American Dance: The Complete Illustrated History
by Margaret Fuhrer
Voyageur Press; 288 pages; $45
Legendary dancers and choreographers like Fred Astaire, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Martha Graham jump off the pages of this beautiful coffee-table book on the history of American dance, by Dance Spirit editor in chief Margaret Fuhrer.
Being a Dancer: Advice from Dancers and Choreographers
by Lyndsey Winship
Nick Hern Books; 200 pages; $20.95
Get guidance from some of the world’s brightest stars like Carlos Acosta, Wayne McGregor, Hofesh Shechter, Darcey Bussell and Tamara Rojo. Advice ranges from the poetic (“Every Romeo needs a Mercutio.” —Carlos Acosta) to the practical (“There’s always another job.”—Adam Garcia).
Dance to the Piper
by Agnes de Mille
NYRB Classics; 368 pages; $17.95
Twentieth-century choreographer Agnes de Mille is famous for her ballets and Broadway works, including Rodeo, Oklahoma! and Fall River Legend. In her 1951 memoir, now released in a new edition with an introduction by dance writer Joan Acocella, de Mille tells her story with humor and candor.
The Art of Movement
by Ken Browar and Deborah Ory
Black Dog & Leventhal; 304 pages; $37.27
Get your dance photo fix with these gorgeous images of dancers from American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, The Royal Ballet and other companies. There are also inspirational quotes from the featured dancers and a foreword by ABT principal Daniil Simkin.
What the Eye Hears: A History of Tap Dancing
by Brian Seibert
Farrar, Straus and Giroux; 612 pages; $35
The New York Times dance critic Brian Seibert delivers an illuminating history of tap dance, including its origins in jig and clog dancing; hoofers like Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, the Nicholas Brothers and John Bubbles; and how stars like Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly took it to the silver screen.
