Writing in the Dark, Dancing in The New Yorker

Writing in the Dark, Dancing in The New Yorker collects Arlene Croce's dance criticism published in The New Yorker between 1973 and 1992. The volume presents her reviews and essays covering ballet, modern dance, and cultural commentary from her tenure as the magazine's dance critic. Croce documents performances by major dance companies and traces the careers of choreographers including George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, and Merce Cunningham. Her writing captures both the technical aspects of dance and the broader cultural context of New York's dance world during a transformative period. Through close observation and analysis, Croce examines how dance evolved during the late 20th century while maintaining rigorous critical standards. The collected works demonstrate her commitment to understanding dance as an art form that connects to music, theater, and visual arts. The anthology illuminates the relationship between criticism and art, showing how a critic can shape discourse while serving as a bridge between performers and audiences. Croce's writing style and analytical approach influenced how dance criticism would develop in subsequent decades.

There appear to be very few public reader reviews available for this 1982 collection of Arlene Croce's dance criticism from The New Yorker. The book is mentioned occasionally in academic papers and dance criticism discussions but lacks substantial reader feedback on major platforms. On Goodreads, the book has just 2 ratings with an average of 4.5/5 stars, but no written reviews. No reviews exist on Amazon or other major bookselling sites. WorldCat libraries show it's held in many university collections but don't feature reader feedback. One reader on a dance forum noted Croce's "sharp analytical eye" and "uncompromising standards" in assessing performances. A blog commenter appreciated the "historical context she provides for dance works of the 1970s." Given the book's specialized focus on dance criticism and its release 40+ years ago, the lack of broad reader response is not unexpected.

Dance Writings by Edwin Denby These collected essays from a master dance critic chronicle the evolution of ballet and modern dance in New York from the 1930s through the 1960s.

Following Balanchine by Robert Garis The author's firsthand observations of George Balanchine's work at New York City Ballet present a critic's perspective on the choreographer's artistic development and impact on American dance.

Dance Writings and Poetry by Edwin Denby This collection combines Denby's reviews from Modern Music and the New York Herald Tribune with his poems about dance to create a comprehensive view of mid-century dance criticism.

No Fixed Points: Dance in the Twentieth Century by Nancy Reynolds, Malcolm McCormick This comprehensive examination of twentieth-century dance traces the development of ballet and modern dance through the eyes of critics, dancers, and choreographers.

Reading Dance by Robert Gottlieb This anthology spans five centuries of dance writing, featuring critics, performers, and choreographers who shaped the way dance is discussed and understood.

🎭 As a pioneering dance critic, Arlene Croce wrote for The New Yorker from 1973 to 1998, helping establish dance criticism as a serious literary form. 📚 This collection spans over 20 years of Croce's reviews and essays, offering rare insights into legendary performances by dancers like Mikhail Baryshnikov and Suzanne Farrell. 🌟 Croce famously sparked controversy in 1994 when she wrote about refusing to see Bill T. Jones's "Still/Here," coining the term "victim art" and igniting debates about criticism's boundaries. 🎨 Before becoming a dance critic, Croce founded Ballet Review magazine in 1965 and wrote extensively about film, bringing a cinematic perspective to her dance analysis. 💫 The book's title references both the traditional practice of critics writing during darkened performances and the metaphorical challenge of capturing ephemeral art through words.