The October 11th event has been CANCELED/POSTPONED until a further date.
Join Flagstaff-based author Lisa Royére for a presentation of her new book, Eleanor Powell: Born to Dance, on Wednesday, October 11th at 6:00 PM at Bright Side Bookshop. A Q&A and book signing will follow the presentation.
"A highly enjoyable read that gives this remarkable woman her long-awaited due."—Alicia Malone, Turner Classic Movies host
When considering the best dancers in Hollywood’s history, some obvious names come to mind—Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, and Bill Robinson. Yet often overlooked is one of the most gifted and creative dancers of all time, Eleanor Powell. Powell’s effervescent style, unmatched technical prowess in tap, and free-flowing musicality led MGM to build top-rate musicals around her unique talents, including Born to Dance (1936) with James Stewart and Broadway Melody of 1940 (1940) with Fred Astaire, in which she became known as the only female tap dancer capable of challenging him. In a male-dominated industry, her fierce drive for perfection, sometimes to her detriment, earned her a place as one of the most accomplished performers in vaudeville, Broadway, and film. Powell’s grace, precision, and power established her as one of the greatest American dancers.
Eleanor Powell: Born to Dance by Paula Broussard and Lisa Royère is an all-encompassing work following the American dance legend from her premature birth to a single parent in Springfield, Massachusetts, to her first Broadway performance at age fifteen, through her days as a blazing icon in the world of Hollywood, and finally, to her inspiring comeback. With access to rare documents, letters, and production files, as well as insights drawn from their own personal relationships with Powell, Broussard and Royère offer a thoroughly researched, comprehensive, and fascinating look at an incredibly talented and unforgettable woman.
This event is free and open to the public. RSVP is encouraged: please RSVP here.
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Lisa Royère has a love of classic films, particularly musicals, and has extensive knowledge about the MGM era. Her years of dance training give her excellent critical insight into this field. An authority on Powell’s career, she has written about Powell in American Classic Screen Profiles and served as a consultant on several book projects. Fluent in French, she has also done translation and editing work in the United States and France, where she lived for twenty-five years.
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