Books for 13 year old dancers

[dancelyssa]

For the 11-14 range, are these books appropriate

Maria Tallchief's autobiography

A Winter Season

Jerome Robbins biography

But first a school:the first fifty years of SAB

A Dance of Sisters

[SFB2b]

out of those i have read winter season and maria tallchief's book, both when i was 12. i cant think of any inappropriate content, but i'm not particularly sensitive to things that a lot of people are.

[Farrell Fan]

There are two Jerome Robbins biographies. The new one is by Deborah Jowitt; the three-year-old one by Greg Lawrence. Both authors are candid, without being explicit, about Robbins's homosexuality. Both books are approximately 600 pages, far too long and detailed to interest most in this age group. Jowitt's is the better book, IMO, because she had access to Robbins's letters and other writings. I persevered through both, but I'm 72.

[Guest dancer522]

I'm 13 and I'm looking for a book, too, preferably a biography of a dancer. Does anyone else have any suggestions?

[dancelyssa]

I am interested in one by Deborah Jowitt, called Jerry Robbins: His life, his theatre, his dance. I have read much longer books than this and am rather advanced at reading, but my mom doesn;t want me to be reading anything that is inappropriate.

[Farrell Fan]

Another book you asked about, dancelyssa, is "But First a School." This book by Jennifer Dunning is more than appropriate, I think you would find it faxcinating. It goes from the founding and early years of SAB to "the school today," which in this case means the 1980s. (The book was published in 1985 and is out-of-print, but available from amazon.) There are nice photos and, among other things, a list of teachers at SAB including permanent, guest, and summer faculties.

[Guest dancer522]

What does anyone think about Suzanne Farrell- Holding onto The Air, (I think that's what it's called...). I was looking at the Barnes and Noble website for dance biographies and came across it. Did you think it was interesting and do you think it would be suitable for someone my age. (I'm an advanced reader, also.)

[dancelyssa]

dancer522, I read holding on to the air several times and I love it! The reading level is perfect, perhaps a bit easy, for an advanced 13 year old reader.

[Guest probablydancin]

I just read this book called "On Pointe". It is a awesome book, I don't have my book with me, so I can't tell you the author right now, but you will probably be able to find it at most book stores. It's currently my favorite booK!

[Guest xballetdreamsx]

A Dance Of Sisters is a good book, but I wouldn't exactly let an 11 year old read it. A 13 year old would be probably be alright though, in my opinion.

 

probablydancin-

On Pointe is written by Lorie Ann Grover.

 

-nicole

[pink_tutu]

When I was younger, about age 10, a lady gave me almost all of her ballet books, and there are atleast 25 of them. For biographies that are good for dancers 11-14, here is my list of books I have read:

 

- A Dance Autobiography: Natalia Makarova This is pretty long, (366 pages) but most of it is pictures... which are fun to look at.

 

- Peter Martins: Far From Denmark This one might be boring, but its very informative and interesting to read. There are also a lot of pictures in this one.

 

-Melissa Hayden: Ballerina This one is very short, about 7 or 8 chapters, but I really enjoyed reading it and it is very inspiring. I would say you could read this earlier than age 13 though... maybe an advanced 10 year old could read this.

 

-Alicia Markova By Anton Dolin This book is about 320 pages long, and its very good. There aren't many pictures, but it is definently worth reading!

 

-Dance as Life This is really good... at the moment I'm not sure who the author is, but it is good. Maybe inapropriate for an 11 or 12 year old though. Its a book about ABT a long time ago (I think about 1965, I'm not really sure.) It was written when ABT still had the school (not the new one.)

 

Thats all that an 11 or 12 or 13 or 14 year old would be interested in reading... The other ones I haven't really gotten to yet. Like, I have a book about Galina Ulanova (I think it's called Days with Ulanova by: Albert E. Kahn) that is very old and it has lots of black and white photos, then I have The Nureyev Image by Alexander Bland, but I don't think I'll read that one for a few more years.

 

I have been looking for the Winter Season for a while, but haven't been able to find it... that looks like a good book too.

[Guest xballetdreamsx]

-Dance as Life This is really good... at the moment I'm not sure who the author is, but it is good. Maybe inapropriate for an 11 or 12 year old though. Its a book about ABT a long time ago (I think about 1965, I'm not really sure.) It was written when ABT still had the school (not the new one.)

If you could... could you get the author of that book for me? It sounds really interesting, and I'd like to give it a try.

[pink_tutu]

Okay, I just found the book under my bed a few minutes ago. Dance As Life was written by Franklin Stevens and the publishing company is Harper & Row, if that helps you any.

[Guest imadancer]

xballetdremsx, I love your thing at the bottom of your posts (im a huge creed fan)

how do you get those? anyways, I just read A Dance of Sisters and liked it, holding onto the air is also really good

[Guest probablydancin]

Do you mean signitures? You go to my controls, then go to edit my signiture and you can put your message there and it will come up at the bottom of every post! Sorry if I wasnt supposed to answer that...