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elizabethjacobs's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed it, but hoped it would be more of a memoir than a review. Nevertheless, she captured the experience of a former ballet dancer beautifully.
lizziechapstik's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
kld2128's review against another edition
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder
kimscozyreads's review against another edition
4.0
For context, I listened to the audiobook at mostly 1.35x while walking my dog over the course of a couple weeks.
For more context, I have absolutely zip to do with dancing of any kind besides a few ballroom lessons as an adult, purely for fun.
This is the first I've read or seen much into the world of ballet. The title caught my eye because of recent remarks from an acquaintance on how an abusive ballet teacher they had as a child led to lingering eating disorder problems today.
I had *no idea* how common this was.
I just grit my teeth in anger at most of this book and I think wherever the grown adult who told a child her calves were ruining her silhouette is- well, redacted redacted, in mine craft, etc. I'm still fuming.
While the book was very meandering and this was sometimes a smidge hard to keep track of on the audiobook, I really appreciated learning about the women who for better or worse, built modern ballet... even thought their stories were usually heart-rending and infuriating. I also appreciate the perspectives of Alice and her friends, as well as the zoomed out statistics and anthropological observations of ballerinas and what ballet does to the people who do it.
Others have pointed out that this might not be worth your time if you read much in the ballet/dancing sphere, but for a complete outsider looking in, this was fascinating on multiple levels.
For more context, I have absolutely zip to do with dancing of any kind besides a few ballroom lessons as an adult, purely for fun.
This is the first I've read or seen much into the world of ballet. The title caught my eye because of recent remarks from an acquaintance on how an abusive ballet teacher they had as a child led to lingering eating disorder problems today.
I had *no idea* how common this was.
I just grit my teeth in anger at most of this book and I think wherever the grown adult who told a child her calves were ruining her silhouette is- well, redacted redacted, in mine craft, etc. I'm still fuming.
While the book was very meandering and this was sometimes a smidge hard to keep track of on the audiobook, I really appreciated learning about the women who for better or worse, built modern ballet... even thought their stories were usually heart-rending and infuriating. I also appreciate the perspectives of Alice and her friends, as well as the zoomed out statistics and anthropological observations of ballerinas and what ballet does to the people who do it.
Others have pointed out that this might not be worth your time if you read much in the ballet/dancing sphere, but for a complete outsider looking in, this was fascinating on multiple levels.
erincarmen's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
kimia_hyperfocuser's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.0
Alice Robb weaves together her own ballet story with the stories of her peers and some well-known ballerinas. The thread that runs through all the stories is how objectification of a ballet dancer's body shapes her psyche and her life. While mostly critical of the ballet culture, the author gives room to the good ballet can do like the beauty and the physical aspiration. All in all I enjoyed the reflective, "it is what it is" mood of the book.
P.S. Surprise mention of Keith Raniere was fun.
P.S. Surprise mention of Keith Raniere was fun.