Karen Valby's The Swans of Harlem.

Karen Valby's "The Swans of Harlem" explores the legacy of five Black ballerinas who were part of Arthur Mitchell's Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) but were not remembered by history. The book follows Lydia Abarca, Gayle McKinney-Griffith, Sheila Rohan, Marcia Sells, and Karlya Shelton as they reconnect during the COVID-19 lockdown to form the 152nd Street Black Ballet Legacy Council. Valby, a white journalist with Black daughters in ballet, highlights the importance of these women in preserving the groundbreaking work of DTH and their continued relevance to dancers of color today. The book is structured like a ballet, tracing the formation, rise, and decline of DTH through the experiences of these five ballerinas, shedding light on the racism and colorism ingrained in the world of classical ballet. [Extracted from the article]