A Must-Have Book for Ballet Fans

In On Wings of Joy, Trudy Garfunkel's engaging history of dance, readers are introduced to the major performers, choreographers, and composers who influenced the development of ballet. Beginning with the birth of the art in the sixteenth-century French court of Catherine d' Medici, this informative text traces ballet as it evolved in Europe and Russia and subsequently in England and then America. Included are details about the creation of such classics as Giselle, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, and Serenade, as well as the contributions of such prominent figures as Pavlova, Nijinsky, Balanchine, and Ashton. Fascinating facts include inside looks at contemporary ballet companies, how toe shoes are made, and what a professional dancer's day is like. All in all, a delightful, enjoyable and informative historical overview that will delight anyone who enjoys the art of dance.

"A lucid and interesting history that reads like a novel."
--Kirkus Reviews

"A truly fascinating look at ballet. The author has done an excellent job of weaving historical events into her discussion if dancers and their art...A very readable, enjoyable book."
--Booklist

"A most engaging and informative volume."
--WQXR Radio

"It is wonderful to finally have a complete and comprehensive history of dance that is accessible to young people and equally valuable for parents, experienced dance goers, and other adults. How important to have this, an easily readable exposure to dance, to help counterbalance the disappearance of arts education in our public schools."
--Edward Villella, Artistic Director, Miami City Ballet

"A fascinating book."
--Philadelphia Inquirer

"A lively history."
--Dance Magazine

"Recommended. Easy-to-read and informative."
--Attitudes and Arabesques

"A wonderful accomplishment that strikes that perfect balance: it is great if you know nothing about ballet and it is terrific fun even if you know a great deal. My copy is going up on my desk shelf with Denby and CHOREOGRAPHY by Balanchine, so it will be one of those books to which I always turn."
--Carol Landers, Director of Research, New York City Ballet

"Covers an enormous amount of material in a readable and comprehensive manner without missing a beat."
--School Library Journal

"Parents will find this book to be excellent; this nonfiction story of ballet can easily cross over to appeal to fiction readers and ballet enthusiasts of all ages."
--Children's Bookwatch

Trudy Garfunkel, is the author of three books on dance: "Letter to the World: The Life and Dances of Martha Graham", "Start Exploring Ballet", and "On Wings of Joy: The Story of Ballet from the 16th Century to Today"; and a consumer's guide with recipes, "The Kosher Companion". Her essay on Martha Graham appears in "The Oxford Companion to United States History". A public relations, marketing and editorial consultant, she has worked with many authors, artists, photographers, publishing companies, nonprofit and arts organizations, museums, and dance companies.

- Richard Curtis