The Great Nijinsky: God of Dance

Riveting, richly saturated acrylic-on-canvas paintings highlight the latest from Curlee (Mythological Creatures: A Classical Bestiary), about the celebrated early-20th-century dancer Vaslav Nijinsky and his times. More than just a biography, this homage to the “god of dance” often strays from Nijinsky’s life story to introduce other great artists of the era—composer Igor Stravinsky, dancer/choreographer Mikhail Fokine, designer Léon Bakst, and, especially, impresario Sergei Diaghilev—whose combined talents made the Ballets Russes company, where Nijinsky made his name, a sensation. Curlee follows the dancer’s life from his birth in Kiev to itinerant Polish entertainer parents, through his early years at the Russian Imperial Ballet School, to his discovery by Diaghilev and spectacular 1909 Parisian debut, tracing his remarkable, brief career as well as his descent into mental illness. In frank accounts, Curlee discusses Nijinsky’s bisexuality, including his open affair with Diaghilev, seen as scandalous at the time, and his impetuous marriage to a Hungarian socialite. The book’s spacious pages—heavily illustrated with original paintings, vintage photos, and simulated programs—elevate the moving story, making for a memorable volume that captures the dancer’s singular talent, fame, and notoriety. Ages 12–up. (Apr.)