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Where Snowflakes Dance and Swear: Inside the Land of Ballet
In a scuffed-up studio, a veteran dancer transmits the magic of an eighty-year-old ballet to a performer barely past drinking age. In a converted barn, an indomitable teacher creates ballerinas as she has for more than half a century. In a monastic mirrored room, dancers from as near as New Jersey and as far as Mongolia learn works as old as the nineteenth century and as new as this morning.
“Where Snowflakes Dance and Swear” zooms in on an intimate view of one full season in the life of one of America’s top ballet companies and schools: Seattle’s Pacific Northwest Ballet. But it also tracks the Land of Ballet to venues as celebrated as New York and Monte Carlo and as seemingly ordinary as Bellingham, Washington and small-town Pennsylvania. Never before has a book taken readers backstage for such a wide-ranging view of the ballet world from the wildly diverse perspectives of dancers, choreographers, stagers, teachers, conductors, musicians, rehearsal pianists, lighting directors, costumers, stage managers, scenic artists, marketers, fundraisers, students, and even pointe shoe fitters—often in their own remarkably candid words.
The book follows characters as colorful as they are talented. Versatile dancers from around the globe team up with novice choreographers and those as renowned as Susan Stroman, Christopher Wheeldon, and Twyla Tharp to create art on deadline. At the book’s center is Peter Boal, a former New York City Ballet star in his third year as PNB’s artistic director, as he manages conflicting constituencies with charm, tact, rationality and diplomacy. Readers look over Boal’s shoulder as he makes tough decisions about programming, casting, scheduling and budgeting that eventually lead the calm, low-key leader to declare that in his job, “You have to be willing to be hated.”
“Where Snowflakes Dance and Swear” shows how ballet is made, funded, and sold. It escorts you front and center to the kick zone of studio rehearsals. It takes you to the costume shop where elegant tutus and gowns are created from scratch. It brings you backstage to see sets and lighting come alive while stagehands get lovingly snarky and obscene on their headsets. It sits you down in meetings where budgets get slashed and dreams get funded—and axed. It shows you the inner workings of Nutcracker, from kids’ charming auditions to no-nonsense marketing meetings, from snow bags in the flies to dancing snowflakes who curse salty flurries that land on their tongues. It follows the tempestuous assembly of a version of Romeo and Juliet that runs afoul of so much pressure, disease, injury, and blood that the dancers begin to call it cursed.
“Where Snowflakes Dance and Swear” uncovers the astounding way ballets, with no common form of written preservation, are handed down from generation to generation through the prodigious memories of brilliant athletes who also happen to be artists. It goes on tour with the company to Vail, Colorado, where dancers contend with altitude that makes their muscles cramp and their lungs ache. It visits cattle-call auditions and rigorous classes, tells the stories of dancers whose parents sacrificed for them and dancers whose parents refused to. It meets the resolute woman who created a dance school more than fifty years ago in a Carlisle, Pennsylvania barn and grew it into one of America’s most reliable ballerina factories. It shows ballet’s appeal to kids from low-income neighborhoods and board members who live in mansions.
Shattering longstanding die-for-your-art clichés, this book uncovers the real drama in the daily lives of fiercely dedicated union members in slippers and pointe shoes—and the musicians, stagehands, costumers, donors and administrators who support them. “Where Snowflakes Dance and Swear: Inside the Land of Ballet” brings readers the exciting truth of how ballet actually happens.
“Where Snowflakes Dance and Swear” zooms in on an intimate view of one full season in the life of one of America’s top ballet companies and schools: Seattle’s Pacific Northwest Ballet. But it also tracks the Land of Ballet to venues as celebrated as New York and Monte Carlo and as seemingly ordinary as Bellingham, Washington and small-town Pennsylvania. Never before has a book taken readers backstage for such a wide-ranging view of the ballet world from the wildly diverse perspectives of dancers, choreographers, stagers, teachers, conductors, musicians, rehearsal pianists, lighting directors, costumers, stage managers, scenic artists, marketers, fundraisers, students, and even pointe shoe fitters—often in their own remarkably candid words.
The book follows characters as colorful as they are talented. Versatile dancers from around the globe team up with novice choreographers and those as renowned as Susan Stroman, Christopher Wheeldon, and Twyla Tharp to create art on deadline. At the book’s center is Peter Boal, a former New York City Ballet star in his third year as PNB’s artistic director, as he manages conflicting constituencies with charm, tact, rationality and diplomacy. Readers look over Boal’s shoulder as he makes tough decisions about programming, casting, scheduling and budgeting that eventually lead the calm, low-key leader to declare that in his job, “You have to be willing to be hated.”
“Where Snowflakes Dance and Swear” shows how ballet is made, funded, and sold. It escorts you front and center to the kick zone of studio rehearsals. It takes you to the costume shop where elegant tutus and gowns are created from scratch. It brings you backstage to see sets and lighting come alive while stagehands get lovingly snarky and obscene on their headsets. It sits you down in meetings where budgets get slashed and dreams get funded—and axed. It shows you the inner workings of Nutcracker, from kids’ charming auditions to no-nonsense marketing meetings, from snow bags in the flies to dancing snowflakes who curse salty flurries that land on their tongues. It follows the tempestuous assembly of a version of Romeo and Juliet that runs afoul of so much pressure, disease, injury, and blood that the dancers begin to call it cursed.
“Where Snowflakes Dance and Swear” uncovers the astounding way ballets, with no common form of written preservation, are handed down from generation to generation through the prodigious memories of brilliant athletes who also happen to be artists. It goes on tour with the company to Vail, Colorado, where dancers contend with altitude that makes their muscles cramp and their lungs ache. It visits cattle-call auditions and rigorous classes, tells the stories of dancers whose parents sacrificed for them and dancers whose parents refused to. It meets the resolute woman who created a dance school more than fifty years ago in a Carlisle, Pennsylvania barn and grew it into one of America’s most reliable ballerina factories. It shows ballet’s appeal to kids from low-income neighborhoods and board members who live in mansions.
Shattering longstanding die-for-your-art clichés, this book uncovers the real drama in the daily lives of fiercely dedicated union members in slippers and pointe shoes—and the musicians, stagehands, costumers, donors and administrators who support them. “Where Snowflakes Dance and Swear: Inside the Land of Ballet” brings readers the exciting truth of how ballet actually happens.
- GenresNonfictionCultural
910 pages, Nook
First published September 15, 2011
About the author
Stephen Manes
34 books25 followersStephen Manes (born 1949) wrote the "Digital Tools" column that appeared in every issue of Forbes until recently when he took a break. He is expected to return in the future. He is also co-host and co-executive editor of the public television series "PC World's Digital Duo," a program he helped create.
Manes was previously the Personal Computers columnist for the Science Times section of The New York Times and a regular columnist for InformationWeek. He has been on the technology beat since 1982 as a columnist and contributing editor for PC Magazine, PC/Computing, PC Sources, PCjr, and Netguide. The now defunct Marketing Computers named him one of the four most influential writers about the computer industry and called him "a strong critical voice."
From April 1995 to December 2008, he also wrote the "Full Disclosure" column, anchoring the back page of PC World.
Manes is coauthor of the best-selling and definitive biography Gates: How Microsoft's Mogul Reinvented an Industry--and Made Himself the Richest Man in America. He also wrote The Complete MCI Mail Handbook and programmed much of the Starfixer and UnderGround WordStar software packages.
Manes is also the author of more than 30 books for children and young adults, including the Publishers Weekly bestseller Make Four Million Dollars by Next Thursday! and the award-winning Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days!, which was adapted for the public television series Wonderworks. His books include the cult favorites Chicken Trek and The Obnoxious Jerks and have won a commendation from the National Science Foundation, International Reading Association Children's Choice awards, and kid-voted awards in five states. His writing credits also include television programs produced by ABC Television and KCET/Los Angeles and the 70s classic 20th Century-Fox movie Mother, Jugs & Speed.
Manes is currently serving his fourth term as an elected member of the National Council of the Authors Guild, the country's oldest organization of book authors. Born and raised in the hills of Pittsburgh, he now lives in hillier Seattle.
Manes was previously the Personal Computers columnist for the Science Times section of The New York Times and a regular columnist for InformationWeek. He has been on the technology beat since 1982 as a columnist and contributing editor for PC Magazine, PC/Computing, PC Sources, PCjr, and Netguide. The now defunct Marketing Computers named him one of the four most influential writers about the computer industry and called him "a strong critical voice."
From April 1995 to December 2008, he also wrote the "Full Disclosure" column, anchoring the back page of PC World.
Manes is coauthor of the best-selling and definitive biography Gates: How Microsoft's Mogul Reinvented an Industry--and Made Himself the Richest Man in America. He also wrote The Complete MCI Mail Handbook and programmed much of the Starfixer and UnderGround WordStar software packages.
Manes is also the author of more than 30 books for children and young adults, including the Publishers Weekly bestseller Make Four Million Dollars by Next Thursday! and the award-winning Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days!, which was adapted for the public television series Wonderworks. His books include the cult favorites Chicken Trek and The Obnoxious Jerks and have won a commendation from the National Science Foundation, International Reading Association Children's Choice awards, and kid-voted awards in five states. His writing credits also include television programs produced by ABC Television and KCET/Los Angeles and the 70s classic 20th Century-Fox movie Mother, Jugs & Speed.
Manes is currently serving his fourth term as an elected member of the National Council of the Authors Guild, the country's oldest organization of book authors. Born and raised in the hills of Pittsburgh, he now lives in hillier Seattle.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
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August 24, 2023It's an interesting book, takes my mind (a bit) off the nasty things the doctors are doing to me hour after. Ballerina transfers from the New York City Ballet to Pacific Northwest Ballet and gets thrown out for her pottymouth. It's a bit too NY for the snowflakes in the PNB. Good book, very behind the scenes and very ballet oriented, describing how they learn a ballet, how they rehearse and how a ballet is actually staged. Enjoying the book very much.
December 31, 2012
Ever since my thirteen year old son decided he wanted to be a professional ballet dancer, I have been trying to read anything I could get my hands on to learn more about the world of dance. There’s biographies and articles and blogs, but I have never before seen so much information about the world of ballet in one place. That is, until I read Where Snowflakes Dance and Swear.
In the introduction, Stephen Manes, a writer for Fortune Magazine, tells us that there two things he loves watching more than anything in the world: baseball and ballet. He charmingly compares the two and then goes on to explain how he wanted to learn about the goings on in the “Land of Ballet” and how he came up with the idea for the book. The Pacific Northwest Ballet (easily one of the five best companies in the United States) agreed to let Manes follow them around for a year and write about it. PNB had just acquired Peter Boals as artistic director from the New York City Ballet, and the company was moving in a new direction.
The introduction was exciting, but once I got past that into the day to day inner workings of the company, it became a challenge to read. Not because it was difficult, but because there were many parts that were boring. But then Manes would hit a topic that interested me, like budgeting, and marketing, and The Nutcracker! Then it would boring again, and then I’d read a background story that was fascinating. By a quarter of the way through I was convinced I should have been the editor. Instead of a strict, chronological play by play, Manes should have divided each chapter into themed topics.
By the half-way point, Manes really hit a good stride. I found just about everything from this point on interesting. And, because I’d gotten to know the dancers, I began to be interested in them, too. What started out as a two star book became a three star, and by the time I finished it, I just had to give it four stars. The ennui at the beginning and the sheer 912 page length made it impossible for me to grant it that fifth star, but I am so glad I stuck with it and read the whole thing. I don’t think a person would necessarily have to love dance to enjoy this book, but if you do, it’s a must read. If you don’t, just skim the parts that don’t interest you and read the parts that do. It really is worth it.
In the introduction, Stephen Manes, a writer for Fortune Magazine, tells us that there two things he loves watching more than anything in the world: baseball and ballet. He charmingly compares the two and then goes on to explain how he wanted to learn about the goings on in the “Land of Ballet” and how he came up with the idea for the book. The Pacific Northwest Ballet (easily one of the five best companies in the United States) agreed to let Manes follow them around for a year and write about it. PNB had just acquired Peter Boals as artistic director from the New York City Ballet, and the company was moving in a new direction.
The introduction was exciting, but once I got past that into the day to day inner workings of the company, it became a challenge to read. Not because it was difficult, but because there were many parts that were boring. But then Manes would hit a topic that interested me, like budgeting, and marketing, and The Nutcracker! Then it would boring again, and then I’d read a background story that was fascinating. By a quarter of the way through I was convinced I should have been the editor. Instead of a strict, chronological play by play, Manes should have divided each chapter into themed topics.
By the half-way point, Manes really hit a good stride. I found just about everything from this point on interesting. And, because I’d gotten to know the dancers, I began to be interested in them, too. What started out as a two star book became a three star, and by the time I finished it, I just had to give it four stars. The ennui at the beginning and the sheer 912 page length made it impossible for me to grant it that fifth star, but I am so glad I stuck with it and read the whole thing. I don’t think a person would necessarily have to love dance to enjoy this book, but if you do, it’s a must read. If you don’t, just skim the parts that don’t interest you and read the parts that do. It really is worth it.
December 6, 2012
I love these sorts of "behind the scenes" looks at things I care about. I loved reading not only about the dancers but also the stagehands, costumers, musicians, administrators, teachers, and everyone else involved in putting a show together, and I loved finding out how musicians audition, how budgets are balanced, how much unions control daily life in a company, etc.
Too bad this book is just so damn long, and unnecessarily so. Between the snippets of insight into lighting design or ballet training philosophies, Manes spends a LOT of time describing rehearsals - interesting the first few times, to see the process, but halfway through I started skimming most of these passages, each so very similar to the previous (here, let me try writing one: James runs the piece, and the stager shakes her head. He looks puzzled as she gives her feedback, but does it again perfectly a moment later and grins. "Great!" she shouts, "I love it." Repeat ad nauseam.) Ballet classes and rehearsals just aren't that exciting most of the time, and they are what ballet companies spend most of their time on. Props to Manes for trying to depict an entire year with a ballet company, excitement and nitty-gritty alike, but I'd rather have read a tighter book. 3-400 pages shorter and this is exactly the sort of book I'd be recommending to friends going out to their first ballet performance or enrolling their 5-year-old in pre-ballet classes. As it is, I'd only recommend reading this cover-to-cover if you're a ballet fan or dancer.
Too bad this book is just so damn long, and unnecessarily so. Between the snippets of insight into lighting design or ballet training philosophies, Manes spends a LOT of time describing rehearsals - interesting the first few times, to see the process, but halfway through I started skimming most of these passages, each so very similar to the previous (here, let me try writing one: James runs the piece, and the stager shakes her head. He looks puzzled as she gives her feedback, but does it again perfectly a moment later and grins. "Great!" she shouts, "I love it." Repeat ad nauseam.) Ballet classes and rehearsals just aren't that exciting most of the time, and they are what ballet companies spend most of their time on. Props to Manes for trying to depict an entire year with a ballet company, excitement and nitty-gritty alike, but I'd rather have read a tighter book. 3-400 pages shorter and this is exactly the sort of book I'd be recommending to friends going out to their first ballet performance or enrolling their 5-year-old in pre-ballet classes. As it is, I'd only recommend reading this cover-to-cover if you're a ballet fan or dancer.
April 4, 2018
While its sheer size may daunt readers, I strongly encourage fans of ballet and the arts to give this a look. It’s a humbly-approached but comprehensive look at “The Land of Ballet,” from the artistic to the technical to the administrative aspects of running a professional ballet company, and navigating life within it, throughout observations and interviews of some of the most brilliant dance professionals around. I enjoyed it immensely, and I didn’t think I could love PNB any more (having been a fan of their Stowell/ Sendak “Nutcracker” since childhood), but I have a deeper awe and respect for the company as a whole, and the artists and artisans who work there.
December 31, 2020
This is a fascinating look into the world of a professional ballet company, from performing their famous version of Nutcracker to casting the rest of their performances for the year, planning their schedule for the next few years, and down to company classes and DanceChance, an outreach effort for kids in the community.
The only two things I don't like are really the two things that show that real-life humans put on these productions: 1) when the title says "and swear," it's no joke. Manes includes lots of dancers (and crew) swearing. Not safe for kids, and once again, something that has so much swearing that even *my* not-a-prude brain is saying, "Okay, that's enough. I get it." 2) the attitude of the crew. I think I want to believe that if you work in/for an arts company, you like your job. But reading what Manes is quoting the crew as saying over their headsets during rehearsals and performances makes me think they hate being there. I once had a friend whose father was a doctor tell me that doctors make sick jokes because that's how they stay sane throughout their workdays, so maybe it's similar: same show day after day for weeks and they get tired of it. But it makes me feel like... nobody there wants to be there, so maybe I'm just a sucker because I DO want to be there as an audience member. Plus, do we need to know their thoughts about some women's (not-safe-for-kids) ?
This book also has some amazing looks at the company as a nonprofit, so if you are associated with a nonprofit or want to be, you might get some inspiration here.
Some reviewers have said that this could have used some editing and cutting. Yeah, it's a really long book, and yes, there are plenty of times that Manes repeats himself (the same joke a few times, explaining what a certain ballet move is over and over, explaining the same nickname for a dance a few times, perhaps unnecessarily telling us every time notes and corrections are given to the dancers), and at times there's SO MUCH minutiae! But if you're really interested in ballet, how a ballet company operates, how a ballet is made, or how a nonprofit is run, then there's a chance you're like me and thinking, "OMG! The minutiae! I love it!!"
I would be interested to know, though, how the book went over with the people in it. There's a fair amount of snippiness, not-so-nice comments or hints, and some downright griping. I'm curious if, once the book came out, some people had to backpedal. The ballet world can be small, feelings can be hurt, and your reputation and job can depend on what you've said around town.
The only two things I don't like are really the two things that show that real-life humans put on these productions: 1) when the title says "and swear," it's no joke. Manes includes lots of dancers (and crew) swearing. Not safe for kids, and once again, something that has so much swearing that even *my* not-a-prude brain is saying, "Okay, that's enough. I get it." 2) the attitude of the crew. I think I want to believe that if you work in/for an arts company, you like your job. But reading what Manes is quoting the crew as saying over their headsets during rehearsals and performances makes me think they hate being there. I once had a friend whose father was a doctor tell me that doctors make sick jokes because that's how they stay sane throughout their workdays, so maybe it's similar: same show day after day for weeks and they get tired of it. But it makes me feel like... nobody there wants to be there, so maybe I'm just a sucker because I DO want to be there as an audience member. Plus, do we need to know their thoughts about some women's (not-safe-for-kids) ?
This book also has some amazing looks at the company as a nonprofit, so if you are associated with a nonprofit or want to be, you might get some inspiration here.
Some reviewers have said that this could have used some editing and cutting. Yeah, it's a really long book, and yes, there are plenty of times that Manes repeats himself (the same joke a few times, explaining what a certain ballet move is over and over, explaining the same nickname for a dance a few times, perhaps unnecessarily telling us every time notes and corrections are given to the dancers), and at times there's SO MUCH minutiae! But if you're really interested in ballet, how a ballet company operates, how a ballet is made, or how a nonprofit is run, then there's a chance you're like me and thinking, "OMG! The minutiae! I love it!!"
I would be interested to know, though, how the book went over with the people in it. There's a fair amount of snippiness, not-so-nice comments or hints, and some downright griping. I'm curious if, once the book came out, some people had to backpedal. The ballet world can be small, feelings can be hurt, and your reputation and job can depend on what you've said around town.
June 6, 2018
I love how much I learned about professional ballet, but it took a long time to complete the book. It lacked structure and felt unedited, but I enjoyed it as a book to leisurely read and learn from over an extended period of time.
December 2, 2024
It's long! Written in a journalistic style, with so many direct quotes and details. After a while, though, failed lifts and detailed hand corrections become repetitive. Still super interesting, though.
April 7, 2021
Interesting if you know the dancers, probably a long read if you don't. But I loved it.
July 16, 2017
Learning about a dancers world
This was really a close look at the day by day workings of a ballet company. I found it really interesting and loved the detail though, at times, the detail was a bit repetitive and I found myself skinnier areas. This is the reason for the four star. I learned a lot and what I really liked was I was finding myself looking for the dances online so I could identify with the dance or person closer. I did find a lot of the dances online and would watch and then go back to the book. Thank you Mr Names for writing this...it helps us non dance people really see the dancers world.
Update - I read this again and enjoyed the style even more. What I found tedious the first time around was not boring the second time around. A very good book about the ballet world.
This was really a close look at the day by day workings of a ballet company. I found it really interesting and loved the detail though, at times, the detail was a bit repetitive and I found myself skinnier areas. This is the reason for the four star. I learned a lot and what I really liked was I was finding myself looking for the dances online so I could identify with the dance or person closer. I did find a lot of the dances online and would watch and then go back to the book. Thank you Mr Names for writing this...it helps us non dance people really see the dancers world.
Update - I read this again and enjoyed the style even more. What I found tedious the first time around was not boring the second time around. A very good book about the ballet world.
September 28, 2013
In this book, Stephen Manes recounts a year he spent observing the Seattle-based Pacific Northwest Ballet in all its activities. PNB is one of the top 5 US companies, but far away from the New York elite, and so this should be a fascinating look at the process and reality of Ballet. Manes (a former Forbes tech-writer) is an enthusiast but not an expert, and so his book avoids being an insider book.
As a reader, I ought to be an ideal target for this book. I am a non-expert ballet fan, have attended PNB for 16 years, and am keen to know more about what goes on behind the scenes. However, the reality is that this book arouses strong, conflicting emotions.
I really enjoyed learning about PNB and ballet through this book. There were lots of situations, details and scenes that were a fascinating insight into the world. Manes got broad access and was able to range from the school to retirement and from the budget to the barre. He talked to a wide range of company members and choreographers, including some of my favourites. So there is a lot of material here I enjoyed, and I do not ultimately regret reading the book.
But the problem with this book is Manes seemingly non-existent editorial judgement. While he talks about omitting lots of material, the truth is that this book is way too long for what it contains (over 900 dense, slow pages and I am a fast reader). Much more detail is present than is helpful or instructive.
Often really important things are combined with mundane ones and given similar attention. In one single paragraph he talks about issues with getting the right size of fake Nose for a main dancer, and then about that dancer's artistic critique of choreographer Susan Stroman. The nose detail could have gone away (like so many others) while the details of clashing artistic styles would have justified significant additional discussion.
Manes chooses a chronological format (which is good), separated into pretty arbitrary chapters (less good) and interspersed with deep-dives on specific company members (seems somewhat random). He often fails to decide which details of his observation are critical, and just writes a lot of them down. I read this whole book, but getting to the end was a significant slog despite there being some interesting content in every chapter.
If you like ballet, or like PNB, or want to become a dancer, this seems like a book you need to read and will value. But be prepared for the slog.
As a reader, I ought to be an ideal target for this book. I am a non-expert ballet fan, have attended PNB for 16 years, and am keen to know more about what goes on behind the scenes. However, the reality is that this book arouses strong, conflicting emotions.
I really enjoyed learning about PNB and ballet through this book. There were lots of situations, details and scenes that were a fascinating insight into the world. Manes got broad access and was able to range from the school to retirement and from the budget to the barre. He talked to a wide range of company members and choreographers, including some of my favourites. So there is a lot of material here I enjoyed, and I do not ultimately regret reading the book.
But the problem with this book is Manes seemingly non-existent editorial judgement. While he talks about omitting lots of material, the truth is that this book is way too long for what it contains (over 900 dense, slow pages and I am a fast reader). Much more detail is present than is helpful or instructive.
Often really important things are combined with mundane ones and given similar attention. In one single paragraph he talks about issues with getting the right size of fake Nose for a main dancer, and then about that dancer's artistic critique of choreographer Susan Stroman. The nose detail could have gone away (like so many others) while the details of clashing artistic styles would have justified significant additional discussion.
Manes chooses a chronological format (which is good), separated into pretty arbitrary chapters (less good) and interspersed with deep-dives on specific company members (seems somewhat random). He often fails to decide which details of his observation are critical, and just writes a lot of them down. I read this whole book, but getting to the end was a significant slog despite there being some interesting content in every chapter.
If you like ballet, or like PNB, or want to become a dancer, this seems like a book you need to read and will value. But be prepared for the slog.
January 12, 2017
Wow. This was *long* but fascinating. If you loved Breaking Pointe on TV, then you're definitely the audience for this book.
In general, I think it would have been strengthened by focusing even more just on PNB, dropping the CPYB and SAB sections.
I think it would have been improved greatly with some editing, and not just for the big cuts that needed to be made but even copy-editing-type things (word choice, repetitions of the same phrase, defining a term twice within a relatively short span of pages, etc.). There were some distracting things: switching back and forth between calling a person by first name and calling him/her by last name and calling the orchestra a "band" are two of the most noticeable.
Still, it was nice to see a full year of PNB (2007-2008) on all levels -- company, administration, costumes, lighting, set design, stage management, orchestra, school, summer school, auditions, etc. The biggest focus was on the company and administration (especially budget and programming).
I felt like the author quoted dancers cussing (lots of f*ck and sh*t) wherever possible to try to contrast between the image of dance and the reality. After a while, it made no impact. It certainly did tie in with the title, though.
There's a lot of little sniping in the quotes that makes me wonder if people thought about what others would think when they read it. On TV, you know that they edit things to make them more dramatic/confrontational than they are. Here? It's hard to tell.
It's really interesting to see the pressure the company members are under and to get a real feel for the rhythm of their day/week/season.
In general, I think it would have been strengthened by focusing even more just on PNB, dropping the CPYB and SAB sections.
I think it would have been improved greatly with some editing, and not just for the big cuts that needed to be made but even copy-editing-type things (word choice, repetitions of the same phrase, defining a term twice within a relatively short span of pages, etc.). There were some distracting things: switching back and forth between calling a person by first name and calling him/her by last name and calling the orchestra a "band" are two of the most noticeable.
Still, it was nice to see a full year of PNB (2007-2008) on all levels -- company, administration, costumes, lighting, set design, stage management, orchestra, school, summer school, auditions, etc. The biggest focus was on the company and administration (especially budget and programming).
I felt like the author quoted dancers cussing (lots of f*ck and sh*t) wherever possible to try to contrast between the image of dance and the reality. After a while, it made no impact. It certainly did tie in with the title, though.
There's a lot of little sniping in the quotes that makes me wonder if people thought about what others would think when they read it. On TV, you know that they edit things to make them more dramatic/confrontational than they are. Here? It's hard to tell.
It's really interesting to see the pressure the company members are under and to get a real feel for the rhythm of their day/week/season.
December 28, 2013
Poorly edited with an overwhelming amount of detail. With minute by minute play of rehearsals, meetings, conversations, and performances, there's hardly a cohesive narrative to follow. The reader is bogged down with the never ending detail. Chapters lack focus and cohesion. Too much even for individuals experienced in the world of dance. Could have been much shorter and much more effective.
October 25, 2023
An absolutely vital book for anyone interested in ballet in America. This year long look inside Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB) covers everything from the Artistic Director's programming choices to the lighting designer and everyone in-between. It's an exhaustive look at ballet company life, on and offstage, and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in ballet or dance in America.
March 22, 2012
This book might be best for those who really love ballet. Packed full of details, it may seem a bit dry to those not truly engrossed in the "land of ballet."
December 11, 2013
Editing! Editing! Editing!
Where is it? The book dribbles on and on about every triviality. Each event is given the same weight and there is no sense of story to it at all. Great title, though.
Where is it? The book dribbles on and on about every triviality. Each event is given the same weight and there is no sense of story to it at all. Great title, though.
September 12, 2014
The less said the better!
August 17, 2015
A fabulous behind-the-scenes account of life in a ballet company.
May 14, 2026
Boring. Did not even finish the excerpt.
June 7, 2022
Essential reading for aspiring ballet dancers and their parents
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews