Lynn Garafola

Lynn Garafola is a dance historian, critic, and scholar widely recognized for her research on ballet and dance history, particularly her work on the Ballets Russes and 20th century dance. She serves as Professor Emerita of Dance at Barnard College, Columbia University, where she taught for many years. Her landmark 1989 book "Diaghilev's Ballets Russes" established her as a leading authority on the influential ballet company and its impresario Sergei Diaghilev. Her other major works include "Legacies of Twentieth-Century Dance" and "La Nijinska: Choreographer of the Modern." Garafola has curated several major dance exhibitions, including shows at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts and the National Gallery of Canada. She received the Dance Magazine Award in 2016 and has served as a dance critic for publications including Dance Magazine and The Nation. Her research methodology combines rigorous archival work with cultural and historical analysis, helping establish new standards for dance scholarship. Garafola's work frequently examines the intersection of dance with broader cultural movements and social history.

Readers consistently note Garafola's depth of research and academic rigor in her dance history books. The most common praise focuses on her detailed archival work and ability to place ballet in broader cultural contexts. What readers liked: - Thorough documentation and extensive use of primary sources - Clear analysis of ballet companies' business operations - Coverage of overlooked historical figures in dance What readers disliked: - Dense academic writing style can be dry - Some sections get too granular with historical minutiae - High price point of her books Ratings: Goodreads: - Diaghilev's Ballets Russes: 4.17/5 (46 ratings) - La Nijinska: 4.5/5 (12 ratings) Amazon: - Legacies of Twentieth-Century Dance: 4.7/5 (6 reviews) Multiple reviewers on academic sites praised her "exhaustive research" while noting the books are "best suited for serious dance scholars rather than casual readers."

Diaghilev's Ballets Russes (1989) A historical examination of Sergei Diaghilev's ballet company, detailing its artistic achievements, business operations, and cultural impact from 1909 to 1929.

Legacies of Twentieth-Century Dance (2005) A collection of essays analyzing major choreographers, dancers, and artistic movements that shaped modern dance in the twentieth century.

La Nijinska: Choreographer of the Modern (2022) A biography of ballet dancer and choreographer Bronislava Nijinska, exploring her artistic development, major works, and influence on twentieth-century dance.

Dancing Machines: Choreographies of the Age of Mechanical Reproduction (2012) An analysis of how mechanical innovations and mass production influenced dance practices and choreography in the early twentieth century.

The Ballets Russes and Beyond: Music and Dance in Belle-Époque Paris (2013) A study of Paris's dance culture during the Belle Époque, examining the relationship between music and dance in both elite and popular contexts.

Of, By, and For the People: Dancing on the Left in the 1930s (1994) An exploration of dance movements associated with leftist politics in America during the 1930s, focusing on social and political contexts.