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16 books found for search by topic Ballet Biography 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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American Indian Ballerinas by Lili Cockerille Livingston Balanchine by Bernard Taper Ballerina - The Art of Women in Classical Ballet by Mary Clarke and Clement Crisp Baryshnikov In Russia by Nina Alovert Dance with Demons the Life of Jerome Robbins by Greg Lawrence Dancing On My Grave by Gelsey Kirkland with Greg Lawrence Days with Ulanova an Intimate Portrait of the Legendary Russian Ballerina by Albert Kahn Fonteyn and Nureyev by Alexander Bland George Balanchine Ballet Master by Richard Buckle and John Taras	Henning Kronstam: Portrait of a Danish Dancer by Alexandra Tamalonis Holding On to the Air by Suzanne Farrell with Toni Bentley Maria Tallchief - Americas Prima Ballerina by Maria Tallchief with Larry Kaplan Nijinsky by Romola Nijinsky Perpetual Motion - the public and private life of Rudolf Nureyev by Otis Stuart Prodigal Son by Edward Villella with Larry Kaplan The World of Diaghilev by John Percival


American Indian Ballerinas by Lili Cockerille Livingston Foreword / Preface Authors preface		Click Thumbnail for full REVIEW
publication information University of Oklahoma Press : Norman and London , 1997 , 328 pages, Some Photos - black and white
Profile of four famous and influential Native American Indian prima ballerinas.
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Balanchine by Bernard Taper Foreword / Preface None		Click Thumbnail for full REVIEW
publication information Harper & Row , 1960, 1963 , 335 pages, Many photos - black and white
A biography that in building up Balanchine, insults many other ballet greats and institutions. Maybe you'll enjoy it? Balanchines life to the books publication date (1960)
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Ballerina - The Art of Women in Classical Ballet by Mary Clarke and Clement Crisp Foreword / Preface None		Click Thumbnail for full REVIEW
publication information Princton Book Company, Publishers , 1987 , 192 pages, Extensive photos - black and white
Companion book to the BBC series of the same name. As a book the work stands on its own, beautifully photographed and documented. Although it is not exhaustive it is informative and broad in scope.
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Baryshnikov In Russia by Nina Alovert Foreword / Preface Authors preface		Click Thumbnail for full REVIEW
publication information Holt, Rinehart and Winston , 1984 , 212 pages, Extensive photographs - black and white
A fascinating and informative book dedicated to the famous Latvian born ballet superstar. Filled with photographs and commentary of his years after graduating fron the Vaganova Institute to his defection.
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Dance with Demons the Life of Jerome Robbins by Greg Lawrence Foreword / Preface Authors preface		Click Thumbnail for full REVIEW
publication information G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York , 2001 , 622 pages, Few photos - black and white
A lenghty and detailed biography. Perhaps the most lenghty and detailed, at about 600 pages. Includes interviews with many friends, peers, dancers, and some family. Very few photos.
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Dancing On My Grave by Gelsey Kirkland with Greg Lawrence Foreword / Preface None		Click Thumbnail for full REVIEW
publication information Doubleday Company, Inc. , 1986 , 286 pages, Some Photos - black and white
This book exploded onto the ballet literature world - some of the material was considered a bit controversial for a ballerina biography, especially this ballerina.
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Days with Ulanova an Intimate Portrait of the Legendary Russian Ballerina by Albert Kahn Foreword / Preface Arnold Haskell		Click Thumbnail for full REVIEW
publication information Fireside by Simon and Schuster , 1978 , 235 pages, Extensive photos - black and white
A lavishly photographed book, what a shame no typical picture credits!
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Fonteyn and Nureyev by Alexander Bland Foreword / Preface None		Click Thumbnail for full REVIEW
publication information Quadrangle/The new York Times Book Co., Inc. , 1979 , 208 pages, Extensive photos - black and white
I wish there were more books like this. For many years Fonteyn-Nuyeyev were "the Ticket" to have, this book attempts to show the reason why in words and performance photographs.
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George Balanchine Ballet Master by Richard Buckle and John Taras Foreword / Preface None		Click Thumbnail for full REVIEW
publication information Random House, New York , 1988 , 500 pages, Few photos - black and white

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Henning Kronstam: Portrait of a Danish Dancer by Alexandra Tamalonis Foreword / Preface Authors preface		Click Thumbnail for full REVIEW
publication information University Press of Florida (UPF) , 2002 , 574 pages, Some photographs - black and white
This biography is a look into the Royal Danish ballet system through the life of one it's premiere danseurs. Extraordinarily well researched and informative reading about the man and his art form.
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Holding On to the Air by Suzanne Farrell with Toni Bentley Foreword / Preface Suzanne Farrell (2002) Edition		Click Thumbnail for full REVIEW
publication information University Press of Florida (UPF) , 1990, 2002 , 322 pages, Some Photos - black and white
First printed in 1990 and re-issued in 2002 with a preface by the author. The book is permeated with an obsession for; The Dance, the NYCB, and it's former ballet master, George Balanchine, the partnership these formed.
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Maria Tallchief - Americas Prima Ballerina by Maria Tallchief with Larry Kaplan Foreword / Preface None		Click Thumbnail for full REVIEW
publication information Henry Holt and Company, New york , 1997 , 351 pages, Some Photos - black and white
As much about George Balanchine as it is about Maria Tallchief and the central roles both perform in the artistic creation and development of the first world class ballet company in America.
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Nijinsky by Romola Nijinsky Foreword / Preface Paul Claudel		Click Thumbnail for full REVIEW
publication information Garden City Publishing Co., Inc. , 1941 , 447 pages, Few photos - black and white
Written by his wife, parts are romanticized and misleading, if not completely inaccurate.
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Perpetual Motion - the public and private life of Rudolf Nureyev by Otis Stuart Foreword / Preface None		Click Thumbnail for full REVIEW
publication information Penguin , 1996 , 317 pages, Few photo -
Parts are quite seedy and full of gossip from the gay scene. If it wasn't for the ballet intertwined with the story I wouldn't be reviewing the book.
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Prodigal Son by Edward Villella with Larry Kaplan Foreword / Preface None		Click Thumbnail for full REVIEW
publication information Simon and Schuster , 1990 , 317 pages, Some Photos - black and white
The books subtitle "Dancing for Balanchine in a World of Pain and Magic" sums it up pretty well. Full of surprises for anyone not familiar with this dancers story, as much about Balanchine as it is about his ballets and this dancer personally.
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The World of Diaghilev by John Percival Foreword / Preface None		Click Thumbnail for full REVIEW
publication information Harmony Books , 1971, 1979 , 144 pages, photo, illustration - black and white
An enjoyable and fairly complete documentary of a landmark impresario of ballet (early 1900's), a time in many books referred to as the golden age modern ballet.
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