Alvin Ailey (1931-1989) was a choreographic giant in the modern dance world and a champion of African-American talent and culture. His interracial Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater provided opportunities to black dancers and choreographers when no one else would. His acclaimed "Revelations" remains one of the most performed modern dance pieces in the twentieth century. But he led a tortured life, filled with insecurity and self-loathing. Raised in poverty in rural Texas by his single mother, he managed to find success early in his career, but by the 1970s his creativity had waned. He turned...

The story of how modern dance developed in America as told by one of its premier performers, teachers, and choreographers. May O Donnell (1906-2004) was one of the Martha Graham Contemporary Dance Company s most successful soloists during its pioneer days. Because of her strong presence and equally strong technique, Graham entrusted O Donnell to create her own roles in such notable Graham works as Appalachian Spring and Heriodiade. As a choreographer, O Donnell was the first American to create dances of musical abstraction (before such a word was used in the world of dance),...

Tap dancing legends Fayard (b. 1914) and Harold (1918-2000) Nicholas amazed crowds with their performances in musicals and films from the 30s to the 80s. They performed with Gene Kelly in The Pirate, with Cab Calloway in Stormy Weather, with Dorothy Dandridge (Harold's wife) in Sun Valley Serenade, and with a number of other stars on the stage and on the screen. Author Hill not only guides readers through the brothers' showstopping successes and the repressive times in which their dancing won them universal acclaim, she also offers extensive insight into the history and choreography of tap...