In the history of twentieth-century ballet, no company has had so profound and far-reaching an influence as the Ballets Russes. It existed for only twenty years--from 1909 to 1929--but in that brief period it transformed ballet into a vital, modern art. The Ballets Russes created the first of this century's classics: Les Sylphides, Firebird, Petrouchka, L'Après-midi d'un Faune, Le Sacre du Printemps, Parade, Les Noces, Les Biches, Apollo, and Prodigal...

Dance for a City - produced in conjunction with a major exhibition at the New-York Historical Society - examines the rich history, cultural significance, and continuing accomplishments of America's premier ballet company. Illustrated with a wide range of extraordinary photographs, this collection of essays - edited by dance scholar and exhibition curator Lynn Garafola and historian Eric Foner - takes a new and provocative look at the history of the...