Has anyone read Balanchine:Complete Stories of the Great Ballets? It is by Balanchine and Frances Mason, 1977. There are beautiful pictures and the ballet stories are so deatailed, and Balanchine writes how he became a dancer and choreographer, there is a chapter on ballet for children, even a glossary.

Yes. I've read only parts of it, as I wanted particular information, but I think it's an excellent book. I only wish we could have an update from him!

Yes, that is a great book.<P>We will have an update from him, DJB - in heaven.

I just started reading a book called "Valery Gergiev and the Kirov, A Story of Survival" by John Ardoin, Amadeus Press (don't you love that name?), 2001.<P>It's been on my book table for a while now and I have finally gotten to it. Anyway, in the preface on page 14, the author is crediting his different sources and he mentions two book sources that I have never heard of before..BUT..would LOVE LOVE LOVE to have.<P>The first one is: Oxford University Press's "International Encyclopedia of Dance" - here is the link:<P><A HREF="http://www.oup-usa.org/dance/" TARGET=_blank><B>International Enclyclopedia of Dance</B></A><P>It's a bit pricey - just a bit ha ha - but, WOW!<P>The second one is "Internatinal Dictionary of Ballet," St. James Press. Here is the link:<P><A HREF="http://www.addall.com/Browse/Detail/1558622314.html" TARGET=_blank><B>International Dictionary of <BR>Ballet</B></A><P>Not quite as pricey as the first one.<P>Is anyone familiar with these volumes?

I'm not familiar with either, but the 6-volume encyclopedia for $12.50 doesn't sound too steep to me. What's that? Oh, I've got the decimal point a couple of places too far to the left? Oh, in that case...well, it was fun looking at the pictures that popped up, anyway.

Misplacing a decimal point is no excuse..... <P>Wouldn't you love to be able to look through this set? It's available on Amazon.com....oh well....<P>I casually mentioned it to my husband, and he didn't say anything negative, but then he didn't say anything positive, either.<P>Isn't silence acquiesence?<P>

I believe, in this instance, that silence indicates that he's in shock.

I love book talk!! I've been collecting dance books since I was 12 and my parents gave me "Private Domain" for Christmas, the pictorial essay about Baryshnikov and ABT. I just had to comment on a few that were mentioned and add a few of my own. I adore "The Nureyev Image" and anotherby Alexander Bland, "Men Dancing." Both such big colorful books with lovely photographs. Yes, I adore seeing Nureyev on stage and out of the theater. Also love "The Art of Margot Fonteyn" and have a question to anyone else who owns this volume? Does the title page in all of the books have a large, very real, signature of Fonteyn at the bottom? The woman I bought the book from as well as myself were rather curious as to whether we actually were fortunate enough to have a signed copy. She was rather in the dark and I couldn't tell if it was a part of the artwork of the page or not. I only picked it up some three or four month ago - the woman had purchased it with tons of other books at an estate sale. I have a very small paperback version of Steven's "Dance As Life: A Season with ABT," I fondly remember it satisfying my need for the inside scoop but remember the cover being a photograph of someone in the classic pose from Dying Swan. All of my books are in storage right now so I can't grab it and look. Wish I could remember.<P>Other can't do without favorites: a tiny litle red volume circa 1915 called "The Art of Dancing - Its Theory and Practice" by F. Leslie Clendenen. The book was self published and has a blurb in the frontspiece about being the recommended textbook at a St. Louis teacher's convention. It goes through basic ballet terminology and then follows up with exercises "borrowed from the esteemed Denishawn school." Photographs and drawings throughout of Master Clendenen's students and ready-made dances laid out in the back. A real gem. An English translation of Yuri Slonimsky's "The Bolshoi Ballet" published in 1956 in the USSR. Tissue thin, newsprint style pages with great photographs of dancers at the time- Makarova, Sergeyev, and my favorite photograph of Asaf Messerer in a beautifully tucked jump from "The Red Poppy." Bronislava Nijinska's "Early Memoirs," many of them about her famed (and mad) brother and their work with the Ballets Russe. I wish I was around for the artistic rawness of that period. "How Beautiful Upon The Mountain" is a wonderful thin volume by Ted Shawn published by and about the history of Jacob's Pillow in 1944. A short history and then news on how Jacob's Pillow is assisting the war effort. Pictures of Barton Mumaw and the like dancing in uniform and other shows of dance patriotism. Images of the Pillow that show how little it's really changed. Paul Taylor's "Private Domain." I've read it five times and it always makes me laugh and love him even more.<P>Okay, so I'm sure there's tons more but I won't bore you with my prattle except to say as well, that George Balanchine's "Complete Stories of the Great Ballets" was one of those books that (oops) never seemed to make it back to the library. Someday I'll read all of them.<P>Cheers!<P>tura

Tura, I don't think you have got a signed copy of "The Art of Margot Fonteyn". Mine has the signature too, and definitely wasn't signed by her. It's part of the artwork, as you say. Sorry to disappoint you, but it's still a wonderful book.

Hello Tura - nice to see you again!<P><BR>Yes, I agree - my copy has that large signature too - it's part of the artwork as HelenB says.<P>Of my several large Margot Fonteyn books, one of my favorites is Keith Money's "Fonteyn, the Making of a Legend." Mostly because of the positioning of the pictures in the exact same moments from different ballets - but 40 years apart. WOW<P>On an entirely different book......<P>I am now reading "Valery Gergiev and the Kirov, a Story of Survival" by John Ardoin. It's a history of the theater with emphasis on recent history. <P>There was one paragraph that really caught my attention. The author is speaking to Andris Liepa (famous son of Marius), Principal dancer Kirov/Mariinsky Ballet. He has been offered a contract with ABT and is thinking of leaving the Kirov and is describing to the author a trip he took to Venice:<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>With a friend I rented a car, and we drove to Venice, which I wanted to see in the snow. While we were there, my friend took me to the cemetery where Diaghilev is buried. We went early in the morning; there was no one there. I began dancing "Spectre de la Rose" at his tomb. You probably think this is crazy. It was winter, I was in a heavy coat, but I danced. I didn't think about it, I just did it. It was at that moment that I decided, "I am going back to the Kirov instead of to ABT."<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>What a marvelous sight that must have been.<P><p>[This message has been edited by Basheva (edited May 23, 2002).]

Yeah, I figured about the signature. When the bookseller wasn't sure It instilled a bit of hope. Oh well....<P>Cheers,<P>tura

Lately I have been concerned about the state of the book jackets on many of my treasured dance (and other) books. This is especially true of some of the older picture books - the big ones.<P>So I ordered plastic books covers - the same kind that I work with at the city library. If you are interested here is what I bought:<P>Product # 12231600 - Durafold 16" (height) by 30" (width) jacket. There are 50 in a box (you can order less) and cost me including shipping and tax (California tax) $28.13<P>I got them from:<P>Demco Inc<BR>4810 Forest Run Rd.<BR>Madison, Wisconsin<BR>1-800-356-1200<P>These are large enough for the largest picture books - and you can cut them down for smaller books. You don't have to buy 50 - you can buy a smaller package.<P>If anyone needs to know how to put them on - let me know - I will be glad to help. You only need a scissors, six small pieces of scotch tape and six drops of glue.

Good idea -- thanks!

Tura, welcome back. We haven't heard from you in a while! If memory serves, you were travelling, yes? I LOVE "Private Domain". It's just as quirky, funny and smart as Taylor's dances. Have you read the Allegra Kent book "Once a Dancer"?

Thanks Trina. Yes, travelling for quite some time -- for both work and pleasure. Finally settled (for good . . . for the time being I guess) in San Diego, but still have tons of stuff in storage. It takes so long to get completely put together.<P>Haven't read Allegra Kent's book. Is it good? Does it follow in the footsteps of Suzanne Farrell and Gelsey Kirkland? Don't know if that would necessarily be a great thing. Love the auto/biographies though. Last couple read were Twyla's "Push Comes to Shove," and Tamara Karsavina's "Theatre Street." Such different lives - equally inspiring.<P>Oh . . . and for those who have read Paul Taylor's book, just the other day I was glancing through a collection of reviews by Arlene Croce, and in one describing a Paul Taylor concert in the mid-sixties she is going on and on about the lovely costume designs by George Tacet, and how she hopes to see more of his work soon. Those who know Paul or have read the book know that George Tacet was a figment of his imagination, used when he did designs and work himself but didn't want others to know. Lovely to see written proof that he pulled the wool over everyone's eyes. LOL<P>cheers,<P>tura<p>[This message has been edited by tura (edited June 12, 2002).]