Denby Edwin

Dancers Buildings and People in the Streets [New York City, Mid-century]

New York: Horizon Press, 1965. First Edition, First Printing. Hardcover with Dust Jacket.

A Near Fine Hardcover in a Near Fine Dust Jacket. 8.5 inches tall; 7-287 pages with an index. Introduction by Frank O'Hara.

Laid-in is a card-stock invitation to a cocktail party to celebrate the publication of this book. The book was from the estate of Horizon Books publisher Ben Raeburn.

Genres: Dance Criticism; Cultural Commentary; Urban Studies; Art Criticism

One of the most notable aspects of Dancers, Buildings and People in the Streets is its reflection of New York City in the mid-20th century, a time when the city was undergoing significant transformation. The book captures the city’s bustling urban rhythms, the kinetic energy of its streets, and its evolving architectural landscape.

This is a multifaceted collection by the poet and dance critic Edwin Denby, blending his personal reflections on art, performance, architecture, and urban life. The work itself stands as a testament to Denby’s ability to merge the worlds of dance, poetry, and cultural critique, offering readers an innovative way to think about the interaction between movement, space, and human experience.

Edwin Denby, widely known for his writings on dance, was deeply engaged in the New York City cultural scene, particularly during the mid-20th century. In this book, Denby explores how dance exists not only within the confines of a theater but also in the streets, intersecting with the rhythms of city life and the architecture that surrounds it. The essays in Dancers, Buildings and People in the Streets are as much about the city as they are about dance, merging Denby’s reflections on the physicality of movement with his impressions of the urban landscape. The book demonstrates Denby’s unique ability to observe and describe the world around him, offering a rare and insightful analysis of how the human body interacts with both space and architecture.

[Adapted from contemporary literary reviews]

Item #20207

Price: $175.00