Today we are very excited to share an interview with Author Karen Valby (The Swans of Harlem)!
Meet the Author: Karen Valby
Karen Valby is the author of two books of nonfiction: The Swans of Harlem and Welcome to Utopia: Notes from a Small Town. A contributing editor for Vanity Fair, she also writes for the New York Times, O Magazine, Glamour, Fast Company, and EW, where she spent fifteen years writing about culture. She and her family live in Austin, Texas, where her daughters study dance at Ballet Afrique. Visit her online at karenvalby.com.
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About the Book: The Swans of Harlem (Adapted for Young Adults): Five Black Ballerinas, a Legacy of Sisterhood, and Their Reclamation of a Groundbreaking History
A full accounting of five incredibly talented Black ballerinas from The Dance Theater of Harlem, founding members among them, that illuminates their hard-fought, historic, and overlooked contributions to the world of classical dance at a time when racism shut out Black dancers from major dance companies.
At the peak of the civil rights movement, Lydia Abarca was the first ballerina in a Black ballet company to grace the cover of Dance magazine. Alongside founding members Shelia Rohan and Gayle McKinney-Griffith and first-generation dancers Karlya Shelton and Marcia Sells, Abarca invited a bright light to shine on Black professional classical dancers. Grit, determination, and exquisite artistry propelled these swans of Harlem to dizzying heights as they performed around the world for audiences that included celebrities, dignitaries, and royalty.
Now, decades later, these trailblazing ballerinas and longtime friends are giving voice to their stories on- and offstage, reclaiming their past so that it is finally recorded, acknowledged, and lauded, never to be lost again.
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~Author Chat~
YABC: What inspired you to write this book?
I’m the white adoptive mother of two Black girls. When my oldest was two, I learned of the local Black dance studio and signed her up for baby ballet classes. Beyond the delight of seeing my daughter in her little leotard and tights, laughing and twirling around on a dance floor with other cute ducklings, I gobbled up the sight of her as the majority in the room, with a Black teacher to boot. A Black dance studio has served as an essential place for my daughters and for our family. Getting to dive deep into the history of the Dance Theatre of the Harlem, the first permanent Black ballet company, and the women who built the foundation of it felt like an extension of my love and gratitude for my daughters.
YABC: What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why?
There’s a scene towards the end of the book in which the Swans lead a master class for the Philadelphia Ballet company. I love the majesty of these pioneers at the front of the room, leading the way for the younger generation. There was so much energy and beauty and experience in the room that day. I cried! And so did many of the younger dancers too.
YABC: What do you like most about the cover of the book?
I love seeing the Swans as their younger selves in various positions of grace and rapture. To see Sheila Rohan, who’s now 83, in such triumphant flight, or Gayle McKinney-Griffith, who passed before the publication of book, with so much joy and beauty oozing out of her every pore. They each look like they could be a ballerina in a snow globe.
YABC: What is the main message or lesson you want your reader to remember from this book?
As much as these women were groundbreakers in the world of dance what stands out most to me is how their sense of sisterhood lit and guided their way. I’d love for readers to be inspired not just by the power of these women’s ambition and talent and passion, but by the sustaining gift of their friendship.
YABC: Do you have a playlist you listened to while writing?
I listened to a lot of Stravinksy, who composed the music to Serenade, one of Dance Theatre of Harlem’s iconic ballets. Also Songs in the Key of Life by Stevie Wonder, whom the Swans met when he visited DTH in the 70s and played songs for them on the studio piano and enjoyed their dancing by feeling the vibrations of their feet on the floor. In moody moments I also found myself returning again and again to Taylor Swift’s Folklore.
YABC: Do you have an unusual office supply that helps you in your writing routine?
I work best with one of my dogs at my feet. When stuck or distracted or scared, burying one’s toes in a dog’s soft belly works wonders.
YABC: What would you say is your superpower?
Listening, and making someone feel truly heard. My husband used to make fun of me because every time we’d watch a Law & Order, he’d look over and I’d be nodding along encouragingly to the person on the witness stand, urging them to confess or validating their tears.
YABC: How do you cope with criticism from editors or the public?
I try to stay focused on the larger picture and the pure gifts. Beyond developing true friendships with the Swans themselves, the best part of this experience hasn’t been our warm reviews and public acclaim. After the book was published, the New York Times ran a full-page obituary on the magnificent Gayle McKinney-Griffith months after her passing. Her tremendous legacy has been recognized and celebrated! That eases some of our enormous grief over her not being here with us to bask in this moment. Another shining moment I return to is when my 16-year-old daughter gifted me with an annotated copy of the book for my birthday. It was covered in sticky notes and her writing in the margins and underlined passages. What an absolute treasure!
YABC: What’s up next for you?
I’m almost done with my first YA novel. Fiction is such a different beast than nonfiction. I’m spending lots of time with my toes tucked in dog fur these days!
Title: The Swans of Harlem (Adapted for Young Adults): Five Black Ballerinas, a Legacy of Sisterhood, and Their Reclamation of a Groundbreaking History
Author: Karen Valby
Release Date: January 14, 2025
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Genre: YA Biography
Age Range: 12-17
