David Hallberg, the first American to join the famed Bolshoi Ballet as a principal dancer and the dazzling artist The New Yorker described as “the most exciting male dancer in the western world,” 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 readers 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.
0 有用 Jacqueline_琳 2022-11-04 01:39:35 美国
Audible // A nice balance of personal experience, professional insight, and trivia. 讲自己儿时被欺凌和职业当打之年受伤复建的经历最为poignant, 文笔流畅但中后段内容有些重复累赘。
0 有用 么顺 2023-09-05 23:47:34 广东
有锋利尖锐的不痛快也有超然的快乐,可以说是毫无保留了。万万没想到那段完美的莫大直播《睡美人》王子变奏是在已然受伤的情况下跳的。最动人的描写是找到舞台soul mate波娃的段落(哪想到他一个老美为了波娃才去的俄罗斯,结果才跳完第一场就被记者告知波娃要走了)。还有!跟Chudin洗俄罗斯桑拿那几章我爆笑好几天。感觉好多细节值得做个读书笔记了。
0 有用 艾_曲 2018-11-25 15:18:32
如此真实的心灵
0 有用 三点水 2020-07-05 04:21:09
挺平步青云的经历,但是写的还挺感人的,可以看的出来是对艺术很投入的一个人~
0 有用 墨存 2022-10-25 23:53:06 北京
长篇累牍的自怨自怜,充满了标准的美式傲慢。我错了,应该给《天堂鸟》道歉,它竟是写实作品,缺心眼美国佬主角艺术源于生活。
0 有用 么顺 2023-09-05 23:47:34 广东
有锋利尖锐的不痛快也有超然的快乐,可以说是毫无保留了。万万没想到那段完美的莫大直播《睡美人》王子变奏是在已然受伤的情况下跳的。最动人的描写是找到舞台soul mate波娃的段落(哪想到他一个老美为了波娃才去的俄罗斯,结果才跳完第一场就被记者告知波娃要走了)。还有!跟Chudin洗俄罗斯桑拿那几章我爆笑好几天。感觉好多细节值得做个读书笔记了。
0 有用 Jacqueline_琳 2022-11-04 01:39:35 美国
Audible // A nice balance of personal experience, professional insight, and trivia. 讲自己儿时被欺凌和职业当打之年受伤复建的经历最为poignant, 文笔流畅但中后段内容有些重复累赘。
0 有用 墨存 2022-10-25 23:53:06 北京
长篇累牍的自怨自怜,充满了标准的美式傲慢。我错了,应该给《天堂鸟》道歉,它竟是写实作品,缺心眼美国佬主角艺术源于生活。
0 有用 三点水 2020-07-05 04:21:09
挺平步青云的经历,但是写的还挺感人的,可以看的出来是对艺术很投入的一个人~
0 有用 晴雪之夜 2019-07-09 06:46:33
写的很真实而真诚——也许在有些人看来反而是缺点,不够drama,不能满足有些人对于这个行业各种奇葩的阴谋论想象。