Rennie McDougall's 'Nonstop Bodies' Chronicles Dance in New York

Rennie McDougall's new book 'Nonstop Bodies: How Dance Shaped New York City' (Abrams Press) surveys dance history in New York from the early 20th century to today. McDougall, an arts journalist and former dancer, moved to New York eleven years ago and observed that dance has become a niche passion, far from its mid-century heyday. The book covers pioneers like Isadora Duncan, Loie Fuller, Martha Graham, and George Balanchine, as well as social dances like the Lindy Hop, mambo, voguing, and breaking. McDougall emphasizes the social and cultural context, including racial bias and segregation, noting that Black and Latin dancers were rare in modern-dance companies until late. He highlights the influence of African American music and dance, and the integration of venues like the Savoy Ballroom and Palladium Ballroom. The book ends with a grim picture of today's arts landscape, squeezed by gentrification, high rents, and reduced funding, yet dance persists in studios, clubs, and subways across the five boroughs.