AGNES DE MILLE: Dancing Off the Earth

In a biography of another extraordinary woman artist, the author of Georgia O'Keeffe (1986) profiles an American choreographer. Flashing back from the 1988 premiÉre of De Mille's ""The Informer,"" Gherman presents her privileged early life as the daughter of a playwright and niece of filmmaker Cecil B. De Mille. During her long battle for recognition as a dancer and choreographer, De Mille's efforts were abetted by her extraordinary force of will and sheer stubbornness, which also served her well after a stroke near the end of her career. Detailed notes indicate that Gherman has distilled a great deal of research into her clearly focused, vivid portrait of a powerful artist and human being Bibliography; b&w photos; index.