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Apollo's Angels: A History of Ballet

3.87 of 5 stars 3.87 · rating details · 596 ratings · 154 reviews

One of The New York Times Book Review’s 10 Best Books of the Year

For more than four hundred years, the art of ballet has stood at the center of Western civilization. Its traditions serve as a record of our past. A ballerina dancing The Sleeping Beauty today is a link in a long chain of dancers stretching back to sixteenth-century Italy and France: Her graceful movements re...more One of The New York Times Book Review’s 10 Best Books of the Year

For more than four hundred years, the art of ballet has stood at the center of Western civilization. Its traditions serve as a record of our past. A ballerina dancing The Sleeping Beauty today is a link in a long chain of dancers stretching back to sixteenth-century Italy and France: Her graceful movements recall a lost world of courts, kings, and aristocracy, but her steps and gestures are also marked by the dramatic changes in dance and culture that followed. Ballet has been shaped by the Renaissance and Classicism, the Enlightenment and Romanticism, Bolshevism, Modernism, and the Cold War. Apollo’s Angels is a groundbreaking work—the first cultural history of ballet ever written, lavishly illustrated and beautifully told.

Ballet is unique: It has no written texts or standardized notation. It is a storytelling art passed on from teacher to student. The steps are never just the steps—they are a living, breathing document of a culture and a tradition. And while ballet’s language is shared by dancers everywhere, its artists have developed distinct national styles. French, Italian, Danish, Russian, English, and American traditions each have their own expression, often formed in response to political and societal upheavals.

From ballet’s origins in the Renaissance and the codification of its basic steps and positions under France’s Louis XIV (himself an avid dancer), the art form wound its way through the courts of Europe, from Paris and Milan to Vienna and St. Petersburg. It was in Russia that dance developed into the form most familiar to American audiences: The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, and The Nutcracker originated at the Imperial court. In the twentieth century, émigré dancers taught their art to a generation in the United States and in Western Europe, setting off a new and radical transformation of dance.

Jennifer Homans is a historian and critic who was also a professional dancer: She brings to Apollo’s Angels a knowledge of dance born of dedicated practice. She traces the evolution of technique, choreography, and performance in clean, clear prose, drawing readers into the intricacies of the art with vivid descriptions of dances and the artists who made them. Her admiration and love for the ballet shines through on every page. Apollo’s Angels is an authoritative work, written with a grace and elegance befitting its subject.(less)

Hardcover, 643 pages

Published November 2nd 2010 by Random House

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Jan 05, 2013 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ballet-books

An astonishing achievement, read it from cover to cover and then bought the audio version which I dip into regularly. A massive sweep from the origins to the present day of the development of ballet, it's not the perfect history, there are glaring omissions in the sections on British ballet and some countries are bypassed altogether, and I don't agree with everything she says. For instance, my bug bear: Kenneth MacMillan is dealt with way too superficially and dismissively - the man was a troubl...more

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May 29, 2012 Carl Brush rated it 3 of 5 stars

A buddy lent me this book on the history of ballet and advised me that I might want to read just the last couple of hundred pages, since it was pretty dense and slow. I've had a lot on my plate, so I took the advice I would ordinarily have ignored. Can't scare me with a big, difficult book. I'm rather glad I did, and this will be, as far as I recall, the first Writer Working review of a partially-read book--at least one I didn't just abandon out of disgust.
I don't know much about dance, haven...more A buddy lent me this book on the history of ballet and advised me that I might want to read just the last couple of hundred pages, since it was pretty dense and slow. I've had a lot on my plate, so I took the advice I would ordinarily have ignored. Can't scare me with a big, difficult book. I'm rather glad I did, and this will be, as far as I recall, the first Writer Working review of a partially-read book--at least one I didn't just abandon out of disgust.
I don't know much about dance, haven't been in the audience much until recent years, and have a concomitant ignorance of its history. Apollo's Angels explores the history of classical ballet and its many forms since its origins in (didn't know this one) the 18th century court of Louis XIV. Homans is passionate about her subject, and her descriptions of dance its metaphorical relationships to society are powerful. It's idealized humanity, a hierarchal system of beauty and movement as elite as it is exclusive. And mostly, that's good. The last pages trace the post WWII growth of ballet in Europe and the U.S. These were the ages of exiled Russians who carried imperial traditions to the west and transformed them into forms appropriate to the new times. Balanchine--steeped in traditions of Tchaikovsky and the Russian Orthodox religion, for example worked with Stravinsky to create works that looked both backward to their heritage and forward to the emerging new world.
Homans’ description of how all this happened in human and historical terms is spellbinding. How immigrant jews from Russian/New Jersey made great art with American kids from Kansas. How Jerome Robbins crossed back and forth between broadway and classical work. Fantastic stories which she tells very well. However, as she describes the various choreographers' works, it becomes clear that the book is intended for an audience which knows much more about dance than I do. So when we're trying do a comparison/contrast between Balanchine's Agon and Tudor's Lilac Garden, complete with hand and foot positions relative one to the other, I'm wandering lost in the woods.
Surprising to me, was her verdict re the current state of dance. Lost its way. Nothing fresh happening. Everything has become swan lake and nutcracker or far out experimental stuff. Nothing in between. Thus, classical ballet is dead or dying. Maybe she's right. Maybe, as Moss Hart responded to the oft-proclaimed death of broadway with his book, The Fabulous Invalid, someone else is waiting in the wings with a parallel work re ballet and there are new juices flowing our way.
Whatever the case, I'm glad I read what I did, glad I didn't go for more. I'll be a bit more enlightened next time I go to the ballet, even if I am watching what Holman sees as a moribund art.
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Mar 19, 2012 Debbie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: history, non-fiction

A history of ballet. I gave it 3 stars because it was mixed - the first half was so hard to get through - I almost gave up. But then the modern era kicked in and we moved to Russia and the book picked up steam.

If you are not a dancer or have not studied ballet (like me) then a lot of this book is confusing and not clear - it is hard to understand the differences in national styles or within positions if you don't dance. And ballet is a visual art so a verbal description just doesn't do it. The a...more

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Apr 10, 2011 Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: abandoned

This would be a great read for someone who doesn't know much about European history or culture but wants to read a 600-page book about ballet. (Whoever that may be.) As for me, I was frustrated by the chapters I read, passim, looking for as good an evocation of dance as I found in the introduction to the book. Instead I mostly found lengthy discussions of court politics, broad historical trends, and analyses of the music and literature of the day. All of which I'm interested in, but also suffici...more

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Feb 13, 2011 Maria rated it 5 of 5 stars

The subtitle, "A History of Ballet," says it clearly, and this is very probably the most definitive, satisfying book of its kind I've come across in years by an observant and savvy insider. Succinct, almost exhaustively detailed (but not, because the details are so interesting), there are two parts, France and the Classical Origins of Ballet, and Light from the East: Russian Worlds of Art. Part 1 has 6 chapters: Kings of Dance; the Enlightenment; French Revolution; Romantic Illusions & Rise...more The subtitle, "A History of Ballet," says it clearly, and this is very probably the most definitive, satisfying book of its kind I've come across in years by an observant and savvy insider. Succinct, almost exhaustively detailed (but not, because the details are so interesting), there are two parts, France and the Classical Origins of Ballet, and Light from the East: Russian Worlds of Art. Part 1 has 6 chapters: Kings of Dance; the Enlightenment; French Revolution; Romantic Illusions & Rise of the Ballerina; Scandinavian Orthodoxy; Italian Heresy. Part 2 is another 6, consisting of: Tsars - Imperial Russian Classicism; East Goes West: Russian Modernism & Diaghilev; Communist Ballet; British Moment; American Century I - Russian Beginnings; and American Century II - New York Scene.

The author, a former dancer, is a revelation, a real historian. To her great credit, Homans doesn't let her subject go stale or dull despite an enormous array of facts, voluminous notes, an extensive bibliography and index. She includes some wonderful prints and lithographs, diagrams and engravings; this is a true scholarly work on the subject and it's about time. The bibliography alone gave me giddy joy.

Homans weaves the development of ballet from its earliest days with events of history and culture --painting, poetry, literature, music, theater, opera, philosophy -- over 600 pages of fascinating, exhilarating detail in illuminating context, distilling what would ordinarily be a daunting history into a readable piece of non-fiction. But I must say here that more than a passing familiarity with the subject is necessary to fully savor and enjoy this book.

The epilogue is a poignant, perhaps unexpected statement: "Something important really is over. We are in mourning." Whether we agree or not, I believe Homans has proven her point. And I'm thrilled she wrote it. I'm thrilled I read it.

Here's what former dancer Jacques D'Amboise had to say about Apollo's Angels on the back cover: "Each page of this luminous work delights, enlightens, and beckons. Every dancer should live with this book, of course, but every person who loves literature and history, who is word-struck and story-addicted, should give himself a treat with Apollo's Angels. Treasure this treasure." Yes.

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Apr 11, 2013 Aoi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

Attempting to write a comprehensive history about the evolution of ballet is a daunting task; and Ms.Homans acquits herself in grand style. A note though: at 700 pages, this is a fairly detailed read, and it may not appeal much to readers unfamiliar with the ballet world.

The authorsketches the tale of ballet from its earliest origins in the European courts- its blossoming under the patronage of Louis the Sun King, the athletic rough-and-tumble style of the Italians, its maturing to be an indepen...more

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Jul 24, 2011 Cassandra Silva rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: art, history, all-time-favorites

Beautiful! Beautiful writing, well compiled A+! This makes me want to dance, it makes me want to see all of the greatest ballets, it makes me want to live eat and breathe ballet. I loved the history, I loved that she explored the connections between ballet and music and I was blown away by the ending. I thought she put together a hard case and then just blasted you at the end with the conclusion. Ballet is a dying art! How many people would quickly jump to defend the great dancers of today, but...more

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Mar 20, 2011 Kelly is currently reading it

This book is extremely well written. My favorite quote so far "All the misfortunes of mankind, all the disasters of which history is full, the bungling of politicians and the mistakes of great generals, all come through not learning to dance" (Moliere, Don Juan and Other Plays)

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. In an important and original work of cultural history, New Republic dance critic Homans places ballet--an art often viewed as hermetic and esoteric--in the larger context of the times...more

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Aug 23, 2012 Olivia Waite rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: five-stars, history

It's hard to write a comprehensive history of anything that is both thorough and engaging, and especially hard when the topic is ballet, which has a history of declining and reemerging at various times in various places around the world. Oh, and it has no system of notation for dance steps, so describing past dances is incredibly challenging.

So yeah, Jennifer Homans' project was ambitious -- and she totally nails it.

We go from the Sun King's court through the Romantics and Industrial Age, from S...more

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May 16, 2011 kingshearte rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, non-fiction

I do like that this book was written by a dancer. It's a specialized enough field that one is unlikely to go to the trouble of writing such a thorough history if one isn't already heavily involved, but one never knows. So I appreciated the fact that Homans is a dancer herself. Beyond that, this book seemed very well researched, if the extensive bibliography is any indication, and it read quite well. It was never boring or dry, and was organized in a logical way. I quite enjoyed reading it.

One pa...more I do like that this book was written by a dancer. It's a specialized enough field that one is unlikely to go to the trouble of writing such a thorough history if one isn't already heavily involved, but one never knows. So I appreciated the fact that Homans is a dancer herself. Beyond that, this book seemed very well researched, if the extensive bibliography is any indication, and it read quite well. It was never boring or dry, and was organized in a logical way. I quite enjoyed reading it.

One particularly glaring omission, however, was a discussion of pointe shoes. She talked a bit about early shoes, and discussed the boundary-pushing technique some dancers started to develop that had them almost onto full pointe, and then all of a sudden, we just have pointe shoes. There was no real explanation of who started building shoes and varnishing them in that very specific way that gets you a solid pointe shoe. Maybe she figured that subject had been covered extensively enough elsewhere (I haven't actually looked, but I imagine it's been covered somewhere.), but it just seems like kind of a major development to just ignore, so that was weird.

And my only other complaint was in the organization of the pictures. There were a few images right in the text, but most were photos in three sets of photo pages. I would have preferred to see them organized a bit more chronologically, maybe, to mirror the contents of the book, and to make it easier to flip to a picture of a particular dance or dancer, should one feel so inclined. I also would have liked to see at least one picture of Isadora Duncan, since she was mentioned a number of times, and Baryshnikov too, but mainly just because he was hot when he was young. And now that I think of it, I think there was at least one picture of a ballet that as far as I recall, was never discussed. I may have just missed it, but I don't remember Stimmung, for example ever even being mentioned.

But those are fairly minor quibbles in what was, overall, quite a good work. I enjoyed myself and learned some things, like how insanely dramatic Nureyev's defection was, and that Balanchine died of Creuzfeldt-Jakob, of all things.

More than anything else, though, this book reminded me of how much I love dance, and how much I miss it. I mean, I am taking classes, but we don't really perform, or even do much work with choreography, and I desperately miss that. I also found myself really wishing I were in a position where I could actually afford to see live dance a lot more often than I do (of course, that in turn would just make me miss performing even more, I expect). Someday.(less)

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Jul 29, 2011 Jim Talbott rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction, female-author

The last 200-300 pages are fantastic. A lot of the introductory material is just set-up for explaining how Balanchine brings all of the traditions together, but I would have been fine with a little bit less Louis XIV. There are some hilarious moments when Homans' source material clash. She's working with diaries and letters of the people putting together the ballets and then reviews after the ballets come out. The whip lash is a little disorienting sometimes. There are instances when the choreog...more

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Jan 11, 2011 Brad Hodges rated it 4 of 5 stars

This year I again embark on reading each of the books the New York Times has selected as the ten best of the year, and I start with Apollo's Angels, by Jennifer Homans. One of the reasons I like to do this is because I end up reading about things I otherwise never would have. This book, for example, is on a subject I knew hardly anything about: the history of ballet.

It is a coincidence that I was reading this book when I saw the wonderful film Black Swan, giving me a double-dunking in the waters...more This year I again embark on reading each of the books the New York Times has selected as the ten best of the year, and I start with Apollo's Angels, by Jennifer Homans. One of the reasons I like to do this is because I end up reading about things I otherwise never would have. This book, for example, is on a subject I knew hardly anything about: the history of ballet.

It is a coincidence that I was reading this book when I saw the wonderful film Black Swan, giving me a double-dunking in the waters of ballet. I'm still pretty obtuse about it, but I feel like I know a lot more after reading Homans' thorough history, which is most fascinating when discussing how the spirit of ballet moved from nation to nation: from France to Denmark to Russia to England to the United States. There is a lot of political history mixed in as well, and it's not gratuitous; Homans makes the point that ballet succeeded most in countries with stable government systems.

The art began in France, and flourished during the reign of Louis XIV. It had elements of Italian pantomime, but in that country opera became the dominant art form, while France created what we know today as classic ballet. Homans traces the lives of many key choreographers and dancers, such as Maria Taglioni, who was really the first to typify what we now think of as a ballerina, wearing tulle and hair pulled tight in a bun. The first well-known ballets, La Sylphide and Gisele, were created during this time.

French dancers ended up working in St. Petersburg, where they imported the art to a welcoming culture. Russian ballet at the time was very much influenced by the West; Tchaikovsky's enduring ballets, Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, and Swan Lake (which still dominate ballet companies today) were distinctly romantic and Western in style.

But then Russians took the art form as their own, and went back to Europe with it. Homans calls Ballet Russes, which was put together by impresario Sergei Diaghiliev and featuring Vaslav Nijinsky, one of the great companies of all time, yet they never performed in Russia. They were distinctly Russian, though, especially when using the music of Igor Stravinsky in the ballets The Firebird and the controversial The Rite of Spring, which caused riots and was only performed eight times.

Following the Russian revolution the Soviets made ballet a national obsession--if Stalin didn't approve, your life may be in danger. Homas writes, "Why ballet? Why did this elegant nineteent-century court art become the cultural centerpiece of a twentieth-century totalitarian state? The answer is complicated, but it had to do above all with ideology. The consequences of the shift from aristocracy and the tsar to revolutionary "workers" and "the people" were deep and lasting. Under Communist rule, the whole purpose of ballet changed. It was no longer enough to entertain or to mirror court hierarchies and styles; ballet had to educate and express "the people"--and it rose to prominence in part because it was thought ideally suited to the tast. Unlike theater, opera, or film, ballet had the virtue of being a Russian performing art that did not require Russian in order to be understood or appreciated. No matter its Imperial roots, it was a universal language accessible to anyone, from barely literate workers to sophisticated foreign ambassadors--and especially (during the Cold War) the Americans.

During the 1950s there was a flowering of British ballet, personified by the superstar Dame Margot Fonteyn, who became famously teamed with the Russian defector Rudolf Nureyev. But Homans titles her last section "The American Century," as two men, both of Russian origin, dominated the scene: George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins.

Homas writes, "Classical ballet was everything America was against. It was a lavish, aristocratic court art, a high--and hierarchical--elite art with no pretense to egalitarianism. It had grown up in societies that believed in nobility, not only of birth but of carriage and character; societies in which artifice and fine manners--so different from America's plainspoken directness--were essential and admired attributes. Worse still, ballet was Catholic in origin and Orthodox in spirit: its magnificence and luxe seemed sharply opposed to America's simpler and sterner Puritan ethic." Yet ballet exploded in popularity during the years after World War II. Homans notes that almost all of the teachers were exiled Russians, but I think even more basic is that it was a period of a boom in the birth-rate and parents needed pastimes for the children. Boys played sports, girls went to dance class. The image of a young girl in tights and ballet slippers seemed American as a boy in a baseball uniform.

Balanchine was the great figure of American ballet, while Robbins flirted with Broadway (he created West Side Story and Fiddler on the Roof, not too shabby) before returning and staying with ballet. Homans writes at length about their genius, but of course writing can't replace seeing it. Amazingly, Balanchine choreographed 400 ballets, but most of them are "lost"--even a generation ago, there wasn't a good enough system of notation to commit them to posterity.

Homans' most controversial chapter is her last, in which she declares: "I grew up with ballet and have devoted my life to studying, dancing, seeing, and understanding it. I have always loved watching it. When I first began work on this book, I imagined it would end on a positive note. But in recent years I have found going to the ballet increasingly dispiriting. With depressingly few exceptions, performances are dull and lack vitality; theaters feel haunted and audiences seem blase. After years of trying to convince myself otherwise, I now feel that ballet is dying." Those are strong words, and Homans has taken some heat for them. I have no idea if she's right or not, but things can change quickly. Will the popularity of Black Swan turn things around? Maybe, maybe not, but I will say that I'm actually interested in attending a performance soon. Hope springs eternal.(less)

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Feb 25, 2013 Dramatika rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was a disappointment for me. It was interesting to read the story of the ballet beginning and the development through the various cultures and countries, but the 20th century part, especially the most recent history was a incomplete to say the least. It lead me to suspect that the whole story the author outlined was to serve one purpose only - to announce Mr B as The One true choreographer left to carry the classical tradition into the new century. No mention of other great late centur...more

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Oct 08, 2011 Vuk Trifkovic rated it 4 of 5 stars

Very good read, a detailed and comprehensive overview of the history of ballet. You can see that the writing is bit more academic in style and that Homans does not quite have the verve and the depth, of say Alex Ross whose book is similar in scope. What she has though is great discipline in covering topic and what I suspect was meticulous editing.

Homans also has fantastic perspective on the topic, having been a professional dancer herself. In fact, it is those passages that shine through the mo...more

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Mar 10, 2011 Marks54 rated it 5 of 5 stars

This an amazing book - a complete history of ballet written by a trained historian who is also a trained dancer. I had not known anything about ballet with the exception of trips to the Nutcracker as a kid, but reading this got me to look up recordings of the stars on YouTube. The author also is skilled at shifting back and forth between the broad and general, such as ballet in the Cold War era, and the particulars, such as the lives of particular stars to the background behind specific ballets....more

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Sep 14, 2011 Susan rated it 5 of 5 stars

This history of ballet is breathtaking in the scope of its research. More than the story of the dancers and choreographers, it places the dance form in the larger context of the times and societies in which it originated and evolved. From the French court to revolutionary Russia to modernist New York, the author takes a deep look at the meaning of ballet and what it reflects about the culture that it represents. She addresses why such an aristocratic art form could establish itself so firmly in...more

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Jun 19, 2012 Shauna rated it 3 of 5 stars

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Aug 08, 2011 Gaenolee added it

Fascinating history, nor only of ballet, but of the geo-political factors influencing ballet in each major country or time period. While I disagree with her assessment that ballet is at an end-point (I believe it is once again in a period of lull, and will reinvigorate itself in some area of the world), she certainly is much more knowledgeable than and has a clearer viewpoint of the overall arc of ballet. I do wish she had touched slightly on ballet in Cuba; obviously strongly influenced by Russ...more

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Jul 20, 2011 Trudi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A lengthy (19 CDs!) and comprehensive history of ballet. Like many young girls, I dreamed of being a ballerina. Even when more realistic thinking prevailed, I remained interested in ballet and other forms of dance. So I found the book both interesting and informative. What did drive me crazy, however, were all the mispronunciations made by the narrator. Although it's easy to forgive mispronouncing some of the Russian names, there were many other errors (words like despotism, ad infinitum, etc.)...more

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Jan 28, 2011 Joan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

Lovely book on the evolution and history of Ballet. Dense and detailed. I wish it had more pictures! I'd love to say that I will read every page, but with time constraints and other books that I have to read for work, I doubt I'll hit more than 5-6 chapters that I'm really interested in -- Serge Diaghalev and the Ballet Russes, and George Balanchine's glorious tenure at New York City Ballet.

I read a bit more of this book, but really, it's too much to digest unless you really devote yourself to...more

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May 28, 2011 Evanston Public Library added it

Shelves: nonfiction

Some may ask, "How many people could possibly be interested in such a lengthy and erudite history of ballet?" I certainly cannot offer an exact number, but as a confirmed balletomane (i.e., ballet geek), I was pleasantly surprised to find out that this 600 plus-page book was chosen by the New York Times as one of the ten best books of 2010. The library's copy has had a hold list for it since its release last fall. Homans is an unlikely creature--a talented ballerina, a thorough historian, and a...more

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Mar 03, 2011 Megan rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book might not be interesting to everyone, but I found it to be incredibly fascinating. It's a very thorough history of ballet, starting in Paris in the 17th century and ending with Balanchine in NYC. That is a whole lot of history to pack into one book and at times I wished it had been split into multiple volumes so each section could be expanded a bit. It moves from Paris, to Italy, to Denmark, to Russia, to England and then finally to America. Because ballet began in the courts of French...more

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May 12, 2013 Eddy Allen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arts-and-historical

For more than four hundred years, the art of ballet has stood at the center of Western civilization. Its traditions serve as a record of our past. A ballerina dancing The Sleeping Beauty today is a link in a long chain of dancers stretching back to sixteenth-century Italy and France: Her graceful movements recall a lost world of courts, kings, and aristocracy, but her steps and gestures are also marked by the dramatic changes in dance and culture that followed. Ballet has been shaped by the Rena...more For more than four hundred years, the art of ballet has stood at the center of Western civilization. Its traditions serve as a record of our past. A ballerina dancing The Sleeping Beauty today is a link in a long chain of dancers stretching back to sixteenth-century Italy and France: Her graceful movements recall a lost world of courts, kings, and aristocracy, but her steps and gestures are also marked by the dramatic changes in dance and culture that followed. Ballet has been shaped by the Renaissance and Classicism, the Enlightenment and Romanticism, Bolshevism, Modernism, and the Cold War. Apollo’s Angels is a groundbreaking work—the first cultural history of ballet ever written, lavishly illustrated and beautifully told.

Ballet is unique: It has no written texts or standardized notation. It is a storytelling art passed on from teacher to student. The steps are never just the steps—they are a living, breathing document of a culture and a tradition. And while ballet’s language is shared by dancers everywhere, its artists have developed distinct national styles. French, Italian, Danish, Russian, English, and American traditions each have their own expression, often formed in response to political and societal upheavals.

From ballet’s origins in the Renaissance and the codification of its basic steps and positions under France’s Louis XIV (himself an avid dancer), the art form wound its way through the courts of Europe, from Paris and Milan to Vienna and St. Petersburg. It was in Russia that dance developed into the form most familiar to American audiences: The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, and The Nutcracker originated at the Imperial court. In the twentieth century, émigré dancers taught their art to a generation in the United States and in Western Europe, setting off a new and radical transformation of dance.

Jennifer Homans is a historian and critic who was also a professional dancer: She brings to Apollo’s Angels a knowledge of dance born of dedicated practice. She traces the evolution of technique, choreography, and performance in clean, clear prose, drawing readers into the intricacies of the art with vivid descriptions of dances and the artists who made them. Her admiration and love for the ballet shines through on every page. Apollo’s Angels is an authoritative work, written with a grace and elegance befitting its subject.(less)

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Dec 07, 2012 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

I found this book to be quite interesting, albeit a tad slow moving at some points. Having danced my entire life, I did not have the issue of understanding the technical discussions (though it would be a huge problem for anyone who does not have an intimate knowledge of the technique of ballet).

My biggest issue with Apollo's Angels is the reverential tone that Homans takes when discussing Balanchine. Perhaps it is because I am not American, nor was I trained in the American style (RAD dancer ri...more

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Mar 24, 2012 Rachel C. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: dance, non-fic, 2010-nyt-notables

A 2010 NYT Notable, and one of their 10 best books of the year. Can't say that I think as highly of it. I mean, I LOVE ballet and even I found myself bored and skimming a lot. Homans clearly did a lot of research, but she also clearly had difficultly wrangling all of her material and editing it into a compelling narrative. It doesn't help her cause that dance is near impossible to describe on paper; it's something you have to see, hear and experience - even for dancers themselves.

Unlike theatre

...more

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Jul 29, 2012 Brooke rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: history, dance, british, french, italian, russian, american

This book had great potential, but fell flat. Homans isn't a very good writer, is long-winded, and idolizes Balanchine to the point of canonization for sainthood. She also contradicts her arguments, stating in the preface, for example, that in this work she "tried to avoid...the materialist idea that art is shaped primarily (or exclusively) by economics, politics, and social relations," yet devoting entire chapters to ballet's foundation in 17th and 18th century French court (talk about materia...more This book had great potential, but fell flat. Homans isn't a very good writer, is long-winded, and idolizes Balanchine to the point of canonization for sainthood. She also contradicts her arguments, stating in the preface, for example, that in this work she "tried to avoid...the materialist idea that art is shaped primarily (or exclusively) by economics, politics, and social relations," yet devoting entire chapters to ballet's foundation in 17th and 18th century French court (talk about materialism and social hierarchies) and the changes to the dance and dancers (in many cases, defection) brought about by Soviet ideology.

Thankfully (at least for hardcore dance historians and dancers), when Homans subtitled the book "A History of Ballet", she meant it. Her chapters encompass the various schools of ballet: French, Italian, Danish, Russian, British, and American (which somehow merits 2 chapters, despite its youth and frequent forays into non-balletic dance). Homans also covers the dancers, choreographers, composers, impressarios, writers, politicians, and philosophers relevant to each era and their contributions to the art.

This volume would perhaps be better formatted as an anthology to be consulted regarding specific ballets, or dance traditions in certain countries or time periods, rather than an all-encompassing history. My inner historian appreciated many of the anecdotes regarding ballet's personalities and the dancer in me enjoyed descriptions of how technique changed over time. But if Homans truly believes that "over the past two decades ballet has come to resemble a dying language: Apollo and his angels are understood and appreciated by a shrinking circle of old believers in a closed corner of culture," she has done little to lure new believers to the magical world of ballet via this book -- I'm afraid that for many readers it's just as "long" and "boring" as ballet (unfortunately a common opinion among Americans).

As an extended response to the epilogue: if Homans would expand her view beyond America (she was trained at SAB and the bias shows), she might rethink her declaration that the art of ballet is "dying." Obviously we can't judge the future legacy of contemporary dances (let's face it, some of the ballets we now consider "classic" were deemed flops or inappropriate in the beginning). But as for dance itself, Homans admits that in the former Soviet bloc ballet continues to be somewhat important, then goes no further, as if it doesn't matter (perhaps because it contradicts her complaints). A personal aside: I was lucky to witness one of the graduation performances of the Vaganova Academy last year, and the quality of dance (these were teenagers) was better than most American ballet companies, and "not only as an impressive athletic display but as a set of ethical principles." The discipline and work ethic of the dancers was incredible. When I attended a Mariinsky (Kirov) company production of La Sylphide, the performance was not "dull", nor was the audience "blase" (on the contrary, they were more appreciative and involved than any audience of which I've been a part). As for the supposed lack of "greats" among young dancers (Americans -- perhaps yes), Natalia Ospiova (dancer at Moscow's Bolshoi) is one of the most dynamic ballerinas of today and along with Diana Vishneva (Kirov/Mariinsky) could probably give Homans' previous stars a run for their money, despite Homans calling the latest generations of dancers basically worthless (read pg. 541).(less)

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May 30, 2012 Phoenix rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: history, library-rentals, art

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. First a bit of a disclaimer: I am merely someone who was fascinated enough with dance and ballet (as a spectator) to look up a book such as this as a way of perhaps becoming better acquainted with the art form. I rented the audiobook version originally to build up some background knowledge for a character in friend's RP that used to be a court dancer in the Renaissance period, but found that I became interested in the history for it's own sake. I have no direct experience as a ballet dancer, nor...more First a bit of a disclaimer: I am merely someone who was fascinated enough with dance and ballet (as a spectator) to look up a book such as this as a way of perhaps becoming better acquainted with the art form. I rented the audiobook version originally to build up some background knowledge for a character in friend's RP that used to be a court dancer in the Renaissance period, but found that I became interested in the history for it's own sake. I have no direct experience as a ballet dancer, nor would I be able to (or want to) become a ballet dancer. I'm simply just someone who enjoys going to see live performance art (whether it's a circus performance, a ballet, a concert or a play). With that being said, the opinions expressed in this review are simply just that. I hope it's a somewhat more educated set of opinions after having read this impressively compiled history book, but if I make assumptions that you cannot accept, I will understand. I know I am not an expert on the subject of ballet, but I do appreciate it as an art form and I feel that the author's argument worth ruminating on.

This is a very informative and comprehensive history of ballet from its earliest beginnings up until the present day. I found myself discussing the epilogue and what it might mean for ballet (as well as other performance art)'s future with my family after finishing it. It's clear that ballet cannot (and should not in my opinion, whatever that's worth as someone who has next to no experience with ballet directly) return to its roots, as it's near impossible to do so. The contexts and the crowd that sustained those older forms of the dance are all but gone (as is discussed in the epilogue of the book). I find that in some ways this may be a good thing, as although it is always disheartening to lose the more beautiful works of art in any medium, it becomes necessary to move on and find new ways to express new works of art. Not very much comes of trying to ape the styles of the old ballets, which are themselves loosely adapted from still older forms of dance. It is completely understandable why, like oral storytelling for example, some want to make sure the old ways don't die out. It's a one-of-a-kind way to create and experience art. At the same time, if we concentrate too much on what may or may not be lost in any art form, we will miss opportunities to experiment and come up with new ways of expressing ourselves through dance.

I find there's a parallel to this in film, as well as music. Many film buffs are currently unsure of what the future holds for films as an art form, understandably as there has been a rash of overly commercial and watered down films as of late that are either derived from older works, based on older works or adapted from other sources that are often superior to their film counterparts. I do not claim to have a definite answer for where film or ballet should go to find new inspiration and life for their respective art forms. I do know this though: neither is going to really "die." And to be honest, bringing it back to book, I believe that ballet will transform again, not die. I think the only death ballet will see is of its oldest self, which again in my own opinion it may have needed to do a long time ago. There will always be echoes of the old ways of ballet that filter through to present choreographers and dancers productions. I think what ballet is doing right now is struggling to shed its old skin (to use a very tired phrase) without destroying what little remnants of itself it has to refer back to. There should always be a respect for what it has of it's classical past, but clinging so hard to the old ways may be what makes it that much harder to keep up.

And now I feel a bit conflicted after writing all that. After all, since ballet's history is (to use the author's words) contained in the dancers' bodies themselves and the dancers are becoming much less connected to the roots of ballet perhaps ballet will cease to exist. I cannot quite say that though without still doubting that. After all, there are now many film recordings that have preserved these dances. These recordings together with ballet masters that still care enough to teach the older styles along with the more contemporary forms, I hope, will at least keep new dancers aware of where ballet came from. I think that, although to those more closely involved with ballet may despair of what the death of Balanchine and twentieth century advancements may mean for classical ballet, I think it's a blessing in disguise. I think what ballet needs right now is as much new blood as possible. (less)

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Nov 26, 2012 Shirin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction, history, arts

Wow. Wow. Wow. This book has been on my nightstand for a while now - I've been reading it in bits and pieces, but recently have been devouring it in large chunks. It really was amazing. Granted, you kind of must be quite serious in your interest in the topic to take in all 550 pages of ballet history. And it is quite an expansive and detailed history, up until Balanchine. I think this is where some critics start to have issues with Homans. She basically admits to thinking ballet has been dying a...more

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Mar 22, 2012 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book offers a rich historical context for the evolution of ballet – both in choreography and technique. Of course I struggled most with the era in which I have the least expertise (and to which Homans has dedicated considerable research) – early ballet and the European courts. Interestingly, the voice becomes increasingly subjective, and at times imbalanced as the book progresses, just as the subject matter became more accessible to me, so I found myself really wanting to engage with its ma...more This book offers a rich historical context for the evolution of ballet – both in choreography and technique. Of course I struggled most with the era in which I have the least expertise (and to which Homans has dedicated considerable research) – early ballet and the European courts. Interestingly, the voice becomes increasingly subjective, and at times imbalanced as the book progresses, just as the subject matter became more accessible to me, so I found myself really wanting to engage with its many layers – appreciating its depth in some spots, and profoundly aware of lapses in others.

The book of course features many pivotal figures in the history of ballet, but I wonder if Homans has given them different weight, at times, based on her own interests and expertise as much as on their relative contributions. For example, the extensive and reverential analysis of everything that Balanchine did to advance and integrate the art form in the 20th century is warranted, informative, and beautifully written, but I was also disappointed to see such an overt dismissal of other choreographers, particularly those whose work emerged in continental Europe, who also continue to influence new directions (and occasional missteps) in contemporary ballet.

Ultimately, I felt Homans boxed herself into the need to pare this history down to a single (flawed) thesis: that ballet can evolve no further. As an avid audience member of both ballet and other forms of contemporary dance, I share her disappointment, perhaps too frequently, with flat performances and uninspired new choreography. That said, I also disagree with the Epilogue’s suggestion that such disappointments are so specific to our current era or to the loosening of geographic barriers and strong national identities in the art form. If anything, the geographic cross-pollination of technique and ideas, as well as the misfires and faltering she describes in the oeuvres of many of the great choreographers and companies highlighted throughout the book should serve as evidence that the process of creation and artistic innovation is inevitably a bit of a roller coaster, but we should never consider it over.

This history is hardly exhaustive (nor could it be), though I cannot fault the author for letting her most beautiful writing and natural voice flow most easily when she is clearly discussing work that she knows and admires best. There is indeed much to be learned from this book, but happily, even more out there to take in – it doesn’t end with this!

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Aug 15, 2011 David rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: chunkster

This book will please the enthusiast curious about classical ballet's history—especially the stories of the people responsible for its development, from the French kings of the sixteenth century to the dancers, choreographers, and impresarios of today. Homans digs deep into the historical background, in one notable example exploring the impact of nineteenth-century wars of Italian unification on dance.

The book has less to say about how the techniques and aesthetics of the art form evolved. The f...more

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About Jennifer Homans

Jennifer Homans is a former professional dancer trained at the North Carolina School of the Arts, the American Ballet Theater School, and the School of American Ballet. She performed with the Chicago Lyric Opera Ballet, the San Francisco Ballet and the Pacific Northwest Ballet. Currently the dance critic for The New Republic, she has also published with The New York Times, The International Herald...more

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