David Hallberg is most notably recognized as the first American dancer to become a principal with the Bolshoi Ballet...
Hallberg’s memoir A Body of Work follows his life from being bullied as a child to his explosive rise to stardom in the ballet world.
Hallberg shares a detailed account of his training, beginning with tap dancing in his basement as a child, to his first introduction to ballet, to training with the Paris Opera Ballet as a teen — which all culminates in his first company position with American Ballet Theatre in 2001.
Hallberg also shares how, at the peak of his career, while dancing on world-renowned stages, he ignores a nagging pain in his ankle. Ultimately, that nagging pain becomes a serious injury, requiring two major surgeries.
His ankle injury changes his perspective and career forever. He explains, poignantly, how strongly he feels the loss of dancing.
Throughout the book, Hallberg shares his perfectionism and his drive to dance with humility and grace, communicating through the written word just as eloquently as he communicates through movement.
Body of Work offers a thorough self-portrait of an artist and a rare glimpse into the heart and mind of a dancer as he faces the inevitable highs and lows of a professional ballet career.
You can find A Body of Work on Amazon. Here are a few more places you can grab a copy:
- Barnes & Noble
- Books-a-Million
- Bookshop.org
- Ebay
- Wal-Mart
- Kobo
- Abe Books
- Better World Books
- Thrift Books
As usual, my copy is from Thrift Books, my favorite bookstore. And as usual, I am so looking foward to reading with you all! If you haven't joined our Facebook group, you can do so here.
