Product Description

"Here is New York City Ballet as it really is- the good, the not so good, and the majestically beautiful. It's a true story, and it's told by someone who can honestly claim that he was there."

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #31732 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-12
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 128 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780470173435
• Condition: USED - VERY GOOD
• Notes:
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Review
An 11-year veteran dancer for the New York City Ballet, Froman here documents life in the corps de ballet in a photo-album an diarylike format. Presenting a day in the life of dancers, he takes readers through the stages of warming up, class, physical therapy, rehearsals, preparation, and, or course, the show. Froman confides, “I can hear the sound of cracking hips and knees. It’s just the beginning of another day of rehearsals with the show looming at eight o’clock.” He communicates the intimate perspective of an experienced dancer (“I just wasn’t expecting to feel so old this quickly”) while offering a private backstage view. His vivid descriptions and photos submerge readers into the atmosphere. An engaging point of view and an attractive layout make this an entertaining read. YA’s may also find it a good introduction to the dance world as a possible career. Recommended for all libraries.—Barbara Kundanis, Longmont P.L., CO (Library Journal, January 2008)

"Kyle Froman brings his stage experience to life in his beautifully photographed new book" (Vanity Fair, November 2007)

From the Inside Flap
"There are the world's finest dancers, and this is a chronicle of their struggles for perfection, and sometimes their struggles just to make it through the season able to walk." - From the Introduction

What is it like to dance  at the highest level with the largest dance company in America? New York City Ballet dancer Kyle Froman knows. He has danced with the company for more than a decade, and he understands intimately the daily quest for excellence that propels professional dancers to astonishing achievements. Like his colleagues, he has overcome the multiple challenges, injuries and fatigue.

In this beautifully designed volume, Froman explores the exhilarating, awe-inspiring, and physically demanding life of the New York City Ballet dancers. With the unprecedented behind-the-scenes access only a dancer has, his stunning color and black-and-white photographs offer an extraordinary glimpse into a special world that outsiders rarely see.

From the rigors of daily training to the transcendent moments onstage at the end of the day, these images vividly capture both motion and emotions up close, through the eyes and sensibility of a fellow dancer. Whether it's Peter Martins passing on the intentions of parts he originated, Rebecca Krohn and Sebastian Marcovici working out the intricacies of a pas de deux, or simply young students peering into a company class, the pictures display the energy and anguish, the exhilaration and frustration of the company's daily pursuit of perfection.

Beautifully complementing the photographs is Froman's personal diary of a typical dancer's day. From morning company class to rehearsal to performance, the text offers intriguing insights into the mental discipline and emotions that come into play in preparing for a show.

Open In the Wings and you will see dance from a new perspective, behind the curtain. As Peter Martins says,"No house seat can compare to what you see from there."

From the Back Cover
"Here is New York City Ballet as it really is- the good, the not so good, and the majestically beautiful. It's a true story, and it's told by someone who can honestly claim that he was there."

Customer Reviews

Beautifully photographed and written!
Finally a book has been put together showing the daily grind of what dancers go through. The book unfolds like a typical day when New York City Ballet is in performance season, and follows the dancers from morning class, through physical therapy, into the rehearsal studios, and finally onto the stage. It is amazing to see the human beings behind the images of perfection onstage. The reader feels a combination of exhaustion and exhilaration as the backstage life is juxtaposed with the breathtaking beauty that culminates in the performance. Definately a book for anyone interested in the arts, photography, or athletes. Won't disappoint.

A fantastic book in every way.
If you like great photography, beautiful writing, or dance, this is a book you have to buy. If you like all three, you are in great luck. Every page is a treasure. The moment I saw it in the store, I realized how lucky I was to find it. If you are a fan of the New York City Ballet, or just dream about it, you will feel you are truly part of the experience of one of America's great institutions. This is also the kind of book you can give to everyone on your holiday list and be confident they will love it -- classy, fun, and wonderful to have.

drawing back the curtain...
If you've ever wanted to get a true behind the scenes view of one of the world's greatest ballet companies this is it. kyle's unique perspective and access is a revelation. from class to performance you will get a backstage pass and get to know the dancers in the most intimate way possible. i highly recommend this book for dance aficionados and 'beginners' alike.