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Review
`A magisterial waltz through four centuries of classical dance ... an achievement that is unlikely to be surpassed soon'
--Sunday Times
`Homans writes with translucent beauty and authority' --Observer
`Elegant and groundbreaking ... Homans has the happy knack of making the dances and dancers come alive on the page' --Marie Claire
`A brilliant book of enormous scope' --Time Out
'A truly original work' --Guardian
'An invaluable primer on how ballet gained such a foothold among the cultural elite'
--Metro
--Sunday Times
`Homans writes with translucent beauty and authority' --Observer
`Elegant and groundbreaking ... Homans has the happy knack of making the dances and dancers come alive on the page' --Marie Claire
`A brilliant book of enormous scope' --Time Out
'A truly original work' --Guardian
'An invaluable primer on how ballet gained such a foothold among the cultural elite'
--Metro
Product Description
This title presents a fascinating history of classical ballet which takes us from its origins in 18th century France through the Italian influence in the 19th century, the dominance of Russia in the late 19th and early 20th century, up to the present and ballet's uncertain future. It begins in the courts of old Europe, where ballet began as an aristocratic etiquette and moved from Italy and France to Britain, Denmark, Russia and contemporary America. Homans argues that the evolution of steps, technique and choreography can only be understood in light of the great political and intellectual movements of the past 200 years. Homans shows how dance and dancers were influenced by the Renaissance and French Classicism, by Revolution and Romanticism, by Expressionism and Bolshevism, Modernism and the Cold War. Her book ends with the contemporary crisis in ballet now that 'the masters are dead and gone' and offers a passionate plea for the centrality of classical dance in our civilization.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Beautifully written with deep knowledge of subject and breadth of cultural perspective. A superb work of scholarship!
Murray Stein
Murray Stein
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is an excellent book showing an incredible amount of research. It's very well written, the literary style is readable and entertaining - not the least bit dry or academic. The scope of the book very broad, relating developments in the history of ballet to contemporary events and to the zeitgeist.
However, the author is American, and she seems to believe that the latter half of the 20th century was exclusively American. She seems to think that English ballet died with (was killed by) Kenneth MacMillan. Darcey Bussell (surely the greatest dancer of her generation) gets just one cursory mention, and there is no mention of the host of international super stars schooled and nurtured by the Royal Ballet - Carlos Acosta, Leanne Benjamin, Wayne McGregor, Jonathan Cope, Irek Mukhamedov, Deborah Bull, etc. etc. etc. And there is scant mention of any late 20th century ballet anywhere in the world outside of America.
I would certainly recommend this book to anyone with even a passing interest in ballet, but I would recommend supplementing it with this one:
The Royal Ballet: 75 Years
However, the author is American, and she seems to believe that the latter half of the 20th century was exclusively American. She seems to think that English ballet died with (was killed by) Kenneth MacMillan. Darcey Bussell (surely the greatest dancer of her generation) gets just one cursory mention, and there is no mention of the host of international super stars schooled and nurtured by the Royal Ballet - Carlos Acosta, Leanne Benjamin, Wayne McGregor, Jonathan Cope, Irek Mukhamedov, Deborah Bull, etc. etc. etc. And there is scant mention of any late 20th century ballet anywhere in the world outside of America.
I would certainly recommend this book to anyone with even a passing interest in ballet, but I would recommend supplementing it with this one:
The Royal Ballet: 75 Years
2 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I bought this book for a friend who goes to the ballet at least once a week, so she is really keen and knowledgeable. Unless she was lying, she loved it!
Listmania!
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