Book Description

The fascinating, untold story of the history of undressing: over fifty years of taking it off. Striptease combined sexual display and parody, cool eros and wisecracking Bacchanalian humor. Striptease could be savage, patriotic, irreverent, vulgar, sophisticated, sentimental, and subversive--sometimes, all at once. In this vital cultural history, Rachel Shteir traces the ribald art from its nineteenth century vaudeville roots, through its long and controversial career, to its decline during the liberated 1960s. The book argues that striptease is an American form of popular entertainment--maybe the most American form of popular entertainment. Based on exhaustive research and filled with rare photographs and period illustrations, Striptease recreates the combustible mixture of license, independence, and sexual curiosity that allowed strippers to thrive for nearly a century. Shteir brings to life striptease's Golden Age, the years between the Jazz Age and the Sexual Revolution, when strippers performed around the country, in burlesque theatres, nightclubs, vaudeville houses, carnivals, fairs, and even in glorious palaces on the Great White Way. Taking us behind the scenes, Rachel Shteir introduces us to a diverse cast of characters that collided on the burlesque stage, from tight-laced political reformers and flamboyant impresarios, to drag queens, shimmy girls, cootch dancers, tit serenaders, and even girls next door, lured into the profession by big-city aspirations. Throughout the book, readers will find essential profiles of famed performers, including Gypsy Rose Lee, "the Literary Stripper"; Lili St. Cyr, the 1950s mistress of exotic striptease; and Blaze Starr, the "human heat wave," who literally set the stage on fire.Striptease is an insightful and entertaining portrait of an art form at once reviled and embraced by the American public. Blending careful research and vivid narration, Rachel Shteir captures striptease's combination of sham and seduction while illuminating its surprisingly persistent hold on the American imagination. ... Read more

Book Description

The exploration of the direct experience of healing and of the divine through the witnessing of movement becoming conscious. *Uses sample sessions and descriptive theory to explain the discipline. *Based on the author's 35 years of movement work.

Offering from the Conscious Body reveals both the theory and practice of a unique body-based process that is cathartic, creative, healing, and mystical-as presented by Janet Adler, the presiding voice in the field. This Western awareness practice encourages the individual to experience the evolving relationship with oneself, another, the collective, and the divine through the natural impulses of conscious movement, compassionate witnessing, and clear articulation of experience. Through the vivid examples taken from her own practice, Adler demonstrates that physical movement can invite direct experience of spiritual truths. The reader is led through the multiple layers within the discipline-moving and witnessing in dyads and then groups, in the presence of a witnessing teacher-to develop a comprehensive and experiential understanding of this innovative way of work. Designed for professionals and laypersons interested in psychology, bodywork, mystic traditions, or personal transformation, the discipline of Authentic Movement is at the cutting edge of emerging Western healing practices. ... Read more

Book Description

Fred Astaire allows us to see through the effortless balletic exuberance. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

a must for fans of the talented Mr. A
Fred Astaire tells his story in the same way he dances, with integrity and grace. I have been a fan of Mr.Astaire's for many years. The first movie of his I saw was "Daddy Long Legs." I was fasinated with the way he danced. When I found out that he had a biography I snatched a copy up. What I like about this book is that Fred Astaire wrote it himself. I found myself laughing at times, and after reading the book I felt as if I knew him personally. The best thing about this book is that it has 47 black and white photos. This book is a must for true fans of one of the greatest dancers who ever graced the big screen.

Fred Astaire captures my heart.....again!!
An amazing story told by the man himself!! What an incredible life he led! A must have for any fan! I could not put it down. He is an amazing story teller and spends alot of the book on what you don't hear about, his and his sister Adele's incredible vaudeville act and his tour with the USO. What a wonderful man! And he focuses on things other people don't, his flops in show business! You know about his triumph's but he shares his defeats also. Definately worth every penny.

A book worth reading...
This book is actually one big anecdote, peppered with little things like Mr. A's first punch, trying to figure out a title for the book, and meeting his wife, Phyllis.

However, Fred Astaire does not offer much insight on how he got from point A to Z, or what made him do this and that. In other words, people who want the whys (and plan to psychoanalyze Mr. A's actions) will not find what they are looking for.

It's still a great read though, and real entertaining.

Disappointing
When I read an autobiography of a great person I look for insights into: What makes this person great? What specifically has he done, and what experiences and thought processes has he undergone, that shaped him to be the master of his domain? This is what makes a great autobiography fascinating. You search not only for WHAT he's saying, but also HOW is he saying it. Not only what he's done, but how he got there and his thoughts about it.

Unfortunately, in this book Fred Astaire offers no such insights. This book is filled with facts that are largely uninteresting to me - on this and that date he met Mr. So and So and did such and such movie with such and such lovely star with such and such lovely songs by such and such great composer through such and such studio.... Brief, factual stories.

These facts have their value, and his fans might want to know them, but when they make up an entire book without offering any further depth, I cannot but end up feeling dissatisfied and wanting for more.

As I was reading I kept on hoping that sooner or later I would get to a chapter where Astaire offers some meat, some idea as to who he was, his thoughts and views, insights into his personality and brilliance, some of his methods and perhaps even masterly advice. When I passed the 300th page of this 325-page book and still haven't found it, I finally had to admit to myself that it ain't happenin'. Even his humor and the small points he emphasizes here and there are rather trivial.

As much as I'm a devout fan of his incredible dancing skills (some of which I emulate in my own dancing), I must say that after having seen all of his movies and read this book I've come to the conclusion that there's something rather empty about him as a person, a quality that comes out in his art as well.

This might be sacrilegious, but that's how I feel.

True, his movements are unmatched, angelic to perfection and a sheer pleasure to the eye, but I have yet to feel that he's got more substance or depth to him other than these masterful movements. In all his fantastic movements, and in all his wonderful movies, I've yet to see him really moved - not even once.

I finally found SOMETHING to nibble on at the end of the book, literally on the final page. There he frankly admits that he's got "disappointingly little to say" about "the history and the philosophy of 'the dance'".

But, Mr. Fred, I'm not asking you to teach us the evolution and history of dancing! I can get that information from other sources. I am asking you to offer us some idea how YOU think! surely you've some ideas about dancing and what separates you from all other dancers in the world!

Or maybe not?

If he did, he surely kept it from us.

He does offer one clue though, on that same page. In it he tells us that he wanted to keep the "basic principles of balance and grace" of ballet, but felt "there should be no limitations". He says, "I wanted to do all my dancing my own way, in a sort of outlaw style. I always resented being told that I couldn't point my toe in, or some other such rule."

Now we know something about him! (although I could have guessed that just by watching him dance..)

In what probably is the most revealing remark in the book, still on that last page, he writes: "I have never used [dancing] as an outlet or as a means of expressing myself".

The impression I have - from seeing all his movies and this book confirmed it to me - is that in fact he had little to express. He's a master technician and a master of grace, but where is Fred Astaire, the man, in all this? Have we merely scratched the surface of his intellect and emotion, or is this surface all there is to him?

There are two options here. Either he's truly a very ordinary man who happened to have a truly extra-ordinary gift, and therefore he cannot articulate what he does not have, or that he actually does have a philosophy of life, and it goes something like this: 'Nothing needs to be taken seriously because life is utterly inane and meaningless. It's enough to be decent (which he certainly was), and beyond that, pray don't think or feel too much.. just dance!'

An American Classic
Fred Astaire was truly an American classic. Now that movie musicals are dead, proven by the born-dead "Moulin Rouge," no one is ever likely to surpass Astaire or even come close. Astaire tells his story in a disarmingly modest and self-deprecating way. He never says an unkind word about anyone. Does this make for a boring book? On the contrary, what you see on the screen is what you get in this book. You can hear his very voice telling the story. ... Read more

Book Description

Ballet in Western Culture is a history of the development of ballet designed for dance history courses. After a brief discussion of the origins of dance through the middle ages, the author then traces the beginnings of ballet to Renaissance spectacle in Italy and the beginnings of ballet in France. In the second part of the book, the maturation of ballet as a style is studied, from the 1600s through the 1800s, in France, Russia, and other major European countries.Finally, the last part of the book focuses on the changes in ballet through the 20th century, including major movements in the U.S. and Europe.Nicely illustrated with historic prints and photos, the book is easy to read and ideally suited to the dance history student, addressing both historical issues and the evolution of ballet technique. ... Read more

Book Description

A leading critic traces three decades of contemporary dance from Balanchine to breakdancing ... Read more

Book Description

From the acclaimed author of This Side of Brightness, the epic life and times of Rudolf Nureyev, reimagined in a dazzlingly inventive masterpiece-published to coincide with the tenth anniversary of Nureyev's death
A Russian peasant who became an international legend, a Cold War exile who inspired millions, an artist whose name stood for genius, sex, and excess-the magnificence of Rudolf Nureyev's life and work are known, but now Colum McCann, in his most daring novel yet, reinvents this erotically charged figure through the light he cast on those who knew him.
Taking his inspiration from the biographical facts, McCann tells the story through a chorus of voices: there is Anna Vasileva, Rudi's first ballet teacher, who rescues her protégé from the stunted life of his town; Yulia, whose sexual and artistic ambitions are thwarted by her Soviet-sanctioned marriage; and Victor, the Venezuelan hustler, who reveals the lurid underside of the gay celebrity set. Spanning four decades and many worlds, from the horrors of Stalingrad to the wild abandon of New York in the eighties, Dancer is peopled by a large cast of characters, obscure and famous: doormen and shoemakers, Margot Fonteyn and John Lennon. And at the heart of the spectacle stands the artist himself, willful, lustful, and driven by a never-to-be-met need for perfection.
In ecstatic prose, McCann evokes the distinct consciousness of the man and the glittering reflection of the myth. The result is a monumental story of love, art, and exile.
... Read more

Reviews (22)

"A sort of hunger turned human."
Dancer is an extraordinary novel, affecting me more profoundly than any other novel I have read in a long time. Vivid and hard-edged, rather than lyrical and beautiful, it fuses fact and fiction seamlessly, bringing to life ballet star Rudolf Nureyev and the many secret worlds he inhabited. From his first public performance, when, at the age of five he performed an exuberant dance in a hospital ward for Russian soldiers wounded in World War II, he was considered more athletic than subtle, and as he grew older, his legs were regarded as the source of "more violence than grace."

Nureyev's "wild and feral" style of dance meshes perfectly with McCann's prose. Paralleling the athleticism and drive of Nureyev, McCann's writing is bold and straightforward, characterized by short, powerful, descriptive sentences, often in a simple subject-verb-object pattern. Avoiding all frills and sentimentality, McCann favors strength over lyricism, and power over prettiness.

Through the first person observations of almost two dozen characters who touched Nureyev's life in some way, McCann shines light on Nureyev's personality and his development as a dancer. His family, teachers, lovers, and even a schoolboy bully, a stilt-walker, and the captain of an airplane, who filed an "incident report" about his atrocious behavior aboard a plane, all comment on his actions and the choices he makes, personally and professionally, as his career soars.

The deprivation and sadness experienced by most of these sensitive observers in their own lives contrasts vividly with the excesses and hedonism of Nureyev's adult life and illuminate, without need for authorial comment, his arrogance and boorishness. At the same time, however, these multiple viewpoints also humanize Nureyev in many ways by showing the extent to which these other characters are connected by love to others and to their history, while Nureyev becomes a "living myth...cared for and coddled and protected by the mythmakers."

Filled with intriguing characters, ranging from simple Russian peasants to Andy Warhol, Tennessee Williams, John Lennon, Truman Capote, Mick Jagger, Jimi Hendrix, and the stars of ballet, the novel is a monument to the power of the creative spirit and a testament to the dangers inherent in a life from which all other controls have been removed. Rudi always "tore [a] role open...by the manner in which he presented himself, a sort of hunger turned human." McCann brings this voracious human to life. Nureyev leaps off these pages in a huge and stunning grand jete. Mary Whipple

McCann trips the light fantastic with 'Dancer'
In "Dancer," a "fictionalized biography" of Rudolf Nureyev, Colum McCann, indeed, takes liberty with his subject matter, although one certainly wonders just how far! Serious Rudohiles and scholars will notice this. However, one must give the author his dues--this is stated as a work of fiction.

That said, it certainly is a mesmerizing work, a roman a clef of the first order. McCann, while certainly intrigued by the subject, makes an effort to capture the whole picture. Beginning with graphic scenes of the Russian Front in the dead of winter in l943, McCann then introduces us to young Rudi, a boy totally captivated and dedicated to dance.

The novel then takes off, ala a good foreign film, in several directions, shifting bluntly from one character to another, a carefully choreographed and orchestrated plot outline. We watch with fascination as Rudi grows up, is given special attention by the state authorities, especially at the Kirov, and then successfully defects to the West. The book is a miasma of successes and failures, a pot pourri of Nureyev's lifestyle and profession. McCann portrays at once a young man given to his great ego and self confidence, his insensitivities to friends and associates alike, and his dedication to the few close friends (and family) he maintains.

This is a picture that perhaps not everyone is happy with; however, it's fiction and much of the speculation can be accepted. Even if "Dancer" was not so obviously about Nureyev, substituting a completely fictional name for the character would not diminish McCann power in this riviting book. A good read.
(Billyjhobbs@tyler.net)

Splendid!
You can tell from the very first line this book is wonderful. Rare and unputdownable, vivacious and sad -- all the superlatives you care to use. The prose is fantastic and flowing, the story a rare and strangely successful blend of fact and fiction. The sentences dance like Rudolf Nureyev himself, and I was very sad to see it end so soon. I'll keep my eyes on Colum McCann, no doubt!

A Fascinating Look at a Fascinating Artist
I recently read the "fictionalized" autobiography of Alma Schindler Mahler Gropius Werfel and found it fascinating, so I was really eager to read this "fictionalized" account of the life of Russian ballet star Rudolf Nureyev. Unlike THE ARTIST'S WIFE (the story of Alma Schindler), DANCER isn't a fictionalized autobiography, but more of a fictionalized biography, though DANCER doesn't come close to documenting everything that went on in "Rudik's" life, nor should it. DANCER is a novel, a novel whose main character just happens to be Rudolf Nureyev and, as such, it is fascinating and intriguing.

If you want to know the factual events that made up the life of Rudolf Nureyev, then there are many good biographies of him out there. If you want to know what it might have felt like to be Nureyev, himself, or someone close to him, if you want to get caught up in the emotional rollercoaster world of the ballet, then DANCER is the book for you.

McCann has chosen to paint a portrait of Nureyev from the point of view of the people who were close to him: a fellow ballet student; a nurse in a hospital; the husband of his dancing instructor; Nureyev's own sister. I loved this choice and little by little, piece by piece, we get a view of Nureyev that is fascinating and determined, dark and moody and very, very complex.

McCann takes us from Nureyev's birthplace in the Urals to the Kirov Ballet to Paris to the bathhouses of New York City. We get a totally different view of Nureyev each time and each view enriches our understanding of this complicated and brilliant man.

McCann fills DANCER with wonderful details that really make the book come alive, although sometimes these details can be harsh. This isn't a glittering, shimmering look at the world of ballet; it's a look at an artist, in his glory and in his despair. Some of the details in Russia, in the Siberian town of Ufa, where Nureyev's family tries to exist as the family of an enemy of the Soviet government, are chilling and quite revealing.

It is difficult to describe music in prose and it is difficult to describe dance in prose, but McCann has done a wonderful job of describing the latter in DANCER. Even though I have much interest in ballet and knew many of the details of Nureyev's life before reading this book, after reading DANCER I felt I knew what it might be like to "be" Nureyev, an emotional experience I didn't get when I read the biographies.

I think DANCER is a highly imaginative book that is wonderfully well-written. I actually preferred it over any biography of Nureyev I have read thus far. If you're look for the facts of Nureyev's life and only the facts, perhaps a biography would suit your purposes better. If, however, you want an emotional experience and you want to be entertained as well, then DANCER will fill the bill on both counts and fill it beautifully. I would certainly recommend DANCER very highly.

A Brilliant Leap Of Imagination
Rudolf Nureyev, a fictional biography told by those who knew him when and where. It is a fascinating look at this most famous Russian ballet dancer. Erotic at all times, and told in first person by a cast of characters who make this story come alive.

We first meet Rudi in 1943 as he is dancing for the Russian soldiers in his small town. The Second World War is in full swing. Russia is poor and the soldiers have little or nothing, but they give Rudi little bits of their nothing as a present for his dancing. Rudi is rescued from this poverty by his ballet teacher and taken to Moscow where his dancing life begins.

The stories told by Rudi's friends take us to Paris, Rome, Caracas and New York City, We meet Margot Fonteyn, probably the person who had the biggest influence on his life but the only one who did not sleep with him. Victor, the Venezuelan hustler, who meets Rudi in the lower East side of New York City. Victor introduces Rudi to the Gay celebrity set, and the drugs and seedy side of Gay life. We hear of John Lennon and the famous stars of the 70's and 80's and all of Rudi's friends.

Rudi was a perfectionist and he was never able to meet this need. He was willful and driven, and drove everyone else in his way and in his life to become that which was impossible. He danced until his feet bled and bled some more. He had the followers and the takers in his crowd. And, in the end, he loved Victor the best.

I was not aware that this was a fictional biography unitl I read the back cover of the book. In the end, it did not make any difference. The story of this great man was told with grace and with some shock at times. The jest of the man, the dancer is there for all to see. The book caught the spirit of this man, the greatest of all ballet dancers, with the span from Russia to New York in forty years. It ends with his first visit home to Russia-what goes around, comes around. Fabulous tale. prisrob ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Dance Until You Drop
Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers were a wonderful on-screen pair and everyone loved their simple charm. I think Baxt captures that charm in this little book. Like all of his celebrity mysteries, this is a satire, and I think it portrays the McCarthy hearings quite well. Life in Hollywood in 1953 was difficult and everyone looked at everyone else to try to figure our whether or not they were "commies". In this book we see Fred and Ginger smack in the middle of a Russian espionage scam. Ginger's therapist dies and Villon and Mallory know that he was poisoned. What's his background and history? They find out and its a world of double agents, family rivalries and Communist underworld. Of course Villon figures it out, but even he is surprised to find out who the "kingpin" is.

An Enjoyable, if Implausible, Read
I picked up this book because I have always loved Astaire and Rodgers. However, when I started reading, I was dissapointed. The plot seems a little farfetched. I think there were too many characters, and I kept wondering why everybody knew each other. Russia is a large country, but reading this book makes it seem like a small town. However, this book did manage to keep me interested in what happened at the end. I would read it for distraction because it is by no means great literature.

odd, yet...
Like many of Baxt's novels, this one goes a little off-track with all the characters and spies, et cetera. However, that, in this humble reader's opinion, is part of the charm. These mysteries were obviously not written for deep, critical analysis, but for simple enjoyment. All the characters, and there are many, are fleshed out, and if the plot lacks bits that are shoved in a bit too hurriedly at the end, well that's just part of the charm. Another three cheers for George Baxt. And for Fred and Ginger. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Dancing on my Grave review
This book written brilliantly by Gelsey Kirkland and Greg Lawrence is positively a book that I would recommend to all dancers like myself as well as anyone that is intregued by the effects of the dance world. In this book Gelsey takes us through a journey of chaos and problems. When you read this book you travel through the abusive effects of drugs as well as more dancer prone problems like eating disorders and self-image. You also see the beutiful side of the ballet world and it helps you relize how much work ballet dancers put into their passion and how little they get out of it. Gelsey and Greg did a great job at showing the reader dancer or not how hard and sometimes impossible the dance world can be. Over all in my humble opinion I think that this one is a keeper.

A must read for any dancer
Dancing in my Grave, by Gelsey Kirkland is an amazing book. The book is about Gelsey's dancing career, and how she mangled her way through the jungle of ballet. In it are described many of the hardships that come with serious dancing. This book may not apply to people who are not into dance. Dance, when taken seriously, can bore people if they're not interested in it. However, all dancers who are even thinking of getting serious with dance should read this book.

This book portrays Gelsey Kirkland as a hero because it elaborates on her issues both mental and physical, but then it tells about her rehabilitation. A hero is someone who does something that benefits someone, not necessarily someone else. Gelsey found and helped a person in need of help, that person just so happened to be her. On page 102, ''I began to starve myself, limiting my diet to candy bars and coffee. This was the first sign of an anorexic syndrome that later would become an obsessive rule in my life.'' Gelsey, although it took her years to realize, convinced herself that she had a problem and she fixed it. To convince oneself that he/she has a problem is a very difficult thing to do. Denying it is the easy way out, or even admitting to it but not changing it is fairly easy but dedicating time to fixing a problem like that, that is what makes a hero.

Gelsey shares not only her problem of anorexia but her usage of drugs, her physical adjustments made for beauty reasons and her personal life issues. Gelsey had an older sister Johnna who was given the gift of physical beauty. Throughout the book it tells how Gelsey tried to change her physical appearance as much as possible to be beautiful like her sister. Gelsey undertook many face operations and adjustments to other areas to her body to make her look more like a prima ballerina. Gelsey grew up with a hard family life, possibly partially the cause of her problems later on in life. She shares her dependence on drugs and her fathers drinking problems as well.

Another virtue of this book is its great description of George Balanchine. Through most dancers eyes during Gelsey's time Balanchine was a god. This shows how Gelsey got close to him and started seeing things others could not see. The book tells about her partner Mikhail Baryshinkov and her partnering days with Misha and other wonderful dancers. Great views of the differences in Russian ballet and American ballet are exhibited in this book.

Dancing On My Grave is a very informational book on dancing, but at the same time it tells the story of a great adventurer and a hero who saved herself from the lies of prima ballerina beauty. This autobiography takes the reader behind the scenes of the ''making'' (training) of a perfect ballerina, and tells all of the gruesome details of love, beauty, drugs, eating disorders, and both physical and mental pain. Gelsey Kirkland worked through all of those hardships and made her mark on the ballet world. The key factor in that is that she realized that she had problems and so she was able to fix them and live through them to write Dancing On My Grave to warn others in her same position. Experience is everything, and so in the world of ballet Gelsey Kirkland is a genius.

The truth will set you free
Never have I picked up a book and been completely pulverized with such honesty about the dance world, a world I was part of for 12 years. I have recently reread this book for the 13th time. I can't count the number of passages where I felt exactly the same way about a director, a costumer, a choreographer. I thought I was alone with these impressions. Her words provide great comfort when I remember my own experiences.
Many of her assertions regarding the idolatry of Balanchine and Baryshnikov vs. who they might have been underneath their "genius" touches on one simple fact: they were still human, and thus, flawed. Dance, which dies instantly, is supposedly ethereal and perfectionistic. In reality, it is a punishing art, and takes much mental and emotional focus to deal with the fleeting splendor one achieves while onstage. Her unflinching honesty, revealed from the eye of the studio and not so much the stage, came from a great struggle throughout her parents' uneasy marriage, her alcoholic father, and the struggles of anorexia and drug addiction, appears in passage after passage. When you have delved through the lower depths, you find the words to articulate the feelings all these previous things have denied. It's as if all the physical anguish finally pushed the right words out to describe her experience. I'm sure she made more than a few enemies by revealing all, but in the end, we all have to live with ourselves. We may never know another person as intimately as we know ourselves. She wished to please everyone by being something other than herself. In the end, to paraphrase from her book, she found who she was by seeing what she was not. Out of all the Balanchine dancers who've written autobiographies, Gelsey's and Toni Bentley's "Winter Season" stand out. Both of these dancers seek the truth, and with this, they found themselves. An excellent, stunning read. I adore this book.

I have now read this 13 times...
If I could plagiarize a life story, this would be it. From the family, to our fathers, to the teachers, to the addictions, her life in dance matched my life in dance quite eerily. I even have Gelsey's mom's birthday, I found out through reading this. This book is not rooted in idolatry for Balanchine or Baryshnikov, it tells the truth of a talented, intense, insecure woman who found her way out of the darkness to claim her gift, her voice, her artistry. Great artists are not just good or bad, they are both in equal measure. Could anyone else have the courage to leap towards fame only to come crashing down and then tell it like it really was? Kirkland is an anomaly in the dance world for her unorthodox techniques on the stage and in the classroom, but the physical articulation she achieved during her performances is amazingly surpassed by the strength, clarity, and conviction in her words. I picked this book up for the first time in 1991, only to read it again two months later. I have recently reread it for the 13th time, so comforting are her words. The layering of her descriptions and the vocabulary in which she illustrates the struggles of her life show nuance, shape, a dark ambience. This book, whether you're a dancer or not, tugs at the mind as well as the heart. Dance dies instantly after the performers leave the stage. Gelsey's words do not. Out of all the dancer's autobiographies out there, this one stands out. She struggles mightily for just the right phrase to describe the joy and the sorrow of the art she chose. The pictures you will gather upon finishing this, will show once and for all that substance is much greater than shadow, and that truth is the only thing worth holding onto in the end. She might be something of a maverick, but her contributions to ballet and teaching are illuminated brilliantly as she recounts the more sordid moments of her life without apology. No one could have described her better than herself. Read this and gasp--once again, she gives us her best. No dance collection is complete without this book.

a horror story
When I read 'Dancing on my Grave', I felt like I was in some surreal horror movie. I was nearing the end of my recovery, but while I read the book I felt like I was being dragged back 5 years or so to when my life was hell. The writing was good and so compelling that I could not put the book down, but I was miserable for every minute of it, and depressed and drained when the book finished. Gelsey delves deeply into her self-loathing, and the problems incumbent - anorexia and drug addiction. You feel like you are inside her tortured and despairing head. It's awful. But she never really comes to any conclusion. At the end of the book, she meets a wonderful man, flies away with him and says they are going to recover together. But although she sounds hopeful, she doesn't give any direction to the reader who might be going through the same hell. She leaves you in limbo and you just have to hope desperately that it all worked out. (In real life, I don't know if this happened. Two addicts cannot recover together.) I really don't think this book is helpful to anyone who reads it, except someone completely removed from either dance or eating disorders who wanted some insight. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

101 Lssons in Classical Ballet
It is helpful to someone who is learning the Voganova system so you can see what you will learn and review what you have already been thaught. In this book it will show you what you will learn an example is a portde bra.

Great book
This book is very good about giving ideas on what to teach from the beginning ballet technique up to advanced levels. From the ideas one can formulate a class and know that it follows a syllabus and will develop the student appropriately. It is a good book to use as a guide and I recommend it for that.

100 lessons in classical ballet
This collection of lesson plans has helped me tremendeousely in my school. I am able to use this and of course make it fit my own classes. Each lesson plans is working on progression gives you something to follow and does not allow you to get into a rutt.
I am also able to give it to other teachers and ask them to follow it. And then I know what the student has been taught.
I personally was taught the chachette method. But can be adapted very easily .
Kathy
New Creation Performing Arts

Marvelous Teaching Tool
"100 Lessons" will give any ballet teacher, new or seasoned, incredible insight into building technically secure dancers. The book details eight years of lesson plans each building on one another and could either be used to develop one's own syllabus or as a wealth of ideas from which to create lesson plans. I highly recommend this invaluable source to all teachers and studio owners. ... Read more

Book Description

Rudolf Laban was one of the great theorists and practitioners of movement. In Laban for All, expert teachers ofLaban's techniques offer simplified version of his system that can be used by anyone, from beginners to pros.

Extensively illustrated with John Dalby's line drawings and diagrams, Laban for All lays out the basic vocabulary of the Laban system and goes on to offer specific exercises.

The result is a thorough - and thoroughly practical - grounding in the most important movement system in use today. ... Read more

Book Description

This accessible, easy-to-read text designed for beginning and intermediate modern dance courses provides students with concrete, practical information on both the technical and creative aspects of modern dance. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Get ready to start dancing!
Phyllis Weikart's "Teaching Folk Dance" is an immense book filled with ideas, techniques, steps, and suggestions for teaching folk dance. At first I was a little confused with the language to dance terms but after reading a little bit more I'm understanding a lot better. This book takes you through the steps of learning and teaching the folk dances included throughout the book. (Some are even choreographed by the author) The dances are from around the world and range from beginner to intermediate. Weikart tells you how to read box notation in dance, as well as giving you a step by step written version. One thing I REALLY appreciated was a section in one of the appendixes giving suggestions to which dances you should include within the same lessons. (There is a sequential set of lessons laid out) This is a great resource to have. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Christy Lane's Complete Book of Line Dancing
"This is the best line dancing book I have read on the market today. Christy Lane has obviously done her homework. I appreciated the diagrams along with the written descriptions and the song recommendations the most. Great book Christy!" Thank You.

Good reference tool
I have been teaching dance for years and find this book easy to use and read.It is a great reference tool for all teachers! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

I LOVED this book!
I loved this book. Although I would prefer to have an instructor teach me, I live in a remote area and I don't think these classes will ever make it out my way! =(
I already have the video (same name/class/etc...) and it's really great. The book reinforced what I learned in the video and had all sorts of motivational information and tips. I just thought it was top drawer!
The colors are beautiful, the pictures are too...it was just a real "girl" book!
Buy it, you won't be disappointed!! ... Read more

Book Description

Nada Mirat has investigated for eight years, high class-no contact exotic cabarets. She discovered these women are genuinely true actresses-Dancerettes-as she refers to them.

This book reveals the truth behind exotic dancing, exploring the myths and brings to light a subject many considered taboo until now. It provides a working knowledge of the industry, key on becoming the best dancer, leaving an impression on all of your customers, so you may increase your profits. Illustrating the art of movement and seduction, so you will stand out in the very competitive market. Printed on ultra high quality paper with 141 color photographs and each book is individually shrink-wraped.It contains a delightful chapter on Posing for Playboy Croatia and her visit to the Playboy Mansion as a guest of Hugh Hefner. Nada Mirat holds the title as one of the highest financially gifted playmates in history! After her appearance on the cover and centerfold of 2001 Croatian Playboy, a fan made her a millionaires. The book recieved excellent reviews from major publications: Croatian Playboy, Beverly Hills Times mag, reader reviews, and hundreds of letters of thank you fan mail. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

FUN, INFORMATIVE, SEXY BOOK
I enjoyed reading and feasting on all the sexy photos & different looks a woman can acquire. I am not a dancer, yet I purchased this book cause my boyfriend & I visit gentlemen's clubs often. We know many dancers whom have read The Art of Exotic Dancing by Nada Mirat and they all think it is awsome. Including one of the porn superstars, whom used to dance full time and now features at high class cabarets, whom we recently met, and she also loves it. She said the book is on the dot about the industry.We were surprised that she knew so much about it. She said to us "Nada shows you how ot walk, talk, speak, dress, dance, move, and conquer the industry of exotic entertainment." We both agreed. Nada Mirat also explains the whole industry. How the clubs are run, where are the best clubs to dance at, list of almost all the clubs in US, what makes a club, working the VIP room, many roles the actresses can play, how to be a fantasy on stage, even a chapter, if this profession is for you? She did not miss a thing and my boyfriend and I are so much more informed now that this is a business a profession for these girls, and we don't waste their time at the clubs any longer. We used to spend to much time and not tip them enough, now we do it different and pick the cream of the crop and make sure she is taken care of. We will continue to recommend this book to all the dancers. It will help them all get more cash in their garders. Lucy, a devoted fan from Beverly Hills.

RECOMMENDED AND RATED AT FIVE STARS
I am an dancer from Seattle and I have read every book on the subject of Exotic Dancing. None of them can come close to comparison. This book is top quality, not some cheap print. It has nothing but excellent pointers for a dancer. The author is well informed on the subject and gives honest to Lord truth on this industry. Loaded with great pictures, covering every aspect of exotic clubs. I have been dancing for 1 yr and I was not the best dancer and had a very hard time aquiring customers. This book has changed my life and income. I am the top girl at my club now, thanks to Playmate Nada Mirat teachings. This book had to of cost a pretty penny to produce, and even my mom enjoyed reading it. I have become a sexy lady and no girl in the club makes as much as I do. Nothing was spared here. It is the book of the millennium on how to become a burlesque queen in todays day and age. The author comes across very kind and loving, she calls us all actresses and believe me we are nothing but actors. She speaks of every aspect of exotic world and lists clubs for you. She advises you to save money for the rainy days and invest, how to seduce your customers and keep them in the vip room. How to dress, act, move, talk, walk, treat the managment, the girls and how to make a huge profit. I sure have become a professional in this field in a very short time, thanks to this inspiring, quality, educating book. Also, love the chapter on posing for croatian playboy, the author puts a lovely lite on Hugh Hefner which was nice to read. Lord knows he had some bad publicity in the past. From her writing about her experience at the mansion he seems like a pretty cool guy. A reader from Seattle.

Most informative book on exotic dancing
I have read and explored few books on this subject. I was a new girl in the world of exotic dancing and I needed guidance. I purchased a book The S Factor by Sheila Kelly together with Nada Mirat's The Art of Exotic Dancing. Sheila's book was good, yet that book is for people wanting to use it as an exercise guide, not about how the world of exotic dancing operates. I also read The Art of Exotic Dancing for everyday woman by Leah Stauffer and it was based for housewives, yet it was fun as well. My review on this book comes from the knowlage of the author, as she is the only one that has written a true how to on Exotic Dancing industry. How to auditon, how the clubs work, how to dress, how to present yourself to the client and the best part is that it makes sence. It is well written and described. This book is very pretty and I love what she teaches. She makes the world know that this is a profession just like any other career and you should not be ashamed of what you do. If you work in a no contact high class club as she teaches, you will make money with all her great information. I was impressed and I recommend this book highly. I am takeing every bit of information and useing it, as it is working for me already. Love the pictures and I love the way the author shows us that we can be all kinds of different women. This is in my opinion the best book out there about this subject. A reader from California.

Not sure why this keeps getting 5 stars
Pretty bad. A lot of pictures, not much else unfortunately. I am not sure why this keeps getting 5 stars. I guess some readers have different opinions on what comprises of quality material that attempts to describe an art.

A Profit Maker & Beautiful Coffee Table Book To Be Proud Of
I'm not a "dancerette" as Nada Mirat puts it, but I'm a "regular" at dance clubs. I've bought many copies of this book to give out to my favorite dancers because I've seen it drastically increase their profits WITHOUT scamming their customers (like some dancers think they need to do.)

Believe it or not, being an honest dancer, like Nada teaches in her fantastic book, will make one a lot more money in the long run. Nada is living proof. And I've seen this happen over and over again to the dancers I've given the Nada's book to. They decided to try what Nada suggests, and when they changed their attitude and approach to their business, the money just naturally followed them.

The only problem now is, I hardly ever see them! They're always in the VIP room making much more money than just $20 "table dances" running around saying "Do you wanna dance?"

If I was a good looking female, I'd probably be dancing too, and Nada's book would be my bible of the industry.

I can imagine that the 2 negative (and shallow) reviews here were done by jealous people. They only wish they were a winner like Nada. Some people are just that way. The one person criticizing one mispelled word in the book is ridiculous, like that's going to make all the information in the book bad! lol.

Then the other one that said it wasn't helpful, yet she's NOT in the industry! I was laughing my "a" off on that one. How can she expect it to help her make money if she's not even in the business!? lol.

But if you're IN this business, and you want to really learn how it's done right, and make a lot more money than you ever imagined, and do it in a way that's ethical, then I suggest you get this book right now. I truly believe it will become your "dancerette" bible.

Then when you see your income at least double, you'll be thanking Nada, and not criticize her for this very badly needed book she wrote to teach dancers how to do this business right, and in a way they can live with themselves.

I also recommend this book for customers too. You'll find that not all dancers are alike. You'll learn how to pick a good one from the bad ones. It's the sincere "dancerettes" who are the one's who should get your money, not the scamsters.

This business can be done honestly without lying to your customers and leading them on. Believe me, I've seen just about every "trick" dancers have tried.

If you want STEADY customers, then learn how to do the business right, and you'll have a steady income without stressing whether "tonight" is going to be a good night to make money.

From a Customer who LOVES dancerettes! ... Read more

Book Description

The Routledge Dance Studies Reader represents the range and diversity of writings on dance from the 1980s and 1990s, providing contemporary perspectives on ballet, modern dance, postmodern 'movement performance' jazz, South Asian dance and Black dance.

In an enlightening introduction, Alexandra Carter traces the development of dance studies internationally and surveys current debates about the methods and methodologies appropriate to the study of dance. Each section begins with an editorial preface, and features contributions by choreographers, performers, critics and scholars of dance and related disciplinary fields. The sections cover choreography, performance, writing criticism, the place of dance in history and society and analysis of specific dance works. An invaluable introduction to the key dance texts, The Routledge Dance Studies Reader is for anyone interested in enhancing their experience of dance. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This unusual, fascinating, and at times almost surreal autobiography chronicles the life of Allegra Kent, one of the most famous--and notorious--of Balanchine's prima ballerinas. The most blatantly erotic of Balanchine ballets were written for her pliant and chilly dance method. This book has it all: art, dance, infidelity, sexual intrigue, histrionics, eccentric outbursts, nose jobs, philosophy, and Krishnamurti. Entirely entertaining and intriguing for both dance enthusiasts and those who don't know a plié from a jeté. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Once A Dancer...What a Life...
Ms. Kent's style of writing mirrors that of her dancing: beautiful and inspiring. Throughout her fairytale, as this work cannot accurately be described as a story, nor a novel- it is every young girl's dream written elegantly and delicately onto the pages of her autobiography, Ms. Kent speaks honestly and candidly about her troubles and problems that arise in her life. Such situations unclude her emotional relationship with photographer Bert Stern, as well as her desire to continue dancing and performing after pregnancy (and how George Balanchine viewed her decisions regarding her choice to start a family mid-career). She also discusses her multiple attempts at careers outside the New York City Ballet; from her stunts as a guest artist, to her trials and misconceptions about the Allegra Kent School of Ballet. Ms Kent concludes her book with the statement, "...dancing well is the best revenge". Perhaps it could be better said that writing about life in dance has become Ms. Kent's true revenge. [HHS-4]

Once A Dancer....What a Fairytale
Ms. Kent's style of writing mirrors that of her dancing: beautiful and inspiring. Throughout her fairytale, as this work cannot accurately be described as a story, nor a novel- it is every young girl's dream written elegantly and delicately onto the pages of her autobiography, Ms. Kent speaks honestly and candidly about her troubles and problems that arise in her life. Such situations include her emotional relationship with photographer Bert Stern, as well as her desire to continue dancing and performing after pregnancy (and how George Balanchine viewed her decisions regarding her choice to start a family mid-career). She also discusses her multiple attempts at careers outside the New York City Ballet; from her stunts as a guest artist, to her trials and misconceptions about the Allegra Kent School of Ballet. Ms Kent concludes her book with the statement, "...dancing well is the best revenge". Perhaps it could be better said that writing about life in dance has become Ms. Kent's true revenge. [HHS-4]

A paean to what once was
I saw her dance once, and I still dream of that night. Balanchine was at his peak, and Allegra Kent was more than his principal dancer - she was his muse, his passion, his nemesis. And her dancing was incredible. Once a Dancer, Kent's autobiography, chronicles the strange world of famous ballerinas, plagued as most of them are by anorexia, domineering stage mothers, vulnerability to dance gurus, plastic surgery, and a long, long series of self-destructive behavior. Wonderful sketches of other luminaries from her era are included, plus photos, but it's the end of the book that one remembers: the poignancy of someone of Allegra Kent's talents looking back on her life and appreciating in retrospect all that she once was, is heartbreaking.

An amazing dancer, an amazing life, a dull biography.
Allegra Kent describes her life as a dancer, but does not bother to examine it. By chapter two, her self-pitying tone had become rather annoying.
However, this book does not fail to entertain... her life was certainly quite interesting. I especially enjoyed the study of her complex relationship with her parents.
Once a Dancer is worth reading but nothing compared to the biographies of Suzanne Farrell and Gelsey Kirkland (two of Mr. B's other prima ballerinas).

a must read
I am a lawyer, not a dancer. However, I absolutely loved this book. Alegra has a wonderful writing syle which captivated me from the beginning. From her yearnings for affection and approval to her unbelievable dancing success, she had me hooked on every page. In fact, thanks to allegra, I have started taking dance lessons!! ... Read more