London: Chatto and Windus, 2011. An As New copy in an As New dustjacket which is not price clipped. First Edition, First Printing. 292 pages. Gillian Lynne is one of the world's pre-eminent choreographers, the groundbreaking creative force behind blockbusters such as Cats and The Phantom of the Opera. But she started her career as a ballerina, and learnt to dance alongside Margot Fonteyn, Moira Shearer, Beryl Grey and Frederick Ashton during the Second World War. A Dancer in Wartime tells the story of Gillian's extraordinary childhood. From Miss Madeleine Sharp's Ballet Class for Young Ladies in Bromley, to being evacuated with her theatre school to rural Leicestershire; from performing in the West End with doodlebugs falling to touring a devastated Europe, the early years were hard, exciting and dramatic. And when the call came to join Sadler's Wells - well, what ballerina hopeful could have asked for more? L. First. Hard Cover. As New/As New. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.
New York: Broadway Books, 2008. An As New copy in an As New dustjacket which is not price clipped. 259 pages. First Edition, First Printing. In her twenties, Janet Carlson was a successful competitive ballroom dancer, but she abandoned dancing to raise a family and pursue a more conventional profession as an editor for a luxury lifestyle magazine. Twenty years later, she seemed to have it all: two beautiful daughters, a glamorous job, and a handsome, talented husband. Despite all of her successes, she felt a terrible void - her marriage was deeply troubled, and she was somehow withdrawn in the very midst of her own life and the lives of her children. Then, one Valentine’s Day, her husband gave her ballroom dancing lessons as a gift, and everything changed. She discovered the joy, passion, and confidence she hadn’t realized had gone missing for so long. Over time, Janet discovers that ballroom dancing also contains the secrets to life and love: the give-and-take of dance, two bodies in rhythm and harmony, mirrors the reciprocity of human relationships. Total trust between partners is as vital on the dance floor as it is within a marriage. And yet, both partners - in dance and in life - must stand on their own two feet. The unadulterated joy Janet feels as she intuitively moves to the music speaks to the kind of absolute, whole-body happiness we were born to have. On the dance floor, she finds resolve in the waltz, self-confidence in the tango, and passion in nearly everything. Embracing dance once more allows her to let go of a marriage that was completely out of sync; put more heart and emotion into her work; find more time to truly be with her children; and ultimately rejoice in her intrinsic balance and poise. Told with precision, grace, and painstaking honesty, Quick, Before the Music Stops is the tale of one woman’s midlife renewal through dance, and how her newfound empowerment transcends the dance floor and becomes immediate and relevant in every aspect of her life. It shows us how to recognize and celebrate both our strengths and our flaws, reignite passion for the everyday, and how to step from the periphery into the light and surrender to the music. L. First. Hard Cover. As New/As New. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.
London: Dance Books, 1987. A Fine unmarked copy with Fine dustjacket which is not price clipped. 213 pages. 48 pages of black and white photographs. The captivating and long-awaited memoir of Alexandra Danilova, one of this century's greatest and most beloved ballerinas. Her story is the story of modern ballet itself, from its beginnings in Imperial St. Petersburg, through its incubation in the glamorous and intrigue-ridden world of the Ballets Russes, to its triumphant apotheosis in the hands of George Balanchine in America. At each step, 'Choura', as she is known to generations of balletomanes, was present as both witness and creator. 22. First. Hard Cover. Fine/Fine. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.
London: John Lane The Bodley Head, 1938. Gilt title on red cloth boards which have light rubbing to front and just a hint of wear to corner tips. Internally there is a name to front endpaper , some foxing to endpapers and some age toning to margins else a clean, tight unmarked copy. Top edge gilt. Possibly signed by Merlyn Severn to below the tipped in frontispiece. A large format volume of xxix + 128 pages. Tipped in frontispiece and numerous photographic illustrations. Introductory essay and critical notes by Arnold L. Haskell. Note on the photography of the Ballet. PLEASE NOTE: A LARGE HEAVY VOLUME OF 1.3 KILO UNPACKED WEIGHT WHICH MAY REQUIRE ADDITIONAL SHIPPING COST C3A. Signed by Author. First. Hard Cover. Very Good/No Jacket. 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall.
London: London Festival Ballet Trust, 1975. A Very Good+ clean, tight and unmarked copy. Comprises: 25 Years of The London Festival Ballet - 1950-1975 by Peter Williams; Staff, Company and Repertoire; An Interview with Beryl Grey by Noel Goodwin; Prodigal Son (in ragtime);Sleeping Beauty; Parade; Numerous essays on artists; Vassilie Trunoff by Edward Thorpe; and other details of staff etc. Illustrated with photographs, some in colour. 159. First. Soft Cover. Very Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.
London: C.W. Beaumont, 1935. Paper title labels on cream cloth boards which have very minor marks, fading to spine but no wear. Internally there is a light foxing to endpapers, fore edge and to the margins of some pages and an inscription to front endpaper else very clean, tight and unmarked. 25 pages. 12 illustrations. A biography of the famous ballet dancer by the eminent ballet historian. 153. First. Hard Cover. Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.
London: C.W. Beaumont, 1938. Paper title labels on blue cloth boards which have very minor marks, fading to spine but no wear. Internally there is a light foxing to endpapers, fore edge and to the margins of some pages and an inscription to front endpaper else very clean, tight and unmarked. There is also a contemporary postcard of Anna Pavlova from the Tate Gallery stuck to front endpaper. 24 pages. 7 illustrations. A biography of the famous ballet dancer by the eminent ballet historian first published in 1932. 153. Hard Cover. Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.
London: Adam and Charles Black, 1951. Blue titles on cream cloth boards which have some foxing with no wear. Internally there is a name, date and initials to front endpaper. Dustjacket has name and initials written on inside flap. 144 pages. 130 photographs by the leading ballet photographers including Angus McBean.. Many drawings by Pauline Baynes and others. For the Fifth annual issue of this authoritative record of the ballet, Arnold Haskell has a distinguished list of contributors including Cyril W. Beaumont and Irene Lidova with drawings by Kay Ambrose and others. 153. First. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. Illus. by Baynes, Pauline and Others. 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall.
London: Victor Gollancz, 1937. Gilt title on blue cloth boards which have age darkening to spine, some minor marks and just a touch of wear to spine head. Internally there is light foxing to fore edge and to the margins of some early and later pages else a clean, tight umarked copy. 416 pages. 24 illustrations. Regarded as the greatest male dancer of the 20th century this biography by his wife, first published in 1933, is the most personal. 5. Hard Cover. Very Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.
London: C.W. Beaumont, 1935. Paper title labels on blue cloth boards which have minor marks but no wear. Internally there is an inscription to front endpaper and light foxing to closed edges and endpapers else a clean, tight unmarked copy. 45 pages. 12 illustrations. Ninette de Valois founded the the Vic-Wells Ballet and Vic-Wells Ballet School which was established at the Sadler's Wells Theatre in 1931, later changing the name to the Sadler'sWell Ballet. These would become the predecessors of today's Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and Royal Ballet School. Ninette de Valois was with the Ballets Russe and after its disbandment following the death of Diaghilev, she employed some of the company's former stars, including Alicia Markova and Anton Dolin. 153. First. Hard Cover. Very Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.
London: Adam and Charles Black, 1949. Red titles on cream cloth boards which are clean and unmarked with no wear. Internally there is a name, date and initials to front endpaper and foxing to closed edges. Dustjacket has name and initials written on inside flap. 144 pages. 130 photographs by the leading ballet photographers including Angus McBean.. Many drawings by Kay Ambrose, Michael, Ayrton and others. For theThird annual issue of this authoritative record of the ballet, Arnold Haskell has a distinguished list of contributors including Cyril W. Beaumont and Irene Lidova with drawings by Kay Ambrose and others. 153. First. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. Illus. by Ambrose, Kay and Others. 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall.
London: C.W. Beaumont, 1936. Paper title labels on red cloth boards which arhave minor marks, fading to spine and a little lifting of cloth to lower front. Internally there is light foxing to endpapers and fore edge and to the margins of some pages, an inscription to front endpaper else a clean, tight and unmarked copy. 40 pages. 29 illustrations. First published in 1933 this small history by the eminent ballet historian is an ideal starting point to learn more about ballet. 155. Hard Cover. Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.
London: Putnam, 1945. Gilt title on green cloth boards which have minor marks to front but no wear. Internally there is a little light foxing to fore edge else very clean, tight and unmarked. xiv + 414 pages. 32 illustrations. Translated by Mary Britnieva. Second impression (first was 1941). Alexandre Benois (1870-1960) Was a designer for the Ballets Russes under Sergei Diaghilev, Benois exerted what is considered to be a seminal influence on the modern ballet and stage design. C3A. Hard Cover. Very Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.
London: C.W. Beaumont, 1945. Gilt title on blue boards which have fading to spine but barely any wear. Internally there is light foxing to fore edge and a little to endpapers else very clean, tight and unmarked. a Good to Very Good copy. 175 pages. 47 illustrations. Aleksandra Dionisyevna Danilova (1903-1997) was a Russian-born prima ballerina, who became an American citizen. In 1924, she and George Balanchine left Russia. They were soon picked up by Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes; Danilova as a dancer, Balanchine as a choreographer. Danilova toured for years with the Ballets Russes under Sergei Diaghilev, then with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo after Diaghilev's death. C3B. First. Hard Cover. Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.
London: Ruth French and Felix Demery, 1938. Brown cloth spine on cream boards which have a few minor marks and little wear to corner tips. Internally there is a name and address to front endpaper, light foxing/age toning to endpapers and writing to rear blank endpaper, foxing marks throughout and marginal notes. First published in 1934 and revised in 1938Separate photographs of the authors. 170. Hard Cover. Good/No Jacket. 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. Privately Printed.
London: Jonathan Cape, 1988. A Fine unmarked copy with Fine dustjacket which is not price clipped. xv + 304 pages. Compilation by Brian Hammond based on his personal collection and theatrical biography by Patrick O'Connor. Foreword by Elisabeth Welch. Josephine Baker was the first Black superstar, a thrilling presence, an innovative show-business pioneer. She was also a passionate humanitarian, a fighter, a survivor. This book celebrates every facet of her extraordinary life, from her poor childhood in St. Louis to her two spectacular last performances in London and Paris. Snapshots, posed studies and on-stage action-shots recall her life from the earliest days as a comic chorus-girl to her international fame. Portraits and caricatures by Paul Cohn and Kiffer mark her heyday in Paris; the admiring words of Colette and Hemingway, together with reminiscences of her children, accompany postcards, song sheets, posters and film stills reproduced for the first time in book form. Her brave work for the French Resistance and her twelve adopted children, the 'Rainbow Tribe', both have their place in Bryan Hammond's personal collection of memorabilia gathered over 25 years. Her story includes events that led to her being awarded the Légion d'Honneur, bankruptcy, her return to triumph in Paris, and a 21 gun salute funeral. PLEASE NOTE: A LARGE HEAVY VOLUME OF 1.5 KILO UNPACKED WEIGHT WHICH MAY REQUIRE ADDITIONAL SHIPPING COST 23. First Edition. Hard Cover. Fine/Fine. 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall.
London: Hamlyn, 1970. A Fine unmarked copy with dustjacket which has a small repaired closed tear. A large format volume of 140 pages. Illustrated throughout with photographs by Mike Davis. The fascinating history of the renaissance and modern dance throughout the world, from the time of Diaghilev in the early part of the 20the century until the present day, is clearly and concisely told. Special sections on the Royal Ballet, Ballet Rambert, North American Ballet, North American Modern Dance, Soviet Ballet, National Ballets, Classical Dances of the East, National Dance Companies, New Directions. PLEASE NOTE: A LARGE HEAVY VOLUME OF 0.972 KILO UNPACKED WEIGHT WHICH MAY REQUIRE ADDITIONAL SHIPPING COST 309. First Edition. Hard Cover. Fine/Very Good. 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall.
London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1984. A near Fine unmarked copy with near Fine dustjacket which is not price clipped. A very large format volume of 176 pages. Profusely illustrated. This book celebrates one of the biggest comebacks in the history of the arts. The most striking post-war development in the world of the arts has been the emergence of dance as a popular art form; and the most striking development in the world of dance has been the re-emergence of the male dancer. The two phenomena are not unconnected. Originating as an activity for men, dance has been dominated for over a century by women. Though admired and envied, these remote ethereal creatures were too far from ordinary life to become the subjects of general interest; they were the precious idols of a select few. The picture now is radically different. The book analyses the role of man in dance. It sketches the historical background and examines, for the first time, the different qualities, both physiological and psychlogical, that make up the various types of dancer. It presents a gallery of the finest artists, all vividly illustrated, giving attention to many from all over the world and through the ages, but concentrating on those extraordinary dancers like Nureyev and Baryshnikov. PLEASE NOTE: A LARGE HEAVY VOLUME OF 1.33 KILO UNPACKED WEIGHT WHICH MAY REQUIRE ADDITIONAL SHIPPING COST 1. First Edition. Hard Cover. Near Fine/Near Fine. Folio - over 12" - 15" tall.
London: W.H. Allen, 1978. A near Fine unmarked copy with usual age toning to page edges with dustjacket which has a little creasing to top edge. xiii + 302 pages. 25 illustrations. The French called her La Baker, the epitome of all that was exciting from the 1930's on. The toast of two continents, she could be found at night, dressed in her fabulously elaborate gowns and headdresses or just her famous banan costume, receiving standing ovations at the Folies-Bergère. Hers is a dramatic story, and legends about her life and loves were legion, then and now. But only one person knew the real story of Josephine - herself. This is her book. Nearly completed before her death in 1975, it has been added to by her husband, Jo Bouillon, her sister, several of her adopted children, and her close friends. 302. First Edition. Hard Cover. Near Fine/Very Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.
London: Faber and Faber, 1936. Yellow titleon black cloth boards which have gentle bumping to front corner tips, a minor mark to front but no wear. Internally there is a name to front endpaper, light foxing to fore and lower edges and to the margins of some pages and age darkening to endpapers. 235 pages. 12 plates. An appreciation of Ballet by the novelist, poet and BBC producer. Comprises: Moonlight and Muslin - Some Beginnings, The Russian School and the meaning of Tradition; The Sexual Idiom; A Philosophy of Ballet - The Flesh Made Word, The Organisation of the Arts; Damages - Sergei Pavlovitch and the Aftermath, New Perspectives. **** NOT EX LIB **** 3. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.
