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Movement Never Lies
"I was lucky: on the night of my eighth birthday, I knew I wanted to be a ballerina."
Karen Kain is a star. For twenty-five years, most of that as a principal dancer with the National Ballet of Canada, she has, with her talent, energy, and beauty, personified stardom to her thousands of fans.
At the same time, she has attracted the attention and admiration of international artists such as Rudolf Nureyev and has dazzled critics in the capitals of the world.
Now, for the first time, Karen Kain tells her own story. Here she recalls her early training, her days at the National Ballet School, and her first years in the company, leading to the Moscow International ballet Competition of 1973, from which she and partner Frank Augustyn returned as stars.
A whirlwind decade followed, in which the popularity of the Kain/Augustyn partnership flourished, and in which Karen branched out to dance more and more as a guest artist—particularly with Nureyev and with Roland Petit's company, Le Ballet de Marseille. She talks about the excitement and glamour of these years—of touring with Nureyev, of meeting and working with the great names of the ballet world, such as Dame Margot Fonteyn and Sir Frederick Ashton, and of being dazzled herself by the acclaim she received. But she also writes candidly about the crippling fatigue, the uncertainty and depression, and the increasing introspection that led her, in the early eighties, to a sweeping re-assessment of her life and career.
Happily, with tenacity and courage, she emerged from this period with a clearer awareness of her priorities, to become the luminous artist of depth and maturity that we know today. And she deals with these years, too—with her growing sense of herself, with her marriage, with her insights into her roles, old and new—with acute intelligence, charm, and humour.
This autobiography will be a revelation to Karen Kain's many fans. With its elegant design and over one hundred photographs, it is also a handsome tribute to the dancer, the star, and the woman, as she approaches her gala twenty-fifth anniversary with the National Ballet of Canada.
Karen Kain is a star. For twenty-five years, most of that as a principal dancer with the National Ballet of Canada, she has, with her talent, energy, and beauty, personified stardom to her thousands of fans.
At the same time, she has attracted the attention and admiration of international artists such as Rudolf Nureyev and has dazzled critics in the capitals of the world.
Now, for the first time, Karen Kain tells her own story. Here she recalls her early training, her days at the National Ballet School, and her first years in the company, leading to the Moscow International ballet Competition of 1973, from which she and partner Frank Augustyn returned as stars.
A whirlwind decade followed, in which the popularity of the Kain/Augustyn partnership flourished, and in which Karen branched out to dance more and more as a guest artist—particularly with Nureyev and with Roland Petit's company, Le Ballet de Marseille. She talks about the excitement and glamour of these years—of touring with Nureyev, of meeting and working with the great names of the ballet world, such as Dame Margot Fonteyn and Sir Frederick Ashton, and of being dazzled herself by the acclaim she received. But she also writes candidly about the crippling fatigue, the uncertainty and depression, and the increasing introspection that led her, in the early eighties, to a sweeping re-assessment of her life and career.
Happily, with tenacity and courage, she emerged from this period with a clearer awareness of her priorities, to become the luminous artist of depth and maturity that we know today. And she deals with these years, too—with her growing sense of herself, with her marriage, with her insights into her roles, old and new—with acute intelligence, charm, and humour.
This autobiography will be a revelation to Karen Kain's many fans. With its elegant design and over one hundred photographs, it is also a handsome tribute to the dancer, the star, and the woman, as she approaches her gala twenty-fifth anniversary with the National Ballet of Canada.
- GenresNonfictionBiography
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 10, 2013
3.5 stars. This biography is very much for appreciators of ballet, as it goes into lengthy detail about plots and technical minutiae. It's also an interesting view from inside a company. The parts I enjoyed the most involved Kain's onstage remembrances - she can draw the reader out in front of the audience. She does go a bit long in the thanks department - yes, she is grateful for everything in her life, but it isn't necessarily gripping reading.
July 12, 2018
A fun read as a young girl aspiring to dance for the rest of her life. The dancing didn't pan out, but the dream was invigorated by reading this book.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews