4 Dance Photography Books for Your Vacation Present Listing

Nutcracker season is right here, and, dancers, let’s be sincere: Between class, rehearsals, fittings, and run-throughs (to not point out all of these pointe sneakers ribbons to stitch), we don’t have infinite free time to spend on vacation procuring. So we’re making it simple with some ebook suggestions for the bunheads in your life. In addition to Tiler Peck’s and Misty Copeland’s recommendation books, which we featured earlier this yr, these 4 new books—three in shops now and one out there for preorder—pair insightful textual content with beautiful pictures. They’ll add a contact of class to each dancer’s library.

In Balanchine’s Steps: How the George Balanchine Foundation Preserves His Genius, by Costas, Brian Rushton, Kyle Froman, and Mindy Aloff

Since 1995, the George Balanchine Foundation, which takes care of the works of choreographer and New York City Ballet co-founder George Balanchine, has documented in depth video archives of teaching periods between his former dancers and present professionals. Earlier this yr, the Foundation launched a brand new ebook, In Balanchine’s Steps: How the George Balanchine Foundation Preserves His Genius (Tide-Mark Press). Designed by photographer and former New York City Ballet dancer Kyle Froman, in collaboration with textual content editor Mindy Aloff, the ebook options over 250 pictures by photographers Costas Cacaroukas and Brian Rushton. In Balanchine’s Steps unveils greater than a backstage look behind Balanchine’s artistic course of. It additionally zooms in on the relationships and individuals who helped maintain his genius timeless. Among the enduring dancers seen on its pages are Suzanne Farrell, Alicia Markova, Arthur Mitchell, and Maria Tallchief, alongside a uncommon interview with the Balanchine Foundation’s video archive founder and director, Nancy Reynolds.

Martha Graham Dance Company: 100 Years, by Ken Browar and Deborah Ory

You could know Deborah Ory and Ken Browar because the artists behind NYC Dance Project, in addition to their beforehand launched pictures books, The Art of Movement and The Style of Movement. What you might not know is that they’re additionally photographers of The Martha Graham Dance Company. For this purpose, and in mild of the corporate’s centennial anniversary, they’ve launched their third ebook, the Martha Graham Dance Company: 100 years (Black Dog & Leventhal). Produced in collaboration with Peter Sparling and Janet Eilber, the ebook merges the corporate’s previous and current with latest and archival images, capturing 24 of Graham’s most iconic works. Alongside pictures, written descriptions introduce every work, detailing their costumes, set designs, and musical collaborations. Among these included are archival Halston costumes, Noguchi set designs, and images taken by pioneers akin to Barbara Morgan, Andy Warhol, Miro, Philippe Halsman, and extra. The ebook, which received an International Photography Award for Best Book of 2025, consists of an introduction by Eilber, Martha Graham Dance Company’s present creative director.

Roberto Bolle: Dance and Fashion, by Roberto Bolle

International ballet star Roberto Bolle has served as muse to numerous style and artwork photographers. They’ve seemingly documented his each footstep, whether or not he’s dancing on worldwide levels, at main occasions, or for world leaders, to not point out modeling for magazines. Many of those pictures have now been compiled in a brand new ebook, Roberto Bolle: Dance and Fashion (Rizzoli New York), launched in November. Suspending his artistry and style affect in a visible time capsule, the ebook options work of photographers akin to Bruce Weber, Annie Leibovitz, and Mario Testino. The pictures are accompanied by essays by Bolle and quotes from his associates and collaborators, together with Giorgio Armani, Marianela Nuñez, Alessandra Ferri, and Misty Copeland. Roberto Bolle: Dance and Fashion captures moments all through his profession—from performing with La Scala Ballet to dancing at Rome’s Colosseum to educating class in Duomo Square and modeling for Vogue. If you’re a Bolle superfan, that is the final word ebook for you.

Infinite Steps, by Gavin Larsen and Gene Schiavone

Every dancer follows a novel path main them to the stage and past. Infinite Steps (University Press of Florida), a collaboration between author Gavin Larsen and photographer Gene Schiavone, spotlights the varied journeys of established professionals to assist empower the following era of dancers. Pairing Schiavone’s lovely pictures with Larsen’s essays, Infinite Steps profiles 33 ballet dancers worldwide, together with main stars like Misty Copeland, Skylar Brandt, and Alina Cojocaru. Some of the ebook’s featured artists have adopted the normal ballet-career narrative. Others have carved completely different paths, altering ballet tradition within the course of—redefining who ballet dancers are and what they’ll do. Infinite Steps—which can be launched in March 2026 however is at present out there for preorder—options dancers younger and previous, and from firms massive and small, with a narrative each dancer can relate to.