Cowboys at the Ballet: The Story of Choreographer Agnes de Mille

Choreographer and dancer Agnes de Mille (1905–1993) yields a dynamic biographical story that’s rendered with verve in this portrait of her pioneering path to creating famed ballet Rodeo. Snappy writing articulates de Mille’s roots in a “dusty California town... where cowboys roam”: after ballet training leads to the figure conjuring vivid characters, she “gallops ahead” to New York City, where she joins a “seething stampede” of artists interested in celebrating the ordinary. But her wholly original style doesn’t quite fit anywhere. Further training in London brings the chance to work with mixed success, but it’s upon seeing a rodeo back in the U.S. that the dancer finds fresh inspiration. The resultant ballet “becomes the story of a plucky, misfit cowgirl.” Infused with rose- and poppy-hued coloring, Urbinati’s lightly sketched digital artwork effectively captures the energy of de Mille and her work, frequently depicting the subject and dancers mid-leap. Combined with Wrenn Bobrow’s vivacious narration, the result is a spirited appreciation. Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. An author’s note concludes. Ages 4–8. (Mar.)