THE SWANS OF HARLEM Five Black Ballerinas, Fifty Years of Sisterhood, and Their Reclamation of a Groundbreaking History

January LaVoy's smooth and expressive voice is a perfect match for Karen Valby's history of America's first Black professional ballerinas and the Dance Theatre of Harlem, founded in the late 1960s. These five women cracked open the door that Misty Copeland would dance through decades later. LaVoy is a master at conveying the emotions wrought by the exacting standards of their sometimes dictatorial teacher, as well as the racism they faced in ballet and everywhere else. The women formed a tight unit that survives to this day. It's the many small details of their lives, along with LaVoy's performance, that paint a vivid picture of each dancer. A nice touch is the occasional voices of the ballerinas themselves (one of whom recently died and is voiced by her daughter). A.B. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2024]