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 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 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 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 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 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.
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 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 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 A Day in the Life of a Ballet Dancer written by Diana Herweck and published by Teacher Created Materials. This book was released on 2005-03-01 with total page 28 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Each book in 8142--TIME For Kids Nonfiction Readers: Fluent Kit is available in a set of six.For add-on purchases, each 6-pack includes 6 copies of this title and a lesson plan, packaged in a self-sealing vinyl bag.Word Count: 824TCM (Teacher Created Materials) Level: 3.0Guided Reading Level: MEarly Intervention Level: 21DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment) Level: 30
Download or read book So You Want to Be a Dancer written by Laurel van der Linde and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2015-04-07 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Love dance? Go pro and make movement a way of life with this comprehensive guide that can help you land your dream job in the world of dance. From front-and-center careers like professional dancer and choreographer to the lesser-known professions of technical director and costume designer, So, You Want to Be a Dancer? reveals a vast expanse of dance-related job possibilities that are as exciting as they are rewarding. In addition to tips and interviews from many different dance industry professionals, So, You Want to Be a Dancer? includes inspiring stories from young people who are in the industry right now, as well as activities, a glossary, and resources to help you on your way to a successful career in dance.
Download or read book A Day in the Life of a Ballet Dancer written by Diana Herweck and published by Free Spirit Publishing. This book was released on 2011-12-30 with total page 30 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 Ballet Dancers in Career Transition written by Nancy Upper and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2015-10-03 with total page 278 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A professional dancer’s career, like a professional athlete’s, lasts an average of 10 to 15 years. Once the prime years of physical prowess have passed, retirement is inevitable, but dancers still have many years of adult life ahead. The challenge for many is making the transition into a new career. Motivated by her own career transition, author Nancy Upper interviewed former ballet dancers who made successful transitions into new careers after they stopped performing. Part 1 of the book features dancers who remained in ballet-related careers. Part 2 features four individuals who chose careers outside the field of dance. Part 3 focuses on dancers who pursued non-dance careers that help dancers and other performing artists. Appendices include the marketable qualities dancers develop as a result of their training, career transition tips, transition resources, and a graph mapping the transition process.
Download or read book Life in Motion written by Misty Copeland and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2016-12-06 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Determination meets dance in this middle grade adaptation of the New York Times bestselling memoir by the first African-American principal dancer in American Ballet Theatre history, Misty Copeland. As the first African-American principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre, Misty Copeland has been breaking down all kinds of barriers in the world of dance. But when she first started dancing--at the late age of thirteen--no one would have guessed the shy, underprivileged girl would one day make history in her field. Her road to excellence was not easy--a chaotic home life, with several siblings and a single mother, was a stark contrast to the control and comfort she found on stage. And when her home life and incredible dance promise begin to clash, Misty had to learn to stand up for herself and navigate a complex relationship with her mother, while pursuing her ballet dreams. Life in Motion is a story for all the kids who dare to be different, dream bigger, and want to break stereotypes in whatever they do.
Download or read book Ballet Dancer written by Lisa Regan and published by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. This book was released on 2012-08-15 with total page 34 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The reader is introduced to and guided through the basic steps and techniques of ballet. The beautiful history, development, and famous artists of ballet are also discussed.
Download or read book A Body of Work written by David Hallberg and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2017-11-07 with total page 432 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "David Hallberg, the first American to join the famed Bolshoi Ballet as a principal dancer and the dazzling artist The New Yorker described as 'the most exciting male ballet dancer in the Western world, ' presents an intimate journey through his artistic life up to the moment he returns to the stage after a devastating injury almost cost him his career. While rich in detail ballet fans will adore, this is a book that anyone interested in a life of creativity will love. Hallberg reflects on themes like inspiration, ego, self-doubt, 'the artistic calling', and perfectionism as he takes readers into daily classes, rigorous rehearsals, and triumphant performances, searching for new inspiration and interpretations of ballet's greatest roles. He reveals the vicious bullying he endured as a child, the ambition he had to tame as a new member of American Ballet Theatre, and the reasons behind his headline-grabbing decision to be the first American to join the top ranks of the Bolshoi Ballet. Then, as Hallberg circled the globe performing at the peak of his abilities, he suffered a crippling injury that led to two surgeries, an agonizing retreat from ballet, and the decision to commit to a radical rebuilding of his body and technique that resulted in his miraculous return to the stage as a new artist and a new man. Combining his impressive powers of observation and memory with emotional honesty and artistic insight, David Hallberg has written a thrilling dance memoir and an intimate portrait of an artist in all his vulnerability, passion, and wisdom."--Dust jacket flap.
Download or read book I Was a Dancer written by Jacques D'Amboise and published by Knopf. This book was released on 2011-03-01 with total page 465 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Who am I? I’m a man; an American, a father, a teacher, but most of all, I am a person who knows how the arts can change lives, because they transformed mine. I was a dancer.” In this rich, expansive, spirited memoir, Jacques d’Amboise, one of America’s most celebrated classical dancers, and former principal dancer with the New York City Ballet for more than three decades, tells the extraordinary story of his life in dance, and of America’s most renowned and admired dance companies. He writes of his classical studies beginning at the age of eight at The School of American Ballet. At twelve he was asked to perform with Ballet Society; three years later he joined the New York City Ballet and made his European debut at London’s Covent Garden. As George Balanchine’s protégé, d’Amboise had more works choreographed on him by “the supreme Ballet Master” than any other dancer, among them Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux; Episodes; A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream; Jewels; Raymonda Variations. He writes of his boyhood—born Joseph Ahearn—in Dedham, Massachusetts; his mother (“the Boss”) moving the family to New York City’s Washington Heights; dragging her son and daughter to ballet class (paying the teacher $7.50 from hats she made and sold on street corners, and with chickens she cooked stuffed with chestnuts); his mother changing the family name from Ahearn to her maiden name, d’Amboise (“It’s aristocratic. It has the ‘d’ apostrophe. It sounds better for the ballet, and it’s a better name”). We see him. a neighborhood tough, in Catholic schools being taught by the nuns; on the streets, fighting with neighborhood gangs, and taking ten classes a week at the School of American Ballet . . . being taught professional class by Balanchine and by other teachers of great legend: Anatole Oboukhoff, premier danseur of the Maryinsky; and Pierre Vladimiroff, Pavlova’s partner. D’Amboise writes about Balanchine’s succession of ballerina muses who inspired him to near-obsessive passion and led him to create extraordinary ballets, dancers with whom d’Amboise partnered—Maria Tallchief; Tanaquil LeClercq, a stick-skinny teenager who blossomed into an exquisite, witty, sophisticated “angel” with her “long limbs and dramatic, mysterious elegance . . .”; the iridescent Allegra Kent; Melissa Hayden; Suzanne Farrell, who Balanchine called his “alabaster princess,” her every fiber, every movement imbued with passion and energy; Kay Mazzo; Kyra Nichols (“She’s perfect,” Balanchine said. “Uncomplicated—like fresh water”); and Karin von Aroldingen, to whom Balanchine left most of his ballets. D’Amboise writes about dancing with and courting one of the company’s members, who became his wife for fifty-three years, and the four children they had . . . On going to Hollywood to make Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and being offered a long-term contract at MGM (“If you’re not careful,” Balanchine warned, “you will have sold your soul for seven years”) . . . On Jerome Robbins (“Jerry could be charming and complimentary, and then, five minutes later, attack, and crush your spirit—all to see how it would influence the dance movements”). D’Amboise writes of the moment when he realizes his dancing career is over and he begins a new life and new dream teaching children all over the world about the arts through the magic of dance. A riveting, magical book, as transformative as dancing itself.
