Black Swans

Gr 1-4-From the front cover alone, this title conveys a warmth and variety of styles, showcasing everything from traditional ballet to contemporary dance, and that "swans" is a gender-inclusive term. Inside, the respect continues. Six dancers whose lives span the dance world of the last century and this one are introduced with brief histories. The pattern for each dancer, from Arthur Mitchell to Misty Copeland, is carefully chosen and retold. Each one experiences a rejection of their talents, breakthroughs in the dance world, and an impressive exhibition of perseverance when they not only succeed but work to make their field more inclusive. The highlighted stories end with the refrain that they continued to dance or are dancing, lending a tone of resilience against trials. Every page of this book resonates with love and admiration for dance. Back matter includes a list of other dancers, notes about the author and illustrator, and the inspirations for the book. The dancers' athleticism and gorgeous costuming in the illustrations will make even casual readers want to leap to their feet and move. VERDICT A must for every collection, and a cornerstone for the dance shelves. -- School Library Journal * https://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/review/black-swans *
Forgoing any introduction, van der Linde's collective biography briefly introduces six significant Black figures in the world of dance. Opening with Essie Mae Dorsey, who founded a ballet school for Black children in 1926 Philadelphia, the book also spotlights Dance Theatre of Harlem founder Arthur Mitchell, Trinidad-born dancer Christian Holder, choreographer Dwight Rhoden, and contemporary ballet superstars Misty Copeland and Michaela DePrince. The spreads offer nutshell encapsulations of each figure's accomplishments; Cloud's understated artwork depicts the individuals performing, often against a single-color background. Each profile includes the tagline "still he/she danced...," frequently highlighting instances of perseverance in the face of racism (e.g., "the principal ballerina's husband refused to have her partnered by a Black man"). The book cries out for context, but the individual biographies are inspiring. A final page lists eight additional Black dancers. Ages 4-8. (Nov.) -- Publishers Weekly * https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781503764095 *
This ground-breaking book about the obstacles faced by many black dancers over the last century, seeks to encourage today's young dancers to follow their dreams. The work focusses on six black dancers who have made their mark in the world of ballet and modern dance: Essie Marie Dorsey, Arthur Mitchell, Christian Holder, Dwight Rhoden, Misty Copeland and Michaela DePrince. Each biography follows the dancer's route to a dream career and the reader is left with the message that if you are determined and do what you love then you will succeed! Whilst each dancer has a different story they are united in the racism that they encountered and how they eventually overcame this. A few of these figures opened their own dance schools whilst others took leading roles in established ballet companies across the world. The author, Laurel van der Linde writes from experience, and explains in the Author's Note that 'The desire to dance is born in you'. She encourages readers who have a passion for dancing to follow their instincts. A list of other well-known Black Swans is at the end of the book and Laurel acknowledges the talents and determination of these dancers. This attractive volume is well laid out and I liked the way in which the biographies were quite detailed and gave a full history of the dancer. A Contents list would have been useful to guide the reader through the book, but this is a small criticism. I am sure this book will encourage many young black students to choose dancing as their passion and to appreciate those who went before them. Hopefully they will not encounter the obstacles of these amazing Black Swans. JS -- Books for Keeps * https://booksforkeeps.co.uk/review/black-swans/ *
The six brilliant Black ballet dancers almost leap right off the pages of this show-stoppingly illustrated, narrative non-fiction book. First we are introduced to Essie Marie Dorsey who although she never made it as a ballet dancer herself on account of her colour, made sure that others could by opening her own dance school in Philadelphia - The Essie Marie Dorsey School of Dancing; and to get Black parents to enrol their children, she went knocking on their doors asking them to send their offspring as pupils and so they did. Next is Arthur Mitchell; such was his skill at ballet, that he attracted the attention of George Balanchine, artistic director of New York City Ballet and was invited to join the company, eventually becoming the first Black principal dancer. Even then it wasn't plain sailing for in 1957 an audience deemed it unacceptable for a Black man to dance with a white woman. Some twelve years later using his own money, Arthur co-founded the Dance Theatre of Harlem ballet company. Christian Holder moved to England aged seven with his family, then later attended the New York High School of Performing Arts. His talent was noted by the choreographer Robert Joffrey and as principal dancer, he had to face racial prejudice but it was his partner, not Christian who was replaced. Dwight Rhoden too was held back on account of his skin colour, but as a choreographer went on to cofound Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Last come two women, Misty Copeland who in 2015 became the first Black ballerina to be Principal Dancer of American Ballet Theatre and finally Michaela DePrince who when a very young orphan in Sierra Leone saw a magazine picture of a ballerina. When she was adopted by a family from New Jersey she went on to become a star dancer of Boston Ballet. Ground breakers all and each of these dance lovers achieved greatness by overcoming obstacles through self belief, determination and of course, amazing talent. A lovely book to inspire youngsters to follow their dreams, whether or not that involves dance. -- Red Reading Hub * https://redreadinghub.blog/2022/10/30/black-swans/ *
Black Swans is a super collection of mini biographies of black dancers, detailing some of the barriers they had to overcome to achieve their dream of dancing. My class were outraged at the unfair treatment of these dancers and loved the fact that despite this, the dancers still succeeded. The names may have been unfamiliar to them, but the sense of injustice the children felt was palpable. The illustrations are gorgeous and lead to some internet searches to find out more. This book has now been shared with our younger children in school. It is definitely a book that could be used across the entire primary age range with something for everyone from age 3 and above. -- Reading Zone Review * https://www.readingzone.com/books/black-swans/#review32460 *
Keeping a steady rhythm, this nonfiction picture book highlighting six notable Black dancers in the American ballet sphere swiftly leads readers from one inspiring figure to the next. Though lacking one continuous narrative, the text is well-choreographed, using an echoing refrain like a ribbon to tie the stories together neatly. Providing brief profiles of innovative performing artists from Essie Marie Dorsey to Michaela Deprince, the book introduces readers to pioneering luminaries who courageously share their gifts with the world, passing on their passion for dance with younger generations. Organized in chronological order, the simple, consistent text can be easily followed by young readers, though focusing on a smaller number of dancers may have allowed for more substantive text, affording readers the opportunity to become better acquainted with the dancers. The anecdotes offered will inspire readers to expand their research. Concluded with a succinct author's note, the book lists additional dancers to study, though a bibliography would provide more targeted guidance. Moreover, a glossary would strengthen readers' understanding of technical terms. A helpful launchpad, this book initiates discussion on how people throughout history have overcome discrimination to achieve their creative goals. There is limited information on various types of dance, making this a stronger choice for students interested strictly in ballet. While the book gives much-deserved representation to resilient artists whose stories have often gone untold, students may benefit from reading a biography dedicated to each figure in depth. Imparting a sense of the dancers' power, the illustrations' spray paint-like effect illuminates each dancer, drawing the reader's eye to their elaborate poses and lovely costumes that spark conversation about the many professionals contributing to a production. Brought from past to present, readers of all ages are invited to join in dance, experiencing the joy of freely expressing themselves. -- Children's Literature * Children's Literature *