35 replies to this topic

[Alexandra]

It continues to fascinate me that so many of you who have only seen a video and read the books are still so interested in a dancer whose career ended far too soon.  Thanks, Katharyn, for yet another beautiful and insightful post.

There was a Kirkland thread in the Greatest Performances Forum.  I'm going to go there now and post something just to put the thread back in action. (And, by the way, please note that if you go to the top of the Board where it says show posts for X days, you can go all the way down to a year; if you do that, you'll get all the threads. On the Greatest Performances Forum, at least, there might be some things of interest that people who weren't here in October or November would like to read.

Alexandra

[pdance]

I'm almost finished with the book Dancing on my Grave.  It seems as though she was never happy except when she was a young girl.  I have admired her greatly just from seeing the Kirkland/Baryshnikov Nutcracker movie, but it makes me respect her less because of the horrible way she has run her life.  It's very discouraging.  Hollyberry:  I am taking into consideration what you said about Gelsey's classes at SBT.  As some of you know, I was accepted to the summer program there but am still waiting for a reply for scholarship!  I think that this may have to be a last minute thing.  Sorry, that was a little off the subject!    

[This message has been edited by pdance (edited April 02, 1999).]

[Alexandra]

pdance, you're right.  It's not a nice book. She was a very troubled young woman.  But it doesn't take away from the fact that she had a very great talent.  That kind of a talent is a gift, but it can also be a burden if one doesn't have the right kind of guidance.  Gelsey Kirkland seems to have had very little help.  I don't look down on her for her problems, although I found the book very distasteful.  I look at her as someone with an illness.  I think there's a difference between someone with a weakness of character and someone who is ill.  All she really wanted was to be a perfect dancer.  

Any dancer I've ever talked to who had the chance to work with a great artist has found it one of the most exciting and important experiences in their life.  So I hope you get your scholarship, and that you don't hold the book against her.  (She would have had a lot of help writing the book, you konw, and they would have been anxious to put the most sensational stuff in it.)

Alexandra

[pdance]

I agree, Alexandra.  I don't hold the book against her, though I feel that she did make some wrong choices, such as cocaine.  I feel sorry for her because of her anorexia.  I do agree that she was sick.

[pdance]

I agree, Alexandra.  I don't hold the book against her, though I feel that she did make some wrong choices, such as cocaine.  I feel sorry for her because of her anorexia.  I do agree that she was sick.

[Alexandra]

Hi, pdance.  I'm really glad to hear from you.  I was afraid that Gelsey's book had really turned you off of all things ballet!  Both you and Sezza have, I think, a very mature attitude towards the dancer and her book.

I think that somewhere else, you (pdance) had asked about Darcey Bussell's book?  I've found it for you. It's called "Life in Dance," by Darcey Bussell.  The publisher is CenturyTa London publisher, but I'm sure it will be available over here.  If not, and it's not in your library, you could ask someone to try David Leonard's site, dance books, at  www.dancebooks.co.uk .  I think she's had a simpler life (but don't take everything she says about her roles as Gospel).

Alexandra

P.S.  If anyone else wants to answer this post, or talk more about Gelsey Kirkland, could you PLEASE START A NEW THREAD?  THANKS.