dance history Archives

In a black and white archival image, Mia Slavenska, here in her 50s, sits in an egg-shaped, woven chair outside. Perched on her wrist is a black crow, who she gently pets with her free hand as she smiles down at it. She wears a thick robe or dress with geometric patterns; her curly hair is piled atop her head.

TBT: Ballerina Mia Slavenska and Her Pet Crow, Zarathustra

In the March 1973 issue of Dance Magazine, we profiled Mia Slavenska. The ballerina had been declared a star after her performance debut in Zagreb (then part of Yugoslavia) at age 5.

Courtney Escoyne March 9th, 2023

In a black and white archival image, Valda Setterfield serenely balances on one leg while the other kicks up behind her in a casual attitude. Her arms are extended, upper body light as she tips forward off of relevé. She wears chunky tennis shoes and an ankle length dress with draping sleeves.

TBT: Valda Setterfield on Going “Through Hell and High Water” While Collaborating With David Gordon

“I have always thought of myself as a kind of vessel through which the work might flow,” Valda Setterfield told us in the February 1993 issue of Dance Magazine.

Courtney Escoyne February 9th, 2023

In a black and white image, Chita Rivera grins broadly as she moves through a shallow layout. Her back arm is curved overhead, the other flick her long skirt back. She wears a fitted bodice, flowing skirt, dark tights, and heels.

TBT: When Chita Rivera Became a Star

November 1957 marked Chita Rivera’s first appearance on the cover of Dance Magazine.

Courtney Escoyne November 3rd, 2022

A black and white snapshot shows seven people sitting at a table outside next to a pool. One woman turns to look over her shoulder at the camera, while another mischievously scoops a large bite towards her mouth with a fork. The rest of the table continues eating and chatting behind them, unperturbed.

TBT: New York City Ballet Takes a BreakOn Tour

New York City Ballet first toured continental Europe in summer 1952. This snapshot from the Dance Magazine Archives, labeled “swimming party at the Spellmans,” shows members of the company enjoying a day away from the theater, likely during that five-week tour.

Courtney Escoyne October 6th, 2022

Genevieve Oswald glances toward the camera, mid-speech. Her hands rest on a card catalogue on a full desk; a typewriter is visible to her right. Behind her are shelves with books, and framed posters and portraits of a ballerina, La Meri, and the like. She wears a double breasted, long-sleeved blouse.

TBT: Genevieve “Gegi” Oswald, Founding Curator of the Jerome Robbins Dance Division of the New York Public Library

When Genevieve Oswald began working at the New York Public Library in 1944, there was no division dedicated specifically to dance.

Courtney Escoyne September 1st, 2022

In a black and white archival photo, Paul Taylor sits in a tuxedo in an audience, smiling broadly as he applauds.

TBT: Paul Taylor On Not Wanting to “Go On Doing the Same Thing Forever”

Paul Taylor proved to be a prolific, chameleonic choreographer who drew from an eclectic musical palette.

Courtney Escoyne May 12th, 2022

Man wearing all black dancing in small studio

This Is What It Felt Like to Be a Black Dancer Downtown in the 1960s

I came to New York City in August 1961 to rehearse Kicks and Co., the Broadway-bound musical that Donald McKayle and Walter Nicks had hired me to dance in…

Gus Solomons jr February 3rd, 2022

Looking Back at the Trailblazing Legacy of Arthur Mitchell—And How He’s Still Influencing Ballet Today

Arthur Mitchell was my mentor. He was the miracle who crossed my path and introduced me to the world of professional ballet.

Lydia Abarca Mitchell February 2nd, 2022