Gavin Larsen, Author, and Gene Schiavone, Photographer
This newly published collaborative work by Gavin Larsen and Gene Schiavone offers a stunning visual record of the world of dance alongside personal stories of dancers’ own journeys. Schiavone worked as a photographer for American Ballet Theatre for 20 years and, when he retired, he sought a project that would offer something back to the dancers that had been his subjects.
Larsen, a dance writer and former professional dancer, was introduced to Schiavone’s idea of using photos from his archives to create a book of images and stories by her publisher. “As soon as I heard the idea, I was on board—talking to artists, drawing out their stories, thoughts, perspectives and learning how they felt about their experiences in the dance world is one of my favorite things to do as a writer and dancer,” Larsen says. “Creating this book with Gene felt important to me because the dancers in it represent the full spectrum of ways to exist in the ballet world, and I want the non-dancing public to see the real people behind the beautiful images they see on stage or in photographs.”
Schiavone likes that the book gives voice to the dancers. “Every artist in this book has inspired me,” he says, “from world-famous names to dancers whose time on stage was fleeting. My hope is that their images and stories will inspire and give direction to others.”
Infinite Steps: Thirty-Three Dancers and Their Lives in Ballet, March, 2026, dance, paperback, $35, by Gavin Larsen and Gene Schiavone, and published by University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL. Find upcoming events at FloridaPress.org.
