Books about ballet and famous dancers

[serenade]

32 minutes ago, art_enthusiast said:

Thank you for the recommendations.

Just wondering if anyone has read Holding on to the Air by Suzanne Farrell? I'd really like to read it, to get more of an insight into the New York City Ballet's early years.

Yes it’s very good, I would recommend it. It was quite hard to get at the time I read it but I think I found a cheap copy from eBay in the end. If you’re interested in early NYCB Edward Villella’s book Prodigal Son is one I really enjoyed. Also goes into after NYCB, founding Miami city ballet etc.

[Jan McNulty]

Some suggestions from Pointe Magazine:

 

https://pointemagazine.com/ballet-biographies-and-memoirs/

[JennyTaylor]

Leanne Benjamin's new book "Built for Ballet" is brilliant. Loving the detail and insights. 

[Sharon]

On 21/11/2021 at 18:08, Sim said:

Hi everyone.  I haven't read this book yet as it hasn't been published, but it looks very interesting and a 'must read' for both parents and dancing children, just to give an idea of what might lie ahead.  It is written by Sabine Naghdi, mother of Royal Ballet Principal Yasmine Naghdi.  As if that weren't already enough of an enticement, some of the photos featured in the book are by our very own Dave Morgan!  This could make a very nice Christmas present...see below for more info:

 

"Tears of a Ballet Mum" is a candid memoir and opens a fascinating window on the emotive journey of a ballet mum: the mother of Yasmine Naghdi, Principal ballerina of The Royal Ballet.

She presents a unique perspective, not only on her initial doubts and hesitation prior to her twelve-year-old daughter commencing her classical ballet training at The Royal Ballet School, she also offers a great insight into what it takes to support a talented child throughout the training years, how to deal with various mental challenges and building mental strength, taking ownership of the training, and ensuring overall mental well-being. When her daughter was about to give it all up at the age of sixteen, she ensured her crisis turned into a victory. 

She takes the reader through thirteen chapters from "Her dream was never mine", "Firstly, let's talk about the ballet mum", "Can talent can be spotted?", "What led her to The Royal Ballet School?", "A year as a Junior Associate", "Training at the Lower School: her White Lodge years", "A make or a break year? A year of crisis", "Seven months in the Graduate Year", "From corps de ballet to first soloist", "Life as a Principal ballerina", "And down came the curtains at the Royal Opera House", "The end of my journey", 

to "A tete-a-tete with my daughter".

 

260 pages with over 70 private, backstage, and performance colour photos.

U.K. Publication Date: 9th December

Signed copies available to pre-order via Shopify 

Delivery: from 1st December onwards from  https://tears-of-a-ballet-mum.myshopify.com/products/tears-of-a-ballet-mum

 

 

 

I spent my free day, yesterday reading 'Tears of a ballet mum' - I could not put it down! Saline Naghdi has written an astonishing biography of her daughter Yasmine  - but this is about Sabine too, about her struggles supporting and understanding the ballet world. From educating herself about ballet schools, physio and health requirements and to dietary benefits.  She supported her daughter through trial and error and worked at encouraging Yasmine to be mentally strong. I am full of admiration for this amazing mum. Especially during the time when Yasmine was suffering badly at the Upper school,  how she managed to keep her cool I'll never know.

A fantastic book! 👏🏽 👏🏽👏🏽

[Sharon]

Oops excuse my typo - of course I  meant Sabine NOT Saline....🙄

[alison]

[Fiz]

I have just finished “Tears of a Ballet Mum”. It’s a must read for ballet fans and mothers of dcs contemplating vocational school. 

[JNC]

I recently bought The Faber Pocket Guide to Ballet (saw it in the ROH shop). 
 

for a small book it packs a lot of information in - essentially it collects the most famous ballets and provides a short synopsis and also some background context (from Luke Jennings. 
 

however what makes it special is the “view from the wings” section - Deborah Bull writes her reflection from a dancer’s perspective. 
 

I also really like “Ballet: The Definitive Illustrated History”. It’s a DK book with input from Viviana Durante. Incredibly informative on lots of different ballet works (the most wide ranging and comprehensive book I think I have) but also lots of pictures - but nothing dumbed down but everything simple. 
 

Would love someone to do a “behind the scenes” book at the opera house and also capture interviews and insights from the dancers. 

[Odyssey]

I’ve just finished reading Leanne Benjamin’s autobiography, ‘Built for Ballet’ and I can highly recommend it. It came as no surprise to me that it would be refreshingly down to earth and honest, from what little I had previously read or heard about her. It’s a insightful, entertaining read which takes you through her career, mainly at Sadler Wells and the Royal Ballet, providing some fascinating  glimpses into the life as a principal dancer. Her career spanned an interesting time for the Royal Ballet including the temporary closure of the Opera House, the directorship of Ross Stretton ( a fellow Australian, whom she had previously worked with) and the flourishing of the Company under Monica Mason and Kevin O’Hare. As such it is also a lovely reminder of productions and revivals that have come and gone along with former stars of the Company. I hadn’t known that her husband is the son of the much missed Georgina Parkinson and the photographer, Roy Round. She writes touchingly about her in-laws, particularly in the final years. Sarah Crompton is credited as co-writer and the introduction suggests they enjoy a close and trusted relationship. It’s a substantial read, but never drags. Well worth reading.

 

[Shade]

Bargain book finds this week- A Different Drummer by Jann Parry and the lovely book of photos of Darcey Bussell - all for £5!

[Emeralds]

On 09/12/2021 at 13:24, art_enthusiast said:

Thank you for the recommendations.

Just wondering if anyone has read Holding on to the Air by Suzanne Farrell? I'd really like to read it, to get more of an insight into the New York City Ballet's early years.

Answering a question from over a year ago, but Holding on to the Air is excellent. 

 

I’ve read a lot of the titles published in the last 10 years for younger readers or readers new to ballet, but for breadth of knowledge imparted, my number one choice is still Margot Fonteyn’s The Magic of Dance, which includes chapters on the birth of ballet, so that it makes sense to novices and children why classical ballet has turnout, mime, batterie, etc. Published in 1980, it’s a pity they never did newer editions or more print runs. Available on secondhand websites, eg Oxfam, eBay, etc but occasionally a nearly new unused copy turns up on an online retailer. It doesn’t include current performers and choreographers like Marianela Nunez, Vadim Muntagirov, Roberto Bolle, Tiler Peck, Yuan Yuan Tan, Mathieu Ganio, Natalia Osipova, Wayne McGregor, Alexei Ratmansky, William Forsythe etc but it’s still very informative. 

[OnePigeon]

I Was a Dancer by Jacques D’amboise is worth reading.  It could have done with some editing, but he had an amazing career with NYCB and Balanchine, plus a foray into musical films.  He had some interesting anecdotes, though I’d love to know some of the stuff he chose to leave out.
 

I also enjoyed Lynn Seymour’s autobiography.  I’m fascinated by that period of the RB and she had a very interesting career.  I also have Judith Mackrell’s Bloomsbury Ballerina ready to read which is about Lydia Lopokova, ballerina with the Ballet Russes and later the wife of John Maynard Keynes.

[NeverTooOld]

I got this one for Christmas last year and it is amazing. It contains info about history of ballet, some of the well known ballets and also well known dancers. Interesting, informative and some stunning pictures Ballet: The Definitive Illustrated Story Hardcover – 6 Sept. 2018
by DK  (Author), Viviana Durante (Foreword, Consultant Editor)

[Doing Dance 1]

A few good links, although aimed as technical books, they all have great chapters on dance/ ballet. 

 

The Ballet Companion 

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ballet-Companion-Dancers-Technique-Traditions/dp/074326407X/ref=pd_sbs_14_5/257-5660011-9758363?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=074326407X&pd_rd_r=0ced6bcc-10cf-4a74-9a26-71cc183d721a&pd_rd_w=P7m2W&pd_rd_wg=fGisq&pf_rd_p=2773aa8e-42c5-4dbe-bda8-5cdf226aa078&pf_rd_r=JNGVHMXBX5426BQ6X1VP&psc=1&refRID=JNGVHMXBX5426BQ6X1VP

Ballet - The essential guide to technique & creative practice 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/1785008307/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?ie=UTF8&qid=&sr=

 

Classical Ballet Technique 

(Currently out of stock so check the ‘buy used’ option)

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Classical-Ballet-Technique-Gretchen-Warren/dp/0813009456/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1677105477&refinements=p_27%3AGretchen+W.+Warren&s=books&sr=1-1&text=Gretchen+W.+Warren

 

 

Edited February 22, 2023 by Doing Dance 1

[Sebastian]

Just a quick heads up that Marina Harrs's forthcoming book on the life and work of Alexei Ratmansky is set for publication this October:-

 

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374102616/the-boy-from-kyiv

 

I am great admirer of Ratmansky's work and am much looking forward to reading this.  

[Sophoife]

Sadly, per Marina Harss directly, it is only being published in the US at this stage.

 

I will have to do what I did for Nouvelle Histoire de la danse en Occident edited by Laura Chappelle and Jacques d'Amboise's I Was A Dancer: order the hard copy through my local independent bookshop - oh wait, there isn't one within coo-ee of where I live😡 I shall order it through my former local independent bookshop, in Hobart, and they will send it to me. Convoluted but the Right Thing To Do.

[Guest oncnp]

5 minutes ago, Sophoife said:

Sadly, per Marina Harss directly, it is only being published in the US at this stage.

 

I will have to do what I did for Nouvelle Histoire de la danse en Occident edited by Laura Chappelle and Jacques d'Amboise's I Was A Dancer: order the hard copy through my local independent bookshop - oh wait, there isn't one within coo-ee of where I live😡 I shall order it through my former local independent bookshop, in Hobart, and they will send it to me. Convoluted but the Right Thing To Do.

 

I know many do not care to order from Amazon but they will ship to Australia.

[Sebastian]

2 hours ago, Sophoife said:

Sadly, per Marina Harss directly, it is only being published in the US at this stage.

 

Happily, we in the UK may be ok - the book is currently showing as a possible pre-order on amazon.co.uk (both in hardback and Kindle). 

[Sophoife]

Oops just noticed stupid autocorrect in earlier post: the editrix of the French book on dance (highly recommended BTW) is Laura Cappelle with no H.

 

Thank you, @oncnpand @Sebastianbut I do prefer when possible to support a local independent bookshop because if we don't they'll disappear, and as there isn't one locally I'll support the one 757km (as the crow flies) away. Realistically it's over 1,100km because, you know, roads and, well, water 🤣

 

PS @Sebastianyes you made it clear you were talking about the UK. I've just added a map to make it clear which bit of Australia I'm talking about 😉

 

 

Edited February 26, 2023 by Sophoife
Added autocorrect oops and clarification

[Sebastian]

1 minute ago, Sophoife said:

Thank you, @oncnpand @Sebastianbut I do prefer when possible to support a local independent bookshop because if we don't they'll disappear, and as there isn't one locally I'll support the one 757km (as the crow flies) away. Realistically it's over 1,100km because, you know, roads and, well, water 🤣

 

My post was, as I thought I made clear, about the UK. It is highly likely that if amazon.co.uk are currently showing the book then independent UK bookshops will also be able to obtain the title. That was what I meant, sorry for being unclear. 

[WendyC74]

Dancing Through It by Jenifer Ringer is a memoir by a former New York City Ballet principal dancer that's a very candid look at the challenges and rewards of a career in ballet, including the physical and emotional demands of training, performance, and competition.

 

For children, "Ballet Shoes" by Noel Streatfeild - It's a classic book that tells the story of three orphaned sisters who are enrolled in a ballet school and work hard to become professional dancers. While not strictly educational, this book can really inspire young kids and was a favorite in our family.  

[WendyC74]

On 18/01/2022 at 20:00, Fiz said:

I have just finished “Tears of a Ballet Mum”. It’s a must read for ballet fans and mothers of dcs contemplating vocational school. 

This was a hard read. So honest and vulnerable. I reached out to Caroline Anderson while reading it to express my appreciation and how much it means to know that others were going through the same emotional experiences. The hardest part of being a ballet mum is the secrecy and unwillingness to share amongst other mums. In my experience anyway.

[Sim]

8 minutes ago, WendyC74 said:

This was a hard read. So honest and vulnerable. I reached out to Caroline Anderson while reading it to express my appreciation and how much it means to know that others were going through the same emotional experiences. The hardest part of being a ballet mum is the secrecy and unwillingness to share amongst other mums. In my experience anyway.

It was written by Sabine Naghdi.   

[WendyC74]

14 minutes ago, Sim said:

It was written by Sabine Naghdi.   

Goodness me. It was too, Yasmine's mum. I've just revealed my guilty pleasure of trashy romance novels. 😊

[Sim]

2 minutes ago, WendyC74 said:

Goodness me. It was too, Yasmine's mum. I've just revealed my guilty pleasure of trashy romance novels. 😊

😂😂

[Sophoife]

12 hours ago, WendyC74 said:

For children, "Ballet Shoes" by Noel Streatfeild - It's a classic book that tells the story of three orphaned sisters who are enrolled in a ballet school and work hard to become professional dancers.

 

They are enrolled in Madame Fidolia's Academy of Dance and Stage Training, with the aim of earning their own livings, even from the age of twelve, on the stage, as actresses, dancers, singers, or (as with Winifred) triple threats.

 

The only one interested in becoming a dancer is the youngest. Luckily she has the talent and the single-mindedness, plus Nana to keep her properly fed and do her hand laundry.

 

The eldest discovers she can act and looks forward to a career as an actress, preferably on the stage, but if films offer better money, so be it. She can pay for the youngest to train in Czechoslovakia. 

 

The middle one could not be less interested in any of it despite a certain restricted ability to act. Thank goodness GUM comes home and buys a house near an airfield so she can fulfil her heart's desire and learn to fly. I bet Petrova was a ferry pilot during WWII (IIRC the book was first published in 1936).

 

I think I first read Ballet Shoes when I was about 7 or 8, and I certainly admit to having re-read it at least annually since then.

[Sim]

This looks like it will be interesting.  Something to look forward to for next year.  

 

https://www.thebookseller.com/rights/piccadilly-press-nabs-dance-inspired-series-by-ballerina-naghdi-and-writer-soundar

 

[alison]

But seriously: "Dame Clougston-Wilmott"??!!

[Dance.Mum]

This looks like it will be an interesting read.
 

https://pointemagazine.com/alice-robb-chats-about-her-new-book-dont-think-dear-on-loving-and-leaving-ballet/?fbclid=IwAR29GaZFtMNvmKU_dRePnRSc3oOyQHHzmdlVpXVvVvRmgPOmeH1pcG3O-pM

[Peanut68]

9 hours ago, Sim said:

This looks like it will be interesting.  Something to look forward to for next year.  

 

https://www.thebookseller.com/rights/piccadilly-press-nabs-dance-inspired-series-by-ballerina-naghdi-and-writer-soundar

 

And even worse…. A community dance project called ‘Shimmer & Shine’ ????

Dare say this will all be super inclusive & PC..!
 

Edited March 1, 2023 by Peanut68
Typo

[Dance*is*life]

On 10/12/2020 at 19:27, Legseleven said:

I loved (and re-read as a teenager 😉) the Moth Graham books by Jean Richardson (The First Step, Dancer in the Wings and One Foot on the Ground) and also the dance books by Jean Ure (Nicola Mimosa, A Proper Little Nooryeff and one title which currently escapes me).

The Rumer Godden dance books were also enjoyable - ?Candle in the Wind (although I’m now doubting myself about that title - and humming the Elton John song) and at least one more. I shall try to find the correct title/s. 
I also preferred Curtain Up by Noel Streatfeild to her Ballet Shoes. (I realise that this is probably sacrilege!) 

 

Yes Curtain Up was really good, but I also liked White Boots (about skating) more than Ballet Shoes 🤭   However my favourite was Wintle's Wonders, which is probably called something Shoes nowadays if you can still get a copy.  It's about a pair of orphaned sisters, who go to live with their aunt who runs a stage school.  I actually reread it not too long ago and still loved it!   Noel Streatfeild really brings her characters to life.  Mao's Last Dancer is fantastic and so is the film they made of the book.  

Edited March 1, 2023 by Dance*is*life

[Legseleven]

I think Wintle’s Wonders may now be called Dancing Shoes? - or is that the new name for Curtain Up? 
 

I shall have to research…😉

[Guest oncnp]

2 minutes ago, Legseleven said:

I think Wintle’s Wonders may now be called Dancing Shoes? - or is that the new name for Curtain Up? 
 

I shall have to research…😉

Per Wiki

 

Wintle's Wonders is a children's novel about a theatrical troupe by Noel Streatfeild. It was first published in 1957, and in 1958 was published in the US as Dancing Shoes, a title which has also been used in more recent UK editions