To a Young Dancer

Agnes de Mille draws from her decades of experience as a choreographer and dancer to create this guide for aspiring dancers. The book outlines technical requirements, training approaches, and career paths in professional dance. Through straightforward explanations and examples, de Mille covers the fundamentals of dance education, physical preparation, and artistic development. She addresses both the rewards and challenges that dancers face in pursuing their craft. De Mille examines multiple dance styles and their demands, from ballet to modern dance to theatrical choreography. Her sections on dance history and technique provide context for understanding the art form's evolution and requirements. The text serves as both a practical manual and a meditation on dance as a calling, exploring themes of dedication, sacrifice, and the relationship between technical skill and artistic expression.

Readers describe this 1960s advice book as a candid, realistic look at pursuing ballet professionally. Most appreciated de Mille's unvarnished honesty about the physical demands, dedication required, and limited prospects for success in dance. Several reviewers noted its continued relevance today. Likes: - Clear explanations of ballet technique and training - Personal anecdotes from de Mille's experience - Practical guidance about dance careers - Straightforward writing style accessible to young readers Dislikes: - Some found the tone overly discouraging - Dated cultural references - Focus mainly on ballet vs other dance forms - References physical ideals that may harm body image Available ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (51 ratings) Amazon: No reviews currently available "De Mille doesn't sugarcoat anything" appears frequently in reader comments. Multiple reviewers mentioned passing this book down through generations of dancers in their family. [Note: Limited review data available online for this older title]

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Winter Season: A Dancer's Journal by Toni Bentley The diary entries provide an inside view of daily life as a corps member in the New York City Ballet during the 1980s.

Following Balanchine by Robert Garis This chronicle examines George Balanchine's influence on American ballet through firsthand observations of his teaching and choreography.

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🩰 Agnes de Mille choreographed the dream ballet sequence in Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Oklahoma!" (1943), revolutionizing the integration of dance into musical theater storytelling. 🎭 The author was the niece of legendary Hollywood director Cecil B. DeMille, though she chose to spell her surname differently to establish her own identity in the arts. 📚 Published in 1962, "To a Young Dancer" was one of the first comprehensive guides for aspiring dancers that addressed both the physical and emotional challenges of pursuing dance as a career. 💫 De Mille suffered a stroke in 1975, but continued to choreograph and write about dance, demonstrating the same resilience she advocates for in her book. 🌟 Despite being considered one of America's most influential choreographers, de Mille didn't begin serious dance training until age 14 - much later than most professional dancers - which influenced her perspective on dance education and career development.