Michel, Marcelle; Ginot, Isabelle La Danse au XXe siècle.

Afterword by Hubert Godard.

[Paris], Bordas, [1995].
4to, 264 pp., ill.

In original boards and pictorial dust jacket.
Near very good condition.

First edition.

This beautifully illustrated album explores the evolution of dance from its origins to modernity, with a focus on key figures and movements. It spans the development of Western ballet, from its beginnings in court ballet and the works of Marius Petipa, to the groundbreaking contributions of Serge Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes. The book also delves into the advent of neoclassicism (with luminaries like Balanchine and Béjart), the transformative impact of modern dance pioneers like Isadora Duncan and Martha Graham, and the rise of American modern dance with artists like Alvin Ailey. It concludes with an exploration of Merce Cunningham’s revolutionary approaches.
The book was authored by two prominent French dance historians and critics, Marcelle Michel and Isabelle Ginot, with an afterword by Hubert Godard – a former dancer turned scholar specializing in the field of movement analysis and a professor at universities across the USA, Canada, and France.