be just so, and he didn't delegate. He did the fundraising, elevating the take at times by contributing his own money. This was not a lucrative venture for him, but a labor of love.
Lydia Abarca dropped out of Fordham to attend. Sheila Rohan already had three young children, and thought it best to keep that fact from Arthur. Gayle McKinney-Griffith had been doing well at Juilliard when the administration told her she would not be hired by a professional dance company. A fellow student told her about Harlem School of Dance. Marcia Sells and her mother learned about the School when the dancers' tour brought them to Cincinnati, where the Sells family lived. The next year, Marcia was off to live with a family in New York City and continue her ballet education at Harlem School of Dance. Karlya Shelton had already been the first Black American ballerina to compete at the Prix de Lausanne competition when she chose Arthur's school over Joffrey and School of American Ballet.
The oldest of these dancers is now in her 80s. What a pity it would have been if their stories had been lost to us. Karen Valby has made the history of dance more accurate. She has added to women's history, Black history, and American history.
This book is a gift and I recommend it. The only problem I had when reading was keeping track of all the names and who went with whom.
Thank you to NetGalley for an Advance Reader Copy of The Swans of Harlem.

historical-figures, historical-places-events, historical-research, history-and-culture, ballet-training, ballerina, dance, dedication, goal-oriented, striving*****

I think that these women and others have not had enough press over the years (not to mention encouragement). Ballet afficionados have no excuse, nor do the rest of us. I have known some about Maria Tallchief for many years, but nothing at all about these dedicated performers. The study is from childhood and further growth, and the calling to do whatever it takes despite the antagonistic attitudes around them to their professional debuts and performances. Excellent presentation and deep study written in a was that brings the information deep into the reader's soul.
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor, Pantheon via NetGalley. Thank you!
This title will be released on April 30, 2024.

The Swans of Harlem, by Karen Valby, brings to light the unfortunately hidden stories of five Black ballerinas who helped to bring diversity to the rarefied world of ballet. Like many young girls, I loved ballet as a child; I have a vivid memory of a poster of Maria Tallchief in my fourth grade classroom that captivated me. It's a shame that I had never heard of these talented women. I particularly appreciated the story of their bond over the last fifty years. This book is a celebration of dance and resilience. I'm grateful that Valby has given these women the attention they deserve.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC; all opinions are my own.

Wow! As a dancer both past and present, whose teachers make it a point to inform us about historical figures in dance, it blew me away that I had never heard of these wonderful Harlem Swans. I was absolutely sucked into the myth that Misty Copeland was the first Black American principal ballerina. It's amazing to me that this myth is still perpetuated, and for what? For a ballet company to get more publicity?

While I loved hearing the stories of these amazing dancers, it was a bit hard to take at times. Their benefactor was also the cause of their nightmares, and I fervently wished they had been treated better. However, it also made me want to delve into history more to find footage of these ballerinas - in particular, The Wiz!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Kindle Edition

United States Publication: April 30, 2024

Thank you to NetGalley and Pantheon for this advanced reader's copy. In exchange, I am providing an honest review.

Did you know, because I didn't (and neither did Misty Copeland), that long before Misty Copeland was born and took the ballet world by storm as the "first" Black woman to become a principal dancer with a company there had already been Black women who made history for the very thing Copeland has received the credit for? (By the way, this is not criticism of Copeland, she didn't know and sought to rectify history once she did find out.) In 1969, ballet dancer Arthur Mitchell founded the Dance Theatre of Harlem, an all/only black classical dance company. He knew that there were talented and deserving black people out there who wanted to dance classically but weren't given the chance simply because of the color of their skin. The Swans of Harlem is the story of five Black women who danced for DTH, were erased from history, and were then rediscovered when they resurfaced in 2020 and formed the 152nd Street Black Ballet Legacy. Marcia Sells, Sheila Rohan, Gayle McKinney-Griffith, Karlya Shelton-Benjamin and Lydia Abarca-Mitchell danced together in the 70s and remained on the periphery of each other's lives even though they each chose to eventually move out of DTH and pursue other things. This is the story of each of them, their backgrounds, and how they ended up at DTH and under Arthur Mitchell's tutelage. While telling their stories, it also manages to tell the story of Arthur Mitchell and his influence on the world of classical dance and Black people becoming a seen and permanent part of that world.

This was a very interesting, fascinating really, read. 5 women dancers are featured in this title but many more danced with DTH through to the present day. Because of what Mitchell was trying to do, he didn't put strict age parameters on the women and men he looked to launch the dance company. They needed to dance and be good but he brought into the company other dancers that wouldn't be considered normally because of their age or their life situations. For example, Sheila Rohan was a mother of three children when DTH was formed and she was asked to be in the company. What I found really interesting was the relationship the dancers had with Mitchell. He danced as a principal with the New York City Ballet under Russian-American choreographer George Balanchine until 1968 when he had a dream and vision to create and run an all-Black classical dance company. With Balanchine's blessing and support, Mitchell did just that. But Mitchell was as most dancers turned choreographers are in dance - moody, harsh, and body-image obsessed - and despite his flaws and sometimes incredibly inappropriate attitude with his dancers they, for the most part, loved him and hold him in high esteem even in death. I would never make it in the world of ballet, my skin is not thick enough. (To say nothing of my complete lack of body movement and skills.) I'm dangerously close to going off on a tangent so I'll end this review. Suffice it to say, this was a read that was worth the time spent.

My first five star review of the year. An amazing story about women who were determined to persevere and achieve great physical, mental, and emotional feats. The women of the Legacy Council blazed a trail for female black ballet artists by performing in Arthur Mitchell’s Dance Theater of Harlem sitting a time when the standard was set that black women could not perform lead roles.
The author interviewed the women and their families, fellow performers and personnel of the dance theater to give the reader a “close up and personal” view of the lives, successes, struggles, and failures. By including direct conversation from those interviewed, the author took a step back to bring the reader face-to-face with these remarkable women. And she achieved what very few authors do—giving voices and revealing the minds and hearts of her subjects.
Highly recommended for all but especially those interested in Black women’s history and the beginnings of ballet in America. A fantastic book for both subject and how it was written.

The Swans of Harlem by Karen Valby is an interesting exploration of early African American ballerinas and the forgotten history of these women. The stories are intense and wonderful and I love this new perspective on history.

Thank you Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor and NetGalley for the ARC!

The Swans Of Harlem was WONDERFUL. I ashamed to say I didn’t know all of the history behind the Dance Theatre of Harlem and the Black ballerinas who got their start there., Now that I know the story, I am truly fascinated! I never had the gift of dance (see: me at anyone’s wedding) but I have nothing but respect for those able to use their body as their instrument. The Swans’ story of their overcoming adversities, navigating setbacks and accomplishing incredible feats is a story that deserves to be told!

Thank you again for the ARC!

The Swans of Harlem is a captivating, fascinating, and sometimes heartbreaking story about the first Black ballerinas, girls and women who paved the way for Maria Tallchief and Misty Copeland, who endured everything from white condescension to overt threats of violence in order to rise to the top of the ballet world. The Dance Theatre of Harlem believed in them, worked with and through them, and taught thousands of children that excellence can be theirs.

Arthur Mitchell founded the ballet school and company in a church basement the year Martin Luther King was assassinated. Author Karen Valby writes, "Art is activism. Let the gorgeous lines of his dancers' bodies serve as fists in the air."

They did.

When I was a child in the 60s I had a kids' collection of stories of famous ballerinas. They were all French and Russian, and ended up with Margot Fonteyn and Maria Tallchief. Dance did not become my thing, but I found this book impossible to put down.
Karen Valby creates an enthralling narrative, interweaving present day comments from the five women she follows into the stories of how they came to Dance Theater of Harlem and how their careers unfolded there and afterwards.
Despite not being a dancer herself, she clearly learned how to talk about it. The complexity of the art, as well as the crushing physical demands, are made understandable.
The psychological demands were perhaps even greater. All five of these women showed interest and promise in ballet from early ages in the 1950s and 60s, but were met with the unsurprising litany of "don't bother continuing, you're good but no company will hire a black dancer" and "you're going to have to have surgery to make your butt smaller" (which doesn't even make sense as the major muscles of movement lie there). When Arthur Mitchell founded the DTH, it was like a door opening for so many young people who found no other doors open.
The incisive profile of Mitchell that emerges over the course of the book made me ponder something I've considered many times - why does the ego required to create and lead such an organization so easily tip over into controlling toxicity? can't someone be an effective leader without having that kind of ego? I don't know the answer. All five women broke with Mitchell on bad terms when they left the company, but today they all view him with charity - despite making their lives hell, he also gave them a place to pursue their talents, and created something that has been hugely important to generations of black artists. No more would a black dancer have to hide in her hotel room in the American south, watching a cross burn on the hotel lawn, while the rest of the company gave their performance.
Even within an organization like DTH, colorism existed, and the women who were darker were generally given fewer opportunities to take leading roles. When one of them comments, in the present day, that Mitchell was really perpetuating, within a black company, the white standards of ballet beauty (pale, bone thin, classic hair buns) established in the US by Balanchine, I had already thought of that based on the stories told.
The weaving into the story of Misty Copeland was also done deftly. When Copeland became hugely famous as "the first" black ballerina, these women sat up and took notice because they had been doing it already although not within the white ballet companies of New York, and it appeared that what they did had been forgotten. Copeland has repeatedly made it clear she was NOT "the first" but even she did not know about these women, and as she met them and shared a podium with them at an event, she was as moved and enthralled by their stories as you will be if you read this book.
The only thing I could have asked for was PICTURES. I didn't just want to read about Lydia Abarca's elegance, or Karlya Shelton's amazing performance as Firebird, or any of the other beautiful things these women did. I don't know if the final book will have pictures, or maybe there could be a website for the Black Ballet group these women have founded. I am happy these women are all still alive to take a third-act bow, after long post-dance lives, and enjoy the renewal of the friendship that kept them going when they were young dancers at DTH.

*Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the chance to review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

very interesting story of the history of the dance theater of Harlem. and five women who danced there. well researched.

I've loved the Dance Theater of Harlem for (literal) decades and absolutely loved reading this spellbinding history of its origins and the ballerinas who made up the company. Riveting.

This book was very interested.because I never heard of these black dancers. I appreciate the author including so many details about the subjects life and environment. While telling the dancers stories, the author also included history thats not included anywhere else.

Interesting. Well researched. Long overdue. I really enjoyed this book. Karen Valby has done a fabulous job shining a light on these forgotten women in history. Thanks #NetGalley

This made me laugh, tear up, proud and angry. It brought back some very fond memories of seeing performances at the Dance Theatre of Harlem that were offered by an undergrad professor for "Extra Credit" to any students who wanted to "up their average"--something I did not need. All I know it was free and I went every time she offered an invite. I absolutely love that someone made this history known. I had no idea of this history and of the man who suffered physically mentally and spiritually for this art form. And the women who had to hone advanced mental gymnastics to deal with him and his misplaced anger and frustrations. He was moody AF but these women had his back for the love of the Classical Ballerina Art Form. This was extremely well done. This is a must read. I got lost in the research rabbit hole I fell into. #TheSwansofHarlem #NetGalley

As a former ballet dancer and an afro-latina I always love books like this that dive into the backstories that we normally don't hear about. I really loved learning more about the space that shaped my youth and hearing about how these pioneers in the sport brought more recognition. I really wish these stories were already out there and well known but hopefully this book can do that for future ballerinas.

What a story! The lives of five incredible elms. Lydia Abarca-Michell, Gayle McKinney-Griffith, Sheila Rohan, Marcia Sells and Karyla Shelton-Benjamin who have been life long friends of one thing, the beautiful ballet that they all feel in love with. Although only would become Ms. Prima ballerina. She strived to do more than just dance. She wanted to help the community. She was able to do this with her four closest friends they kept them all very grounded thought out their lives. Such a powerful story that gave a fabulous insight of the “first professional” black ballets way before Misty Copeland.

While I've long been aware of the Dance Theatre of Harlem, like many who will read Karen Valby's "The Swans of Harlem," I was largely clueless to its history and to its role for the Black community and for America's ballet community.

If you were to Google Black ballet dancers, there's a pretty good chance that the first name to pop up would be American Ballet Theatre's Misty Copeland.

In fact, I just did this and such was the case.

However, "The Swans of Harlem" lays the foundation that allowed for a dancer like Copeland's rise including, more specifically, the five Black ballerinas at the center of "The Swans of Harlem" - Lydia Abarca, Gayle McKinney-Griffith, Sheila Rohan, Karlya Shelton, and Marcia Sells.

Abarca, McKinney-Griffith, and Rohan were founding dancers in the 1969 establishment of Arthur Mitchell's Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH). Mitchell was the first Black principal dancer at the New York City Ballet and a protégé of the choreographer George Balanchine. Determined to provide opportunities in education and professional dance for the community in which he grew up, Mitchell quickly established DTH as a powerful presence in dance. These Swans of Harlem performed for the Queen of England, Mick Jagger, and Stevie Wonder, on the same bill as Josephine Baker, at the White House, and beyond.

Yet, for many, they became lost to history and largely unacknowledged when DTH would eventually succumb, thankfully temporarily, to financial issues. As Copeland would begin her rise and the media would embrace her as the first Black dancer in a major ballet company, these five swans would be left to wonder "What about us?"

With vivid character development and detailed storytelling, Valby has crafted an engaging and informative account of five Black ballerinas, fifty years of sisterhood, and a passionate reclamation of a truly groundbreaking history.

By the end of "The Swans of Harlem," you'll likely find yourself rushing to find out more about these five swans and the people who surrounded them from Mitchell, who passed away from heart failure in 2018, to many of the male dancers who comprised DTH and even those who would come and go from this groundbreaking dance organization.

I found myself completely immersed throughout "The Swans of Harlem," though the multiple narratives also occasionally allowed for confusion to creep in. At one point, right about the time DTH's financial issues were at their peak, it was clearly stated that DTH had closed. A couple pages later, there were conversations about DTH events and it was obviously operational. For the uninitiated folks like me, it's a tad confusing though eventually clarity reigns again.

I will confess that at book's end, I had to look up Dance Theatre of Harlem just to clarify if it was still in existence.

While we learn much about DTH throughout "The Swans of Harlem," there's never any doubt that the book is truly about the swans themselves. From the early days of DTH through burgeoning successes to the AIDS crisis that savaged dance organizations everywhere to a current day America that celebrates Misty Copeland and is just learning about DTH's history all anew, "The Swans of Harlem" is an ideal read for Black History month but a vital read for every month of the year.