I Was a DancerI Was a Dancer
a Memoir
Title rated 4 out of 5 stars, based on 11 ratings(11 ratings)
Book, 2011
Current format, Book, 2011, 1st ed, Available .Book, 2011
Current format, Book, 2011, 1st ed, Available . Offered in 0 more formats“Who am I? I’m a man; an American, a father, a teacher, but most of all, I am a person who knows how the arts can change lives, because they transformed mine. I was a dancer.”
In this rich, expansive, spirited memoir, Jacques d’Amboise, one of America’s most celebrated classical dancers, and former principal dancer with the New York City Ballet for more than three decades, tells the extraordinary story of his life in dance, and of America’s most renowned and admired dance companies.
He writes of his classical studies beginning at the age of eight at The School of American Ballet. At twelve he was asked to perform with Ballet Society; three years later he joined the New York City Ballet and made his European debut at London’s Covent Garden.
As George Balanchine’s protégé, d’Amboise had more works choreographed on him by “the supreme Ballet Master” than any other dancer, among them Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux; Episodes; A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream; Jewels; Raymonda Variations.
He writes of his boyhood—born Joseph Ahearn—in Dedham, Massachusetts; his mother (“the Boss”) moving the family to New York City’s Washington Heights; dragging her son and daughter to ballet class (paying the teacher $7.50 from hats she made and sold on street corners, and with chickens she cooked stuffed with chestnuts); his mother changing the family name from Ahearn to her maiden name, d’Amboise (“It’s aristocratic. It has the ‘d’ apostrophe. It sounds better for the ballet, and it’s a better name”).
We see him. a neighborhood tough, in Catholic schools being taught by the nuns; on the streets, fighting with neighborhood gangs, and taking ten classes a week at the School of American Ballet . . . being taught professional class by Balanchine (he was “small, unassuming, he radiated energy and total command”) and by other teachers of great legend: Anatole Oboukhoff, premier danseur of the Maryinsky Theatre (“Such a big star,” said Balanchine, “people followed him, like a prince with servants”); and Pierre Vladimiroff, Pavlova’s partner (“So light on feather feet”). Vladimiroff drilled into his students, “You must practice, practice, practice. Onstage, forget everything! Just listen to the music and dance.”
D’Amboise writes about Balanchine’s succession of ballerina muses who inspired him to near-obsessive passion and led him to create extraordinary ballets, dancers with whom d’Amboise partnered—Maria Tallchief; Tanaquil LeClercq, a stick-skinny teenager who blossomed into an exquisite, witty, sophisticated “angel” with her “long limbs and dramatic, mysterious elegance . . .”; the iridescent Allegra Kent; Melissa Hayden; Suzanne Farrell, who Balanchine called his “alabaster princess,” her every fiber, every movement imbued with passion and energy; Kay Mazzo; Kyra Nichols (“She’s perfect,” Balanchine said. “Uncomplicated—like fresh water”); and Karin von Aroldingen, to whom Balanchine left most of his ballets.
D’Amboise writes about dancing with and courting one of the company’s members, who became his wife for fifty-three years, and the four children they had . . . On going to Hollywood to make Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and being offered a long-term contract at MGM (“If you’re not careful,” Balanchine warned, “you will have sold your soul for seven years”) . . . On Jerome Robbins (“Jerry could be charming and complimentary, and then, five minutes later, attack, and crush your spirit—all to see how it would influence the dance movements”).
D’Amboise writes of the moment when he realizes his dancing career is over and he begins a new life and new dream teaching children all over the world about the arts through the magic of dance.
A riveting, magical book, as transformative as dancing itself.
In this spirited memoir, Jacques d'Amboise, one of America's most celebrated classical dancers, and former principal dancer with the New York City Ballet for more than three decades, tells the story of his life in dance, and of America's most renowned and admired dance companies. He writes of his mother dragging her son and daughter to ballet class. We see him, a neighborhood tough, on the streets, fighting with neighborhood gangs, and taking ten classes a week at the School of American Ballet; being taught by Balanchine and other great teachers. We meet Balanchine's succession of ballerina muses who inspired him to near-obsessive passion, dancers with whom d'Amboise partnered; of going to Hollywood and being offered a long-term contract at MGM; and of the moment when he realizes his dancing career is over and he begins a new life teaching children all over the world about the arts through the magic of dance.--From publisher description.
A lively memoir of an extraordinary life. D'Amboise (b. 1934), a protégé of George Balanchine, was a principal dancer with the New York City Ballet for more than 33 years (he began there at age 15). In 1976 he founded National Dance Institute, where children have been taught to dance for several decades. This account describes his childhood, training, and career. B&w photos are included. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
A former principal dancer for the New York City ballet traces the story of a life in dance that honors the contributions of such figures as George Balanchine, Lincoln Kirstein and Jerome Robbins while discussing his work at the side of famous dancers, teachers and choreographers.
A former principal dancer for the New York City ballet traces the story of a life in dance that honors the contributions of George Balanchine, Lincoln Kirstein, and Jerome Robbins while discussing his work at the side of famous dancers, teachers, and choreographers.
In this rich, expansive, spirited memoir, Jacques d’Amboise, one of America’s most celebrated classical dancers, and former principal dancer with the New York City Ballet for more than three decades, tells the extraordinary story of his life in dance, and of America’s most renowned and admired dance companies.
He writes of his classical studies beginning at the age of eight at The School of American Ballet. At twelve he was asked to perform with Ballet Society; three years later he joined the New York City Ballet and made his European debut at London’s Covent Garden.
As George Balanchine’s protégé, d’Amboise had more works choreographed on him by “the supreme Ballet Master” than any other dancer, among them Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux; Episodes; A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream; Jewels; Raymonda Variations.
He writes of his boyhood—born Joseph Ahearn—in Dedham, Massachusetts; his mother (“the Boss”) moving the family to New York City’s Washington Heights; dragging her son and daughter to ballet class (paying the teacher $7.50 from hats she made and sold on street corners, and with chickens she cooked stuffed with chestnuts); his mother changing the family name from Ahearn to her maiden name, d’Amboise (“It’s aristocratic. It has the ‘d’ apostrophe. It sounds better for the ballet, and it’s a better name”).
We see him. a neighborhood tough, in Catholic schools being taught by the nuns; on the streets, fighting with neighborhood gangs, and taking ten classes a week at the School of American Ballet . . . being taught professional class by Balanchine (he was “small, unassuming, he radiated energy and total command”) and by other teachers of great legend: Anatole Oboukhoff, premier danseur of the Maryinsky Theatre (“Such a big star,” said Balanchine, “people followed him, like a prince with servants”); and Pierre Vladimiroff, Pavlova’s partner (“So light on feather feet”). Vladimiroff drilled into his students, “You must practice, practice, practice. Onstage, forget everything! Just listen to the music and dance.”
D’Amboise writes about Balanchine’s succession of ballerina muses who inspired him to near-obsessive passion and led him to create extraordinary ballets, dancers with whom d’Amboise partnered—Maria Tallchief; Tanaquil LeClercq, a stick-skinny teenager who blossomed into an exquisite, witty, sophisticated “angel” with her “long limbs and dramatic, mysterious elegance . . .”; the iridescent Allegra Kent; Melissa Hayden; Suzanne Farrell, who Balanchine called his “alabaster princess,” her every fiber, every movement imbued with passion and energy; Kay Mazzo; Kyra Nichols (“She’s perfect,” Balanchine said. “Uncomplicated—like fresh water”); and Karin von Aroldingen, to whom Balanchine left most of his ballets.
D’Amboise writes about dancing with and courting one of the company’s members, who became his wife for fifty-three years, and the four children they had . . . On going to Hollywood to make Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and being offered a long-term contract at MGM (“If you’re not careful,” Balanchine warned, “you will have sold your soul for seven years”) . . . On Jerome Robbins (“Jerry could be charming and complimentary, and then, five minutes later, attack, and crush your spirit—all to see how it would influence the dance movements”).
D’Amboise writes of the moment when he realizes his dancing career is over and he begins a new life and new dream teaching children all over the world about the arts through the magic of dance.
A riveting, magical book, as transformative as dancing itself.
In this spirited memoir, Jacques d'Amboise, one of America's most celebrated classical dancers, and former principal dancer with the New York City Ballet for more than three decades, tells the story of his life in dance, and of America's most renowned and admired dance companies. He writes of his mother dragging her son and daughter to ballet class. We see him, a neighborhood tough, on the streets, fighting with neighborhood gangs, and taking ten classes a week at the School of American Ballet; being taught by Balanchine and other great teachers. We meet Balanchine's succession of ballerina muses who inspired him to near-obsessive passion, dancers with whom d'Amboise partnered; of going to Hollywood and being offered a long-term contract at MGM; and of the moment when he realizes his dancing career is over and he begins a new life teaching children all over the world about the arts through the magic of dance.--From publisher description.
A lively memoir of an extraordinary life. D'Amboise (b. 1934), a protégé of George Balanchine, was a principal dancer with the New York City Ballet for more than 33 years (he began there at age 15). In 1976 he founded National Dance Institute, where children have been taught to dance for several decades. This account describes his childhood, training, and career. B&w photos are included. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
A former principal dancer for the New York City ballet traces the story of a life in dance that honors the contributions of such figures as George Balanchine, Lincoln Kirstein and Jerome Robbins while discussing his work at the side of famous dancers, teachers and choreographers.
A former principal dancer for the New York City ballet traces the story of a life in dance that honors the contributions of George Balanchine, Lincoln Kirstein, and Jerome Robbins while discussing his work at the side of famous dancers, teachers, and choreographers.
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- New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 2011.
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