Final Bow For Yellowface:
Dancing between Intention and Impact
By Phil CHan
With Michele Chase
Yellow Peril Press
E-Book Release Date: March 27, 2020
Paperback Release Date: July 4, 2020
Paperback:
International:
For other countries, please check your local Amazon store. If the book isn’t available in your country and you’d like a copy, send us an email and we’ll make sure you get one! We’re also working to make sure the book is available at Asian museums once these institutions re-open.
E-Book:
Thank you to everyone who donated at the virtual book launch benefiting the Museum of Chinese in America. Together we raised over $2,500 to benefit the museum’s fire recovery fund. Watch the interview and hear a reading from the book at the virtual book release party hosted by the museum.
Who would have guessed that one short conversation with New York City Ballet Artistic Director Peter Martins would change the course of how we approach America’s favorite holiday ballet, and serve as a catalyst for changing how we talk about race in America?
Phil Chan, arts advocate and co-founder of Final Bow for Yellowface, chronicles his journey navigating conversations around race, representation, and inclusion arising from issues in presenting one short dance—the Chinese variation from The Nutcracker. Armed with new vocabulary, he recounts his process and pitfalls in advising Salt Lake City’s Ballet West on the presentation of a lost Balanchine work from 1925, Le Chant du Rossignol.
Chan encounters orientalism, cultural appropriation, and yellowface, and witnesses firsthand the continuing evolution of an Old World aristocratic dance form in a New World democratic environment. As a storyteller, Chan presents a mix of dance and Chinese American history, personal anecdotes, and best practices for any professional arts organization to use for navigating issues around race, while outlining an essential path American ballet must take in order for our beloved art form to stay alive for a growingly diverse 21st century audience.
Accompanying workbook for educators available by request. Please send us a note!
Read a review of the book in the Salt Lake Tribune.
Read a review of the book in Dance Plug.
Watch an interview with NYCB Principal Dancer Megan Fairchild
Read a review of the book in thINKingDANCE.
“Phil Chan is fighting racism in America, one ballet company at a time.”
“Rather than just offering knee-jerk reactions to offensive material, Phil clearly explains why caricatures and stereotypes can be harmful—both to the dance field and our society at large. This book changes the conversation from, How can we be politically correct and avoid offense? to, How can we truly invite everyone into our world?”
“It feels like a real gift Phil has given us: in a safe place like a book, to start to work on understanding these challenging ideas around diversity and inclusion, making our minds more flexible. This conversation really helped me take the next step to be a better ally and advocate.”
“Anyone who has even slightly thought about the need for multicultural discernment in the performing arts would benefit greatly in reading Phil Chan’s Final Bow for Yellowface. In dissecting the issues of cultural appropriation and orientalism, he also relates his own experiences as a man of mixed race and those of others who have felt the sting of racism, often unconscious and mindless. Because of his thorough, hands-on research, Final Bow for Yellowface provides sound advice to those looking to expand their views on cultural sensitivity and how to listen to feedback. Chan doesn’t want to tear down the legacies of ballet, theater and opera. He loves their history, esthetics and rich sophistication. He instead shares this guide to altering what needs changing and retaining what is essential. As Chan states succinctly, ‘What was an innovation is now tradition.’”
“A bright spot in tough times, because enlightened history and advice about how dance can NOT be racist is SO welcome.”
“Combined with the pledge, which has been signed by most major American ballet companies, Final Bow for Yellowface has a readily accessible topic of discussion and a simple first step that should then lead to additional artistic action. ”
“This is the entertaining, thought-provoking, and important, writing we need right now. Don’t be misled by the subtitle though. Chan’s debut book is not only an enlightening read for Ballet aficionados. It will inspire anyone who has found themselves misunderstanding a culture other than their own.”
“. . . .an essential read in this social and political climate! Phil opens his mind and heart to share a riveting story of finding productive ways to talk about yellowface in ballet. While telling his story and ours, he presents best practices for making the buzz words of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion truly actionable. Dancers, dance lovers, and leaders in artistic performance will find so much inspiration here. The collective We of humanity benefits from compassionate bravery like this. I’m immensely proud to stand by my partner in change.”