40 replies to this topic

[Tiffany]

I have to agree, no one is too old for Noel Streatfeild's books!  I have 3 of them-Ballet Shoes, Dancing Shoes, and Theatre Shoes, but there are at least 10 more, Circus Shoes, Movie Shoes, etc., though out of print, they are still listed on Amazon, and some are available through Amazon sellers.

Another good biography is Suzanne Farrell's Holding on to the Air: An Autobiography.  

The Ballet Family is listed as being by Mabel Esther Allen, at least in our library. B)

[Funny Face]

Of course, there's the very trashy "Mirrors" by James Lipton (yes, the same who interviews all the actors on the BRAVO channel).  It was written in 1981 and made into a movie years ago.  I have a copy with all kinds of kudos from dancers and others in the arts, such as Neil Simon, Clive Barnes, Joanne Woodward, Fernando Bujones, Cy Coleman, Ann Reinking, Pete Hamill, Gwen Verdon and Bob Fosse.  

I know, I know, if all these people think it's great stuff, who am I to quibble?  But I'll hold my ground on this one.  It's trash -- mildly entertaining trash, but trash all the same.  If anyone else has read it, please chime in.  I'd love to hear other views.

[Sherellen]

The following are all adult fiction ballet books:
Still Point by Deborah Weisgall (set in New York)
The Body of Dancers by Candice Leigh Brown (set in San Francisco)
In the Company of Others by Anthony Howell
Carnival of Saints by George Herman (Not a book on ballet, but a novel of Renaissance Italy -- an excellent introduction to the theatrical form of commedia dell'arte).
I have others to add to this list at a later date once I find all my books that I have collected over the years.

[Alexandra]

Thanks for those -- I've never heard of Carnival of Saints; it sounds interesting.

[Sherellen]

A Regina J. Woody book that I recently found is called Student Dancer published in 1951.  It includes famous dance personalities (Lucia Chase, Katherine Dunham, Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey, Sally Kamin, Igor Youskevitch, Nora Kaye, Walter Terry and others) into the novel.
Other ballet fiction novels that may be found in paperback at used bookstores are Ballet! by Tom Murphy (1978), Save the Last Dance for Me by Judi Miller (1981), and Encore by Monique Raphel High (1981).
One paperback that I thoroughly enjoyed is Six Curtains for Stroganova (1986), originally published in 1946 as Six Curtains for Natasha.  Authors are Caryl Brahms and S.J.Simon.  This was a series and I have been unable to find the companions:  A Bullet in the Ballet and Murder a la  Stroganoff (British title:  Casino for Sale).  
And for those who can read French: L'Amour au Miroir (1983) by Ludmila Tcherina.

[Funny Face]

I have Tom Murphy's book.  I bought it when it first came out in 1978 and haven't read it since, so I'll have to see what I think of it now.  He steals a bit from real life in creating his characters.  For instance, instead of the artistic director giving his favorite dancers a bottle of specially concocted perfume - a al Balanchine - the fictitious version signifies a female dancer has arrived by giving her a specially colored scarf.  There's also a young defector named Dimitri, obviously modeled after Baryshnikov.  

Another novel that came out the following year is "Ballerina," by Edward Stewart.  The NY Times pronounced, "It is the right moment for the big ballet novel - and this one is it!"

Inside the front cover is a quote from Publishers Weekly:  "Rumor has it that galleys of this book were being passed around backstage at the New York City Ballet just the other week, and no wonder.  Stewart has put together the quintessential ballet novel, long overdue ... bound for as much success as a book as Turning Point achieved in films!"

Both of these books came out a year or two after the release of "The Turning Point" and the U.S. was on a ballet high.    I still have the cover of the Time issue with Gelsey Kirkland on the cover -- above her picture it said 'U.S. Ballet Soars!"

[rebekah]

There is also The Ballet Twins by Jean Estorial (author of the Drina books)-not surprisingly it is about twins who audition for the Lingeraux School of Ballet (a fictitious school which is mentioned in the Drina books too, Drina meets Madama Lingeraux on one of her many holidays!)

I love children's books-still re-read them all now and I'm 24! xx

[BexxiM]

I dont know if you are still looking  for books  but I would  suggest  In the Company of Swans. I read it last  year when I needed Historic fictions to read  for  a  paper I did. I was very impressed I hope this helps.