"Books for dance lovers - and arts lovers generally - come in a variety of shapes and styles this year (like choreography!). Three of the books, all of them new, and in themselves works of art, are centered on gorgeous photographs of dancers in motion, and they all provide valuable insights into the making and practice of what many regard as the most human of the arts. In addition, every book on this list contributes to our understanding of what motivates people to dance, professionally, recreationally, and therapeutically."
"I'll start with In Balanchine's Steps: How the George Balanchine Foundation Preserves his Genius, an elegantly designed and highly informative book, with photographs by Costas and Brian Rushton. Edited by Mindy Aloff, it's an aesthetically pleasing documentation of the Interpreter's Archive, a program funded and invented by former New York City Ballet dancer Nancy Reynolds, who is also the co-author (with Malcolm McCormick) of No Fixed Points, an invaluable survey of twentieth century dance."
"Reynolds came up with the idea of the Interpreter's Archive thirty or so years ago, as a way of preserving Balanchine's choreography for future generations of dancers and audience members. Dancers who originated important roles in Balanchine's ballets (Todd Bolender in the Phlegmatic section of Four Temperaments is an example) or worked extensively with Balanchine (who died in 1983) are filmed actively coaching current dancers, in order to provide a living record of the choreography, as well as Balanchine's original choreographic intent. I witnessed, in 2002, Melissa Hayden coaching Pacific Northwest Ballet's dancers in a section of Agon, and I'll not soon forget her telling them, "Mr. Balanchine made this just for me, and I did it very well." Which close to half a century later, she still did."
Three new books showcase dance through striking photography and explore choreography, practice, and motivation across professional, recreational, and therapeutic settings. One book, In Balanchine's Steps, documents the Interpreter's Archive with photographs by Costas and Brian Rushton and editorial work by Mindy Aloff. The Interpreter's Archive, created by Nancy Reynolds, records veteran dancers coaching current performers to preserve Balanchine's steps and intent for future generations. Filmed coaching sessions and supplementary interviews create a living record of choreography, while firsthand coaching moments—such as Melissa Hayden's remark about Balanchine's creation—illustrate personal connections to repertory.
Read at Oregon ArtsWatch * Arts & Culture News
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