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15 books found for search by topic Ballet Autobiography Books
Enter the world of ballet through the memories, words, and photographs of professional dancers who share their stories and insights. These ballet books are a wealth of information on: the ballet masters, ballet companys, teachers and instructors, choreographers, creating a ballet, ballet history, influences of the times, ballet company personalities, favorite and signature roles. Important partnerships and collaborations on and off stage. For anyone interested in ballet from beginning adults and (reading competent) pre-teens, to enthusiasts and ballet dancer parents.

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A Young Dancers Apprenticeship: On Tour with the Moscow City Ballet by Olympia Dowd Ballet Mystique: Behind the Glamour of the Ballet Russe by George Zoritch ed. by Renee Renouf Come dance with me - a memoir 1896-1956 by Ninette deValois Dance to the Piper by Agnes De Mille Dancing for Diaghilev - The Memoirs of Lydia Sokolova by Lydia Sokolova ed. by Richard Buckle Distant Dances by Sono Osato I, Maya Plisetskaya by Maya Plisetskaya Ma Vie - from Kiev to Kiev by Serge Lifar	Memoirs of a Dancer: Shadows, Dreams, Memories by Orest Sergievsky Nureyev - an autobiography with pictures by Rudolph Nureyev Once a Dancer by Allegra Kent Page by Page by Ruth Page ed. By Andrew M. Wentink S. Hurok Presents - A Memoir of the Dance World by S. Hurok Theatre Street - the Reminiscences of Tamara Karsavina by Tamara Karsavina Winter Season: A Dancers Journal by Toni Bentley


A Young Dancers Apprenticeship: On Tour with the Moscow City Ballet by Olympia Dowd Foreword / Preface None		Click Thumbnail for full REVIEW
publication information The Millbrook press, Inc., Brookfield, Connecticut , 2003 , 127 pages, Extensive photos - color
At age 14 a Canadian girl, Olympia Dowd, goes off to apprentice and perform with the Moscow City Ballet. There is a little about her childhood before the big adventure, and a little after - but the main focus is her time with the Moscow City Ballet.
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Ballet Mystique: Behind the Glamour of the Ballet Russe by George Zoritch ed. by Renee Renouf Foreword / Preface Introduction by Vladimir Vasiliev, Authors preface		Click Thumbnail for full REVIEW
publication information Cynara Editions, Mountain View, California , 2000 , 306 pages, Many photographs - black and white
Another extraordinarily well composed ballet autobiography, covers the expansive period - the present going back to the post Diaghilev Ballet Russe; fascinating reading.
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Come dance with me - a memoir 1896-1956 by Ninette deValois Foreword / Preface Author		Click Thumbnail for full REVIEW
publication information The World Publishing Company , 1957 , 254 pages, Some Photos - black and white
A unique career is recounted, her days with the Diaghilev Ballet Russe are not covered much as she wrote a different book about them.
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Dance to the Piper by Agnes De Mille Foreword / Preface Author		Click Thumbnail for full REVIEW
publication information Little, Brown and Co. , 1951, 1952, ? , 256 pages, Few photos - black and white
A tale of struggle and eventual triumph in the world of professional dance.
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Dancing for Diaghilev - The Memoirs of Lydia Sokolova by Lydia Sokolova ed. by Richard Buckle Foreword / Preface None		Click Thumbnail for full REVIEW
publication information Mercury House, Inc. San Francisco , 1960 , 287 pages, Some Photos - black and white
In depth, revealing and vivid accout of a golden age in ballet (early 1900's), a first hand account from one of it's prima ballerinas.
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Distant Dances by Sono Osato Foreword / Preface authors		Click Thumbnail for full REVIEW
publication information Alfred A Knopf, Inc. , 1980 , 300 pages, Some Photos - black and white
Sono Osato was accepted into Col. W. Basils Ballets Russes at age 14 - an incredible life story told with humor and many details of the ballets she performed in.
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I, Maya Plisetskaya by Maya Plisetskaya Foreword / Preface Tim Scholl		Click Thumbnail for full REVIEW
publication information Yale University Press , 2001 , 386 pages, Some Photos - black and white
Both humourous and at times bitterly biting, this beautifully writtten autobiography bares the tormented soul of one the the premier Russian ballerinas of the century - a remarkable life and career devoted to ballet.
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Ma Vie - from Kiev to Kiev by Serge Lifar Foreword / Preface None		Click Thumbnail for full REVIEW
publication information The World Publishing Company , 1970 , 332 pages, Some Photos - black and white
You think you have problems? Possibly the most complex autobiography of them all?! Escaping death by Bolsheviks and then the Nazis, and the Vichys. Forced to meet Hitler. Challenging Massine to a duel, the list goes on.
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Memoirs of a Dancer: Shadows, Dreams, Memories by Orest Sergievsky Foreword / Preface Authors preface		Click Thumbnail for full REVIEW
publication information Dance Horizons , 1979 , 276 pages, Some photos - black and white
Full of heart and history, this biography begins in 1850's Kiev and ends in the 1970's. Fascinating reading throughout, from pre and post revolution Russia to emigrating to America and a life in ballet.
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Nureyev - an autobiography with pictures by Rudolph Nureyev Foreword / Preface intro by Alexander Bland		Click Thumbnail for full REVIEW
publication information E.P. Dutton & Co. , 1963 , 160 pages, Some Photos - black and white
Written only two to three years after his defection, at age of twenty four. Rudolph Nureyev mainly reveals his life in the USSR from childhood, becoming a ballet dancer, then first impressions of the 'West'.
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Once a Dancer by Allegra Kent Foreword / Preface None		Click Thumbnail for full REVIEW
publication information St Martins Press , 1997 , 340 pages, Some photos (nice ones!) - black and white
Fascinating and compelling reading by this dancer. Revealing and personal - this is an excellent insight into a remarkable ballerina.
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Page by Page by Ruth Page ed. By Andrew M. Wentink Foreword / Preface Editors Introduction		Click Thumbnail for full REVIEW
publication information Dance Horizons, New York , 1978 , 224 pages, Many photos - black and white
Highly original collection of diverse writings spanning over 50 years of ballet (1916 to 1974) and some interesting diversions. Pavlova, Balanchine, Nureyev, Russia, India, Chicago, dance and dancing, with a unique common denominator.
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S. Hurok Presents - A Memoir of the Dance World by S. Hurok Foreword / Preface None		Click Thumbnail for full REVIEW
publication information Invincible Press, Australia , 1953 , 336 pages, Some Photos - black and white
A fascinating memoir from the man who played a significant role developing and cultivating a ballet audience, and then promoting and presenting ballet across America from the 30' to the 50's (and beyond).
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Theatre Street - the Reminiscences of Tamara Karsavina by Tamara Karsavina Foreword / Preface J. M. Barrie		Click Thumbnail for full REVIEW
publication information E.P. Dutton & Co. , 1931 , 339 pages, Few photos, illustrations - black and white
An extraordinary autobiography, book, and memoir.
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Winter Season: A Dancers Journal by Toni Bentley Foreword / Preface new Authors preface for 2003 edition		Click Thumbnail for full REVIEW
publication information University Press of Florida (UPF) , 1982, 1984, 2003 , 150 pages, No photographs or illustrations - None
With the blessing of George Balanchine, this NYCB dancer published her personal journal. Illuminates her experience as a NYCB dancer over a period of several months from November 1980 to February 1981.
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