<DIV>The lives and works of the choreographer-dancers who created American modern dance come vividly to life in this graceful and witty book. It illuminates such greats as Loie Fuller, Isadora Duncan, Ruth St. Denis, Ted Shawn, Doris Humphrey, Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham, and Twyla Tharp. Together, they made up the group of geniuses who created a new theatrical dance form that was serious, unique, and, most important, not classical ballet. By concentrating on those artists who fashioned a particular style of modern dance or epitomized a high point in dance development, this book creates a lively history of American dance itself.</DIV>