Ilya Kaminsky’s debut poetry collection Dancing in Odessa is described as a rich, reverberative dance with memories of a haunted city. The poems draw on archetype, myth and Russian literary figures. Tightly realised domestic settings are invigorated with a contemporary relevance, humour and torment, and a distinctive, transcendent music.

Ilya Kaminsky is an American poet of Ukrainian origin. He was born in Odessa, former Soviet Union in 1977, and arrived to the United States in 1993, when his family was granted asylum by the American government. He has published two poetry books – Dancing in Odessa and Deaf Republic.