The Swans of Harlem: Five Black Ballerinas, Fifty Years of Sisterhood, and Their Reclamation of a Groundbreaking History

In this meticulous expansion of a 2021 New York Times article by Valby, five women reflect on their time as ballerinas with the Dance Theatre of Harlem, an all-Black troupe founded in 1969 by George Balanchine protégé Arthur Mitchell. Prima ballerina Lydia Abarca longed for stardom and financial security; Gayle McKinney-Griffith left Julliard for the opportunity to dance with the company; Sheila Rohan balanced dancing with her home life as a married mother of three; Karlya Shelton and Marcia Sells were in awe of the three above-mentioned founding members and moved across states to join the troupe. The five women made their way onto national and international stages just as a backlash to the civil rights movement began. They also dealt with varying degrees of colorism, criticisms of their bodies, and Mitchell’s domineering behavior and teaching methods. Even so, there is joy in the way the women discuss their decades-long friendships and trailblazing performances in this book.