A Body of Work Lib/E: Dancing to the Edge and Back

Author:   David Hallberg ,  Vikas Adam
Publisher:   Blackstone Publishing
ISBN:  

9781538491379


Publication Date:   07 November 2017
Format:   Audio  Audio Format
Availability:   In stock   Availability explained
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A Body of Work Lib/E: Dancing to the Edge and Back


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Overview

David Hallberg, the first American to join the famed Bolshoi Ballet as a principal dancer and the dazzling artist the New York Times described as the foremost classical stylist of our day, 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. Beginning with his real-life Billy Elliot childhood-an all-American story marred by intense bullying-and culminating in his hard-won come-back, Hallberg's brave memoir dives deep into life as an artist as he wrestles with ego, pushes the limits of his body, and searches for ecstatic perfection and fulfillment as one of the world's most acclaimed ballet dancers. 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, self-doubt, and perfectionism as he takes listeners into daily class, rigorous rehearsals, and triumphant performances, searching for new interpretations of ballet's greatest roles. He reveals the loneliness he felt as a teenager leaving America to join the Paris Opera Ballet, 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 rank of Bolshoi Ballet, tendered by the artistic director who would later be the victim of a vicious acid attack. Then, as Hallberg performed throughout the world at the peak of his abilities, he suffered a crippling ankle injury and unsuccessful surgery leading to an agonizing retreat from ballet and an honest reexamination of his entire life. Combining his powers of observation and memory with emotional honesty and artistic insight, Hallberg has written a great ballet memoir and an intimate portrait of an artist in all his vulnerability, passion, and wisdom.

Full Product Details

Author:   David Hallberg ,  Vikas Adam
Publisher:   Blackstone Publishing
Imprint:   Blackstone Publishing
Dimensions:   Width: 16.50cm , Height: 3.30cm , Length: 15.50cm
Weight:   0.340kg
ISBN:  

9781538491379


ISBN 10:   1538491370
Publication Date:   07 November 2017
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Audio
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In stock   Availability explained
We have confirmation that this item is in stock with the supplier. It will be ordered in for you and dispatched immediately.

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Reviews

David demonstrates well the emotional as well as physical demands of dance. -- Twyla Tharp, Emmy Award-winning choreographer An inspiring story of Hallberg's rise to the pinnacle of his profession and his battle to reclaim his career. -- Kirkus Reviews [This] brisk, beautifully executed new memoir...documents his rise to the top of the ballet world and coping with a career-threatening injury...Provides an enthralling inside look at life in the studio-the physical pain, the hard-to-please partners, the struggle to transcend technique and achieve artistry...Readers of every taste will find much to relish in his inspiring book. -- BookPage Elegant...fascinating...inspiring..Anyone interested in the creative process will appreciate this thoughtful account of the life of an accomplished artist. -- Booklist What makes A Body of Work a must-read is the raw honesty with which Hallberg describes the intense lonliness of a jet-setting career, his oscillation between extreme perfectionism and uninspired listlessness, and his harrowing mindset as he faced, and ultimately overcame, what was nearly a career-ending injury. -- Dance Magazine Compelling...for anyone who would like to get to an intimate view of the creative process and the challenges, dedication, and euphoria of being an artist....It's a book for everyone with a heart. -- DC Metro Theater Arts Candid and engrossing...With a light touch, he leads the reader through his fanatical devotion to dance, how he came to be an adrenaline junkie hooked on performing...His book is peppered with disclosures, many of them painful: the bullies, his first love, his snotty classmates during a year of study in Paris-and that one intimidating ballerina. -- Washington Post


Author Information

David Hallberg is a principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre in New York. He was the first American to join the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow as a principal dancer. He continues to dance around the world and is a Resident Guest Artist with the Australian Ballet. He started the David Hallberg Scholarship, mentoring young boys aspiring to a career in ballet, and the Innovation Initiative, a platform for emerging choreographers, both at American Ballet Theatre. Vikas Adam is a classically trained actor with numerous credits in stage, film, commercials, and television, in addition to his over one hundred recorded audiobooks. An Audie Award nominee, he has garnered many awards for his narrations, including AudioFile Earphones Awards and various Best of the Year lists.

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