The world of *Diamond and Juba* came to life on Thursday night thanks to Ayodele Maakheru's banjo plucking, Pat Mangan's fiddle bowing, and Calvin Booker's tap dancing! Thank you Bowery Alliance and all those who braved the cold to support us! 💕 April #dancesky #booksky #historydancer #skystorians

Come to Grace Church High School (46 Cooper Sq.) in NYC Thurs. Jan 29 at 6pm, to hear me talk about Diamond and Juba's "Great Public Contest" at the Bowery Amphitheatre in 1844, with the help of Pat Mangan on fiddle, Ayodele Maakheru on banjo, and Calvin Booker dancing his champion steps!! 🎵💕 April

DeWitt Fleming Jr. demonstrating 1840s champion dancing at the Dec. 10 Book Launch Extravaganza for *Diamond and Juba: The Raucous World of 19th-Century Challenge Dancing.* We brought the arts and scholarship together that night! It moved me to tears.
#dancesky #booksky #historydancer #skystorians

Diamond and Juba: The Raucous World of 19th-Century Challenge Dancing by April F. Masten has arrived!

The NYC book launch on Wednesday, Dec. 10, proved to be an extravaganza indeed! Thank you Hubby Jenkins for your old time banjo playing.

Diamond and Juba: The Raucous World of 19th-Century Challenge Dancing is launched!
Thank you DeWitt Fleming Jr, John Reddick, Christina Britton Conroy, Hubby Jenkins, Gabe Terracciano, and Eve Kahn for making it happen! 💕April #skystorians #dancesky #booksky #historydancer

A dancer, fiddler, banjoist and singer are joining me to launch and celebrate *Diamond and Juba* in New York City! www.press.uillinois.edu/books/?id=c0...
Wed. Dec. 10, 6:30pm, 50 East 7th Street. #skystorians #dancesky #booksky #historydancer #picturethispostdance Hope to see you there!!

On November 22, from 5-6pm, I'll be giving a talk about Diamond and Juba's "Great Public Contest" at the Bridgehampton Museum out on the South Fork of Long Island. < Bridgehamptonmuseum.org > I'd love to see you there!
#dancesky #booksky #dancehistory

Book Launch Extravaganza for *Diamond and Juba: The Raucous World of 19th-Century Challenge Dancing* by April F. Masten, Dec 10, 6:30-8pm, Middle Collegiate Church, 50 East 7th Street, New York City.
#dancesky #booksky #dancehistory #historydancer #picturethispostdance

History! Song! Dance! Music! Book Launch Extravaganza for *Diamond and Juba: The Raucous World of 19th-Century Challenge Dancing* by April F. Masten, Dec 10, 6:30-8pm, Middle Collegiate Church, 50 East 7th Street, New York City.

This 50% discount applies to my forthcoming book *Diamond and Juba* if you'd like to purchase it. www.press.uillinois.edu/books/?id=c0... #dancehistory #dancesky #booksky #PictureThisPostDance

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My forthcoming book *Diamond and Juba: The Raucous World of 19th-Century Challenge Dancing* (Dec. 9, 2025) can be preordered from the University of Illinois Press for 30% off the list price using this promo code: F25UIP.
www.press.uillinois.edu/books/?id=c0...