Dec, 2010 in her new book apollos angels, historian jennifer homans a former professional ballet dancer herself traces ballets evolution over the past 400 years, and examines how changes in ballet. In this way, many of balanchines ballets have become standard repertoryclassicsfor companies around the world, perhaps most notably at. National bestsellerfor more than four hundred years, the art of ballet has stood at the center of western civilization. In apollos angels, dance critic and historian jennifer homans traces the history of ballet from its birth in the sixteenthcentury french courts to its. A history of ballet jennifer homans magnificent study of the birth and death or not of an art form by judith flanders sunday, 21 november 2010. From ballets origins in the renaissance and the codification of its basic steps and positions under frances louis xiv himself an avid dancer, the art form wound its way through the courts of europe, from. Apollos angels is an extremely well written history of ballet with an extensive bibliography and authors notes. It is the only full length history of ballet as of 2019, and is excellent for the early history. Apollos angels begins autobio graphically with the story of the author as a young girl in ballet school amidst an intellectual family at the university of chicago.
If you are looking to learn more, i would recommend reading apollos angels. It has never been done, what jennifer homans has done in apollos angels. Released in 2010, jennifer homans apollos angels quickly established itself as the leading general history of ballet. She has written the only truly definitive history of the most. She has written the only truly definitive history of the most impossibly fantastic art form, ballet, this most. It is a storytelling art passed on from teacher to student. We will be accepting orders tuesdays at 10am through saturdays at 5pm. Apollos angels traced back the origins of ballet from the renaissance to modern times and decried that ballet was dying.
Of all the expressions of human creative endeavor, ballet can lay a real claim to being the most inexpressibly beautiful. Ballet has been shaped by the renaissance and classicism, the enlightenment and romanticism, bolshevism, modernism, and the cold war. In her new book apollos angels, historian jennifer homans a former professional ballet dancer herself traces ballets evolution over the past 400 years, and examines how changes in ballet. A history of ballet by jennifer homans 2010, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. You will still be able to browse books and add them to your shopping cart, but you will not be able to complete an order beginning at 5pm mdt on saturdays, and until 10am on tuesdays. Now available in paperback, as an ebook and audiobook, apollos angels has received widespread praise for its comprehensiveness and generated a splash of controversy with its final chapter lamenting ballets present state. A history of ballet is a wellresearched history of ballet. Apollos angels author tells of journey to her book. A history of ballet by homans, jennifer book the fast free apollos angels. Nov 21, 2010 apollos angels traces four centuries of ballet from its origins in 16thcentury france to its elevation in the court of versailles, through the renaissance, bolshevism, modernism and the.
A history of ballet by jennifer homans 2011, paperback at the best online prices at ebay. The book starts in fifteenth century france with the creation of ballet. A brief history of ballet illustrated by pittsburgh ballet. A ballerina dancing today is a link in a long chain of dancers. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. It was choreographed in 1928 by twentyfouryearold george balanchine, with the composer contributing the libretto. Jennifer homans unique among the arts, ballet has no written texts or standardized notation. It details the reason why ballet was created to bridge the spiritual gap between humans and angels and how it gained popularity in the royal courts of louis xiv. The novel was described by the new york times as the only truly definitive history of ballet and it was a finalist for the national book critics circle award.
When it comes to writing or speaking about ballet, words almost always fail. It is heavily footnoted and her bibliography is over 30 pages long. During this endoftheyear holiday season, numerous presentations of the nutcracker ballet are being performed with ballet dancers dressed as sugar plums, candy canes, waltzing flowers, and other holiday treats. Due to issue, you must read apollos angels a history of ballet online. The scenery and costumes were designed by andre bauchant. Apollos angels is an enlightenment, a remarkable feat of scholarship and sensibility, an affecting mixture of criticism and devotion, an intellectual joy. From ballets origins in the renaissance and the codification of its basic. A history of ballet by jennifer homans beverly haviland bio jennifer homans, apollos angels. Thus she leaps easily from big picture political trends in one sentence to the minutiae of a dancers steps in the next, from how dances were made to who the patrons werefascinating reading. National bestseller for more than four hundred years, the art of ballet has stood at the center of western civilization. A history of ballet by jennifer homans random house, 672 pp. Apollos angels traces four centuries of ballet from its origins in 16thcentury france to its elevation in the court of versailles, through the.
While most of the book is very good, there are parts that drag and, at times, there is a great deal more information than the reader needs to know to understand her point. From ballet s origins in the renaissance and the codification of its basic steps and positions under frances louis xiv himself an avid dancer, the art form wound its way through the courts of europe. An excerpt from jennifer homanss book, apollos angels. Apollos angels is a groundbreaking workthe first cultural history of ballet ever written, lavishly illustrated and beautifully told. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. Citations should be used as a guideline and should be double checked for accuracy.
Listen to an npr interview with author jennifer homans about apollos angels. But if you want to get it to your computer, you can download much of ebooks now. You can read apollos angels a history of ballet online using button below. Citations contain only title, author, edition, publisher, and year published. Or, check out the following at your local library or bookstore, or at. A history of ballet by homans, jennifer book the fast free. An illustrated history, by clement crist and mary clark, 1992. Lavishly illustrated and beautifully told, apollos angels the first cultural history of ballet ever writtenis a groundbreaking work. A history of ballet by jennifer homans 2010, hardcover at the. Homanss history of ballet from its origins as a ritual performance of physical and metaphysical order in the court of louis xiv to the decades after the death of end page 369 george balanchine in 1983 traces the complex interactions of religion and nationalism in western europe, russia, the soviet union, and the united states. Apollo s angels by jennifer homans, 9780812968743, download free ebooks, download free pdf epub ebook.
Her modern history largely focuses on american ballet. Citation formats are based on standards as of july 2010. Apollos angels is a cultural history of the highest orderhomans brings to the page a practical knowledge gained in an earlier career as a dancer. Lavishly illustrated and beautifully told, apollos angelsthe first cultural history of ballet ever writtenis a groundbreaking work. However, her claim that ballet was a dying art form received. Finally the delicacies of ballet have been restored to the indelicacies of history, and the art seems even more wondrous for it. Apollo originally apollon musagete and variously known as apollo musagetes, apolo musageta, and apollo, leader of the muses is a neoclassical ballet in two tableaux composed between 1927 and 1928 by igor stravinsky. Apollos angels author tells of journey to her book the. From ballets origins in the renaissance and the codification of its basic steps and positions under frances louis xiv himself an avid dancer, the art form wound its way through the courts of europe. Apollo s angels is a groundbreaking workthe first cultural history of ballet ever written, lavishly illustrated and beautifully told. The apollo of the books title nods to balanchines apollo 1928 and the angels, as it turns out, are to be found in balanchines lesserknown ada gio lamentoso 1981.
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