The Swans of Harlem (Adapted for Young Adults): Five Black Ballerinas, a Legacy of Sisterhood, and Their Reclamation of a Groundbreaking History

A full accounting of five incredibly talented Black ballerinas from The Dance Theater of Harlem, founding members among them, that illuminates their hard-fought, historic, and overlooked contributions to the world of classical dance at a time when racism shut out Black dancers from major dance companies.

At the peak of the civil rights movement, Lydia Abarca was the first ballerina in a Black ballet company to grace the cover of Dance magazine. Alongside founding members Shelia Rohan and Gayle McKinney-Griffith and first-generation dancers Karlya Shelton and Marcia Sells, Abarca invited a bright light to shine on Black professional classical dancers. Grit, determination, and exquisite artistry propelled these swans of Harlem to dizzying heights as they performed around the world for audiences that included celebrities, dignitaries, and royalty.

Now, decades later, these trailblazing ballerinas and longtime friends are giving voice to their stories on- and offstage, reclaiming their past so that it is finally recorded, acknowledged, and lauded, never to be lost again.

* "This powerful account is part cultural history, part biography as it traces the formation, rise, and decline of DTH through the experiences of these five ballerinas, as well as their continued importance to dancers of color today....this will appeal equally to fans of forgotten histories." --Booklist, starred review

"A poignant and gripping piece of little-known history." --Kirkus Reviews

Author: Karen Valby
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Published: 01/14/2025
Pages: 288
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.85lbs
Size: 8.60h x 5.60w x 1.10d
ISBN: 9780593643563
Audience: Young Adult


Review Citation(s):
Booklist 10/15/2024 pg. 45
Kirkus Reviews 11/01/2024
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 01/01/2024

About the Author
Karen Valby is the author of two books of nonfiction: The Swans of Harlem and Welcome to Utopia: Notes from a Small Town. A contributing editor for Vanity Fair, she also writes for the New York Times, O Magazine, Glamour, Fast Company, and EW, where she spent fifteen years writing about culture. She and her family live in Austin, Texas, where her daughters study dance at Ballet Afrique.