Download or read book Being a Ballerina written by Gavin Larsen and published by University Press of Florida. This book was released on 2021-04-27 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Finalist, the Arts Club of Washington Marfield Prize A look inside a dancer’s world Inspiring, revealing, and deeply relatable, Being a Ballerina is a firsthand look at the realities of life as a professional ballet dancer. Through episodes from her own career, Gavin Larsen describes the forces that drive a person to study dance; the daily balance that dancers navigate between hardship and joy; and the dancer’s continual quest to discover who they are as a person and as an artist. Starting with her arrival as a young beginner at a class too advanced for her, Larsen tells how the embarrassing mistake ended up helping her learn quickly and advance rapidly. In other stories of her early teachers, training, and auditions, she explains how she gradually came to understand and achieve what she and her body were capable of. Larsen then re-creates scenes from her experiences in dance companies, from unglamorous roles to exhilarating performances. Working as a ballerina was shocking and scary at first, she says, recalling unexpected injuries, leaps of faith, and her constant struggle to operate at the level she wanted—but full of enormously rewarding moments. Larsen also reflects candidly on her difficult decision to retire at age 35. An ideal read for aspiring dancers, Larsen’s memoir will also delight experienced dance professionals and fascinate anyone who wonders what it takes to live a life dedicated to the perfection of the art form.

Download or read book A Day in the Life of a Ballet Dancer written by Diana Herweck and published by Teacher Created Materials. This book was released on 2011-12-30 with total page 18 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Leap into the world of a ballet dancer! In this engaging nonfiction book, readers learn about the history of this art form as well as what a ballet dancer does to get ready for a performance. With informational text, vibrant photographs, a sample schedule of ballet dancer's day, a look at ballet positions, and simple, clear text, readers learn about the basics of ballet and that this beautiful art form takes a lot of hard work and dedication.

Download or read book So You Want To Be a Ballet Dancer written by Jennifer Kronenberg and published by Diversion Books. This book was released on 2013-12-03 with total page 72 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “A revealing book about the grueling—and glamorous—world of ballet” (Daily News, New York). Is everything really so beautiful at the ballet? For Miami City Ballet principal dancer Jennifer Carlynn Kronenberg it is; but it wasn’t always so. Learn how she made it through all of her high jinx mishaps, missteps, and tribulations, and continued on to a glorious career as a prima ballerina with an internationally acclaimed ballet company. Kronenberg shares her memoirs, hints, tips, and professional advice for aspiring dancers and their parents, hoping to ease them through the hard years of study as well as through the abrupt and challenging transition from student to professional. Covering everything from choosing a school and auditioning, to stage makeup and backstage basics, this books provides the answers young dancers need to help them survive in today’s challenging ballet world. “Chock-full of tips and advice for aspiring dancers and their parents, and includes a personal account of the ballerina’s rocky journey to fame.” —Brooklyn Downtown Star “Entertaining, realistic, and practical—that big sister that you’d like to have beside you.” —Ballet News

Download or read book The Ballet Book written by Nancy Ellison and published by Universe Publishing(NY). This book was released on 2003 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Provides photographs of members of the American Ballet Theatre demonstrating positions and includes discussion and photographs of classwork, rehearsal, choreography, and major ballets.

Download or read book Watch Her Fall written by Erin Kelly and published by Hodder & Stoughton. This book was released on 2021-04-01 with total page 540 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ***THE TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER*** 'A dazzling psychological thriller' Sunday Times 'Deliciously sinister and obsessive ... with one hell of a twist' Observer 'Twist follows twist, like The Red Shoes rewritten by Patricia Highsmith' Mail on Sunday 'It seems so effortless .. it's brilliant and you really do not guess what's coming' Virgin Radio, Graham Norton 'Expect deceit, duplicity and one hell of a twist!' RED 'Kelly's best yet ... Genius twists and turns' Good Housekeeping 'Erin Kelly is at the top of her game. A seriously clever, and humane, novel' SARAH VAUGHAN I WATCHED HER RISE Ava has devoted her life to being the best at what she does. Now she's at the top, she has the world at her feet. I TRACKED HER EVERY MOVE Except, the feeling of success isn't what Ava expected. She's lonely and paranoid - and terrified. Because someone is watching her. A rival who wants what she has and is prepared to kill to get it. AND NOW I'LL WATCH HER FALL FURTHER PRAISE: 'Kelly's depiction of this claustrophobic and ambitious world is brutally convincing ... You don't have to be a dance expert to enjoy it' Daily Mail 'Psychological crime is the speciality of Erin Kelly, and Watch Her Fall is a prime example of her work ... bravura fare' Barry Forshaw, Financial Times 'A captivating hall of mirrors of a novel, where nothing and no one is as they seem' PAULA HAWKINS 'From the first page I was wrapped up in Ava's swooping, all-consuming passion and totally gripped by the explosive twists which held me to the very last page' ADELE PARKS 'Most ambitious and captivating book to date . . . so thrilling and unexpected that it made my head spin' LISA JEWELL 'Watch Her Fall is not only a cleverly plotted, beautifully written thriller; it is also a mesmerising glimpse behind the curtain into a world few of us will ever see' CLARE MACKINTOSH 'Superbly dark, gloriously twisted and utterly seductive - this is Erin Kelly at her mind-bending best' RUTH WARE 'Beautifully dark and complex. So good!' JANE FALLON 'A thrilling high-wire of twists and switchbacks' MARIAN KEYES 'The plot twists are abundant, the prose eloquent and vivid' Daily Express

Download or read book Dancers Behind the Scenes with The Royal Ballet written by Andrej Uspenski and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2013-08-28 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This beautifully produced new book by Royal Ballet dancer Andrej Uspenski is a collection of exclusive photographs which shines the spotlight on ballet, the most beautiful of art forms. These exquisite photographs feature some of the finest dancers on stage today, bringing the reader into the magical world of ballet. As a Royal Ballet dancer himself, Andrej Uspenski has a unique perspective on photographic composition of dance imagery, as well as unrivalled access not only to the Royal Ballet's productions, but also to the dancers who perform in them. This gives the reader an exclusive insight in to the Royal Ballet's work. Dancers includes exclusive, backstage photographs, as well as a number of breathtaking images taken from the wings during live stage performances, making this a unique photographic record, perfect for all ballet fans.

Download or read book The Dancers Body Book written by Allegra Kent and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2009-06-02 with total page 142 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ballet dancers have the strongest, most beautiful, probably the most envied bodies in the world. How do they stay slender and willowy while maintaining the extraordinary energy it takes to perform night after night? Can a nondancer or an amateur attain a dancer's figure and a dancer's vitality? And keep it? Here, in The Dancers' Body Book, the legendary ballerina Allegra Kent discloses the health, weight-watching, and relaxation secrets of some of the world's greatest ballet dancers -- from Suzanne Farrell and Fernando Bujones to Darci Kistler and Madame Alexandra Danilova. Combining them with two well-balanced diets -- one to lose weight by and one to live by -- and an exercise regimen that can be tailored to the individual, she provides a fabulous fitness program for everyone who longs to be slimmer, healthier, and more energetic. Fourteen varied menus incorporate delicious recipes from the dancers themselves (such as Jacques D'Amboise's Wonderful Dinner Salad and Dierdre Carberry's Almond Meringue Kisses), along with calorie guides and advice on how to create additional menus using your own favorite dishes. Helpful discussions on sports and exercise systems -- ranging from jogging and swimming to the sophisticated "Pilates" workout -- are also included, and in a special chapter entitled "A Healthy Outlook," the dancers talk candidly on such issues as smoking, anorexia, vitamins, doctors, massage, junk foods, fad diets, and injuries. Dancers take meticulous care of all their equipment because training and performance depend on it. Of course, the most essential piece of equipment, the body, needs the most care of all, and that is what this book is about: how to take care of the world's greatest machine. Allegra Kent joined the New York City Ballet at the age of fifteen and was a principal dancer with the company for thirty years, during which time she created a number of starring roles in ballets by Balanchine and Robbins. The mother of two daughters and a son, she is also the author of Allegra Kent's Water Beauty Book.

Download or read book Turning Pointe written by Chloe Angyal and published by Bold Type Books. This book was released on 2021-05-04 with total page 298 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A reckoning with one of our most beloved art forms, whose past and present are shaped by gender, racial, and class inequities—and a look inside the fight for its future Every day, in dance studios all across America, legions of little children line up at the barre to take ballet class. This time in the studio shapes their lives, instilling lessons about gender, power, bodies, and their place in the world both in and outside of dance. In Turning Pointe, journalist Chloe Angyal captures the intense love for ballet that so many dancers feel, while also grappling with its devastating shortcomings: the power imbalance of an art form performed mostly by women, but dominated by men; the impossible standards of beauty and thinness; and the racism that keeps so many people of color out of ballet. As the rigid traditions of ballet grow increasingly out of step with the modern world, a new generation of dancers is confronting these issues head on, in the studio and on stage. For ballet to survive the twenty-first century and forge a path into a more socially just future, this reckoning is essential.

Download or read book Taking Flight From War Orphan to Star Ballerina written by Michaela DePrince and published by Ember. This book was released on 2016-01-19 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE! The extraordinary memoir of an orphan who danced her way from war-torn Sierra Leone to ballet stardom, most recently appearing in Beyonce’s Lemonade and as a principal in a major American dance company. "Michaela is nothing short of a miracle, born to be a ballerina. For every young brown, yellow, and purple dancer, she is an inspiration!” —Misty Copeland, world-renowned ballet dancer Michaela DePrince was known as girl Number 27 at the orphanage, where she was abandoned at a young age and tormented as a “devil child” for a skin condition that makes her skin appear spotted. But it was at the orphanage that Michaela would find a picture of a beautiful ballerina en pointe that would help change the course of her life. At the age of four, Michaela was adopted by an American family, who encouraged her love of dancing and enrolled her in classes. She went on to study at the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at the American Ballet Theatre and is now the youngest principal dancer with the Dance Theatre of Harlem. She has appeared in the ballet documentary First Position, as well as on Dancing with the Stars, Good Morning America, and Nightline. In this engaging, moving, and unforgettable memoir, Michaela shares her dramatic journey from an orphan in West Africa to becoming one of ballet’s most exciting rising stars. “Michaela DePrince is the embodiment of what it means to fight for your dream.” —Today “Michaela DePrince is a role model for girls on and off stage.” —NYLON

Download or read book Center Center written by James Whiteside and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2022-08-16 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “James Whiteside is an electrifying performer, an incredible athlete, and an artist, through and through. To know James is to love him; with Center Center, you are about to fall in love.” —Jennifer Garner “A frank examination and celebration of queerness.” —Good Morning America A daring, joyous, and inspiring memoir-in-essays from the American Ballet Theatre principal dancer-slash-drag queen-slash-pop star who's redefining what it means to be a man in ballet There's a mark on every stage around the world that signifies the center of its depth and width, called "center center." James Whiteside has dreamed of standing on that very mark as a principal dancer with the prestigious American Ballet Theatre ever since he was a twelve-year-old blown away by watching the company's spring gala. The GLAMOUR. The VIRTUOSITY. The RIPPED MEN IN TIGHTS! In this absurd and absurdist collection of essays, Whiteside tells us the story of how he got to be a primo ballerino—stopping along the way to muse about the tragically fated childhood pets who taught him how to feel, reminisce on ill-advised partying at summer dance camps, and imagine fantastical run-ins with Jesus on Grindr. Also in these pages are tales of the two alter egos he created to subvert the strict classical rigor of ballet: JbDubs, an out-and-proud pop musician, and Ühu Betch, an over-the-top drag queen named after Yoohoo chocolate milk. Center Center is an exuberant behind-the-scenes tour of Whiteside’s triple life, both on- and offstage—a raunchy, curious, and unapologetic celebration of queerness, self-expression, friendship, sex, creativity, and pushing boundaries that will entertain you, shock you*, inspire you, embolden you . . . and maybe even make you cry. *THIS IS NOT A BOOK FOR CHILDREN.

Download or read book The Ballet Companion written by Eliza Gaynor Minden and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2007-11-01 with total page 362 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A New Classic for Today's Dancer The Ballet Companion is a fresh, comprehensive, and thoroughly up-to-date reference book for the dancer. With 150 stunning photographs of ballet stars Maria Riccetto and Benjamin Millepied demonstrating perfect execution of positions and steps, this elegant volume brims with everything today's dance student needs, including: Practical advice for getting started, such as selecting a school, making the most of class, and studio etiquette Explanations of ballet fundamentals and major training systems An illustrated guide through ballet class -- warm-up, barre, and center floor Guidelines for safe, healthy dancing through a sensible diet, injury prevention, and cross-training with yoga and Pilates Descriptions of must-see ballets and glossaries of dance, music, and theater terms Along the way you'll find technique secrets from stars of American Ballet Theatre, lavishly illustrated sidebars on ballet history, and tips on everything from styling a ballet bun to stage makeup to performing the perfect pirouette. Whether a budding ballerina, serious student, or adult returning to ballet, dancers will find a lively mix of ballet's time-honored traditions and essential new information.

Download or read book Be a Ballet Dancer written by Naomi Kleinberg and published by Random House Books for Young Readers. This book was released on 2009 with total page 12 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Elmo and his friends take a ballet lesson from Zoe and realize that ballet dancing takes a lot of hard work and practice, but it can also be fun.

Download or read book Dancing Through It written by Jenifer Ringer and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2014-02-20 with total page 335 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “A glimpse into the fragile psyche of a dancer.” —The Washington Post Jenifer Ringer, a principal dancer with the New York City Ballet, was thrust into the headlines after her weight was commented on by a New York Times critic, and her response ignited a public dialogue about dance and weight. Ballet aficionados and aspiring performers of all ages will want to join Ringer behind the scenes as she shares her journey from student to star and candidly discusses both her struggle with an eating disorder and the media storm that erupted after the Times review. An unusually upbeat account of life on the stage, Dancing Through It is also a coming-of-age story and an inspiring memoir of faith and of triumph over the body issues that torment all too many women and men.

Download or read book Dancing on Water written by Elena Tchernichova and published by UPNE. This book was released on 2013-05-14 with total page 422 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dancing on Water is both a personal coming-of-age story and a sweeping look at ballet life in Russia and the United States during the golden age of dance. Elena Tchernichova takes us from her childhood during the siege of Leningrad to her mother's alcoholism and suicide, and from her adoption by Kirov ballerina Tatiana Vecheslova, who entered her into the state ballet school, to her career in the American Ballet Theatre. As a student and young dancer with the Kirov, she witnessed the company's achievements as a citadel of classic ballet, home to legendary names--Shelest, Nureyev, Dudinskaya, Baryshnikov--but also a hotbed of intrigue and ambition run amok. As ballet mistress of American Ballet Theatre from 1978 to 1990, Elena was called "the most important behind-the-scenes force for change in ballet today," by Vogue magazine. She coached stars and corps de ballet alike, and helped mold the careers of some of the great dancers of the age, including Gelsey Kirkland, Cynthia Gregory, Natalia Makarova, and Alexander Godunov. Dancing on Water is a tour de force, exploring the highest levels of the world of dance.

Download or read book Bunheads written by Misty Copeland and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2020-09-29 with total page 34 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Instant New York Times bestselling series opener inspired by prima ballerina and author Misty Copeland's own early experiences in ballet. From prima ballerina and New York Times bestselling author Misty Copeland comes the story of a young Misty, who discovers her love of dance through the ballet Coppélia--a story about a toymaker who devises a villainous plan to bring a doll to life. Misty is so captivated by the tale and its heroine, Swanilda, she decides to audition for the role. But she's never danced ballet before; in fact, this is the very first day of her very first dance class! Though Misty is excited, she's also nervous. But as she learns from her fellow bunheads, she makes wonderful friends who encourage her to do her very best. Misty's nerves quickly fall away, and with a little teamwork, the bunheads put on a show to remember. Featuring the stunning artwork of newcomer Setor Fiadzigbey, Bunheads is an inspiring tale for anyone looking for the courage to try something new.

Download or read book Black Ballerinas written by Misty Copeland and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2021-11-02 with total page 111 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From New York Times bestselling and award-winning author and American Ballet Theatre principal dancer Misty Copeland comes an illustrated nonfiction collection celebrating dancers of color who have influenced her on and off the stage. As a young girl living in a motel with her mother and her five siblings, Misty Copeland didn’t have a lot of exposure to ballet or prominent dancers. She was sixteen when she saw a black ballerina on a magazine cover for the first time. The experience emboldened Misty and told her that she wasn’t alone—and her dream wasn’t impossible. In the years since, Misty has only learned more about the trailblazing women who made her own success possible by pushing back against repression and racism with their talent and tenacity. Misty brings these women’s stories to a new generation of readers and gives them the recognition they deserve. With an introduction from Misty about the legacy these women have had on dance and on her career itself, this book delves into the lives and careers of women of color who fundamentally changed the landscape of American ballet from the early 20th century to today.

Download or read book Beyond the Dance written by Chan Hon Goh and published by Tundra Books. This book was released on 2009-06-05 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Shortlisted for the Rocky Mountain Book Award Nominated for The Rocky Mountain Book Award (An Alberta Children's Choice Book Award) Nominated for the 2003 Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction An elegant, expressive dancer, Chan Hon Goh is one of the ballet world’s great stars. She is a brilliant technician possessing a delicate beauty and radiant stage presence. Born in Beijing to dancer parents, she tells the story of their flight to Canada from an oppressive regime that thwarted her father’s career, her rigorous training, and her battle to achieve acceptance as the only Chinese-born prima ballerina in the history of the National Ballet. This fascinating look at the life of a dancer will appeal not only to the legions of Chan Hon Goh’s admirers and to students of ballet, but also to young readers who understand what it is to pursue a dream.