FANCY DANCER
Seattle Rep presents FANCY DANCER by Larissa FastHorse from September 18 to November 2, 2025. Librarians at Seattle Public Library created this list of books, films and music to enhance your experience of the show.
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A Whirlwind Passed Through Our Country
Though focused on the religious Ghost Dance rather than ballet, this book shares Lakota perspectives like Larissa FastHorse's.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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The four moons
The work of Native American composer Louis W. Ballard (Quapaw and Cherokee) mixes traditional tribal music and 20th century trends. In his ballet "The Four Moons," each moon stands for an Indigenous Oklahoma ballerina: Moscelyne Larkin (Shawnee), Rosella Hightower (Choctaw), Marjorie Tallchief (Osage), and Yvonne Chouteau (Cherokee).
Format: Music CD
Availability: Available
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Being Thunder
"A Two Spirit Genderqueer teenager from the Narragansett tribe in Rhode Island, boldly challenges the status quo of what it means to be a queer indigenous person in a world bound by binary gender roles." (Kanopy)
Format: DVD
Availability: Available
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Dances
Cuffy's debut novel features a young woman who doesn't feel like she looks the part of a ballerina, like Lara in FANCY DANCER.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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The Thanksgiving Play
Before the FANCY DANCER world premiere, (re)acquaint yourself with a few of FastHorse's earlier plays, including the ground-breaking and critically acclaimed Thanksgiving Play.
Format: Book
Availability: All copies in use
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Maria Tallchief
Produced, written and directed by Sandra Osawa (Makah), this documentary traces Tallchief's life from her childhood in Oklahoma to her collaboration with George Balanchine as the prima ballerina of the New York City Ballet.
Format: DVD
Availability: Available
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Dancers Among Us
In this vibrant collection, photographer Jordan Matter captures striking images of professional dancers in motion in everyday settings, from the subway to the park to the library.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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Native American Dance
"This collection of essays on Native American dance traditions and their meaning, origin, and evolution is the first book from the Smithsonian Institution's newest museum." (Library Journal)
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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The Truth According to Ember
Like Lara, the main character of this romance, Ember, is a biracial Native woman with white ancestry. This was the first traditionally published Native American romance.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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Don't Think, Dear
Robb's candid memoir about her time as a student at the prestigious School of American Ballet shines a light on the darker aspects of the dance world, such as bullying, perfectionism and body obsession, that FastHorse also addresses in her play.
Format: Book
Availability: Available
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