Pirouettes from the Past

This episode of Pirouettes from the Past looks at the history of dance recitals, which have been part of ballet class in America for a long time

Dr. Melissa R. Klapper is Professor of History and former Director of Women's and Gender Studies at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ. She teaches American and women's history, with a focus on the late 19th and early 20th century and additional research interests in the history of childhood, the history of education, and American Jewish history. Dr. Klapper is the author ofJewish Girls Coming of Age in America, 1860-1920 (NYU Press, 2005); Small Strangers: The Experiences of Immigrant Children in the United States, 1880-1925 (Ivan R. Dee, Publisher, 2007); and Ballots, Babies, and Banners of Peace: American Jewish Women's Activism, 1890-1940 (NYU Press,2013). Her scholarship has been awarded grants and fellowships from an array of sources, including the American Jewish Archives, the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Schlesinger Library on the History of Women at Harvard University, and the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research.

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On this episode Dr. Klapper explores the contentious history of the early relationship between ballet and modern dance.

Dr. Melissa R. Klapper is Professor of History and former Director of Women's and Gender Studies at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ. She teaches American and women's history, with a focus on the late 19th and early 20th century and additional research interests in the history of childhood, the history of education, and American Jewish history. Dr. Klapper is the author ofJewish Girls Coming of Age in America, 1860-1920 (NYU Press, 2005); Small Strangers: The Experiences of Immigrant Children in the United States, 1880-1925 (Ivan R. Dee, Publisher, 2007); and Ballots, Babies, and Banners of Peace: American Jewish Women's Activism, 1890-1940 (NYU Press,2013). Her scholarship has been awarded grants and fellowships from an array of sources, including the American Jewish Archives, the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Schlesinger Library on the History of Women at Harvard University, and the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research.

Today's episode was brought to you by:

Body Wrappers

Audible

For questions or more information on the show stop by:

Premier Dance Network

On this episode Dr. Klapper shares with us the history of pointe shoes. Pointe shoes are taken for granted as an integral part of ballet, but they are actually a somewhat recent development within the context of many centuries of ballet history.

Dr. Melissa R. Klapper is Professor of History and former Director of Women's and Gender Studies at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ. She teaches American and women's history, with a focus on the late 19th and early 20th century and additional research interests in the history of childhood, the history of education, and American Jewish history. Dr. Klapper is the author ofJewish Girls Coming of Age in America, 1860-1920 (NYU Press, 2005); Small Strangers: The Experiences of Immigrant Children in the United States, 1880-1925 (Ivan R. Dee, Publisher, 2007); and Ballots, Babies, and Banners of Peace: American Jewish Women's Activism, 1890-1940 (NYU Press,2013). Her scholarship has been awarded grants and fellowships from an array of sources, including the American Jewish Archives, the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Schlesinger Library on the History of Women at Harvard University, and the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research.

Today's episode was brought to you by:

Body Wrappers

Audible

For questions or more information on the show stop by:

Premier Dance Network

This episode continues the discussion of the history of race, diversity, and ballet in America. The focus in this episode is on the obstacles within the world of professional ballet that African American dancers faced throughout the twentieth century and continue to deal with today.

Dr. Melissa R. Klapper is Professor of History and former Director of Women's and Gender Studies at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ. She teaches American and women's history, with a focus on the late 19th and early 20th century and additional research interests in the history of childhood, the history of education, and American Jewish history. Dr. Klapper is the author ofJewish Girls Coming of Age in America, 1860-1920 (NYU Press, 2005); Small Strangers: The Experiences of Immigrant Children in the United States, 1880-1925 (Ivan R. Dee, Publisher, 2007); and Ballots, Babies, and Banners of Peace: American Jewish Women's Activism, 1890-1940 (NYU Press,2013). Her scholarship has been awarded grants and fellowships from an array of sources, including the American Jewish Archives, the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Schlesinger Library on the History of Women at Harvard University, and the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research.

Today's episode was brought to you by:

Body Wrappers

Audible

For questions or more information on the show stop by:

Premier Dance Network

This chapter of Pirouettes from the Past features discusses the history of race, diversity, and ballet in America. The focus in this episode is on African American children's difficulties in gaining access to ballet class and the segregated studios where most of them had to go for training.

Dr. Melissa R. Klapper is Professor of History and former Director of Women's and Gender Studies at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ. She teaches American and women's history, with a focus on the late 19th and early 20th century and additional research interests in the history of childhood, the history of education, and American Jewish history. Dr. Klapper is the author ofJewish Girls Coming of Age in America, 1860-1920 (NYU Press, 2005); Small Strangers: The Experiences of Immigrant Children in the United States, 1880-1925 (Ivan R. Dee, Publisher, 2007); and Ballots, Babies, and Banners of Peace: American Jewish Women's Activism, 1890-1940 (NYU Press,2013). Her scholarship has been awarded grants and fellowships from an array of sources, including the American Jewish Archives, the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Schlesinger Library on the History of Women at Harvard University, and the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research.

Today's episode was brought to you by:

Body Wrappers

Audible

For questions or more information on the show stop by:

Premier Dance Network

This chapter of Pirouettes from the Past is about the transformative 1963 Ford Foundation ballet grants and the importance of arts funding.

Dr. Melissa R. Klapper is Professor of History and former Director of Women's and Gender Studies at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ. She teaches American and women's history, with a focus on the late 19th and early 20th century and additional research interests in the history of childhood, the history of education, and American Jewish history. Dr. Klapper is the author ofJewish Girls Coming of Age in America, 1860-1920 (NYU Press, 2005); Small Strangers: The Experiences of Immigrant Children in the United States, 1880-1925 (Ivan R. Dee, Publisher, 2007); and Ballots, Babies, and Banners of Peace: American Jewish Women's Activism, 1890-1940 (NYU Press,2013). Her scholarship has been awarded grants and fellowships from an array of sources, including the American Jewish Archives, the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Schlesinger Library on the History of Women at Harvard University, and the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research.

Today's episode was brought to you by:

Body Wrappers

Audible

For questions or more information on the show stop by:

Premier Dance Network

In this episode of Pirouettes from the Past, Dr. Klapper discusses the history of dance teacher organizations in the United States.

Dr. Melissa R. Klapper is Professor of History and former Director of Women's and Gender Studies at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ. She teaches American and women's history, with a focus on the late 19th and early 20th century and additional research interests in the history of childhood, the history of education, and American Jewish history. Dr. Klapper is the author ofJewish Girls Coming of Age in America, 1860-1920 (NYU Press, 2005); Small Strangers: The Experiences of Immigrant Children in the United States, 1880-1925 (Ivan R. Dee, Publisher, 2007); and Ballots, Babies, and Banners of Peace: American Jewish Women's Activism, 1890-1940 (NYU Press,2013). Her scholarship has been awarded grants and fellowships from an array of sources, including the American Jewish Archives, the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Schlesinger Library on the History of Women at Harvard University, and the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research.

Today's episode was brought to you by:

Body Wrappers

Audible

For questions or more information on the show stop by:

Premier Dance Network

In today's episode, Dr. Klapper teams up with Pas de Chat's host Barry Kerollis to trace the history of the various ballet training techniques in the United States. You can find Barry's collaborative episode at PremierDanceNetwork.com.

Dr. Melissa R. Klapper is Professor of History and former Director of Women's and Gender Studies at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ. She teaches American and women's history, with a focus on the late 19th and early 20th century and additional research interests in the history of childhood, the history of education, and American Jewish history. Dr. Klapper is the author ofJewish Girls Coming of Age in America, 1860-1920 (NYU Press, 2005); Small Strangers: The Experiences of Immigrant Children in the United States, 1880-1925 (Ivan R. Dee, Publisher, 2007); and Ballots, Babies, and Banners of Peace: American Jewish Women's Activism, 1890-1940 (NYU Press,2013). Her scholarship has been awarded grants and fellowships from an array of sources, including the American Jewish Archives, the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Schlesinger Library on the History of Women at Harvard University, and the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research.

Today's episode was brought to you by:

Body Wrappers

Audible

For questions or more information on the show stop by:

Premier Dance Network

This episode is the second of two parts on the history of college dance departments in the United States.

Dr. Melissa R. Klapper is Professor of History and former Director of Women's and Gender Studies at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ. She teaches American and women's history, with a focus on the late 19th and early 20th century and additional research interests in the history of childhood, the history of education, and American Jewish history. Dr. Klapper is the author ofJewish Girls Coming of Age in America, 1860-1920 (NYU Press, 2005); Small Strangers: The Experiences of Immigrant Children in the United States, 1880-1925 (Ivan R. Dee, Publisher, 2007); and Ballots, Babies, and Banners of Peace: American Jewish Women's Activism, 1890-1940 (NYU Press,2013). Her scholarship has been awarded grants and fellowships from an array of sources, including the American Jewish Archives, the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Schlesinger Library on the History of Women at Harvard University, and the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research.

Today's episode was brought to you by:

Body Wrappers

Audible

For questions or more information on the show stop by:

Premier Dance Network

This episode is the first of two on the history of college dance departments in the United States.

Dr. Melissa R. Klapper is Professor of History and former Director of Women's and Gender Studies at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ. She teaches American and women's history, with a focus on the late 19th and early 20th century and additional research interests in the history of childhood, the history of education, and American Jewish history. Dr. Klapper is the author ofJewish Girls Coming of Age in America, 1860-1920 (NYU Press, 2005); Small Strangers: The Experiences of Immigrant Children in the United States, 1880-1925 (Ivan R. Dee, Publisher, 2007); and Ballots, Babies, and Banners of Peace: American Jewish Women's Activism, 1890-1940 (NYU Press,2013). Her scholarship has been awarded grants and fellowships from an array of sources, including the American Jewish Archives, the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Schlesinger Library on the History of Women at Harvard University, and the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research.

If you have questions for Melissa you can reach her at [email protected].

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