Attitude! : eight young dancers come of age at the Ailey School / Katharine Davis Fishman.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Fishman, Katharine Davis.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Ailey School (New York, N.Y.).

Modern dance--Study and teaching--New York (State)--New York.

Modern dance.

Dancers--New York (State)--New York.

Dancers.

Modern dance--Study and teaching.

New York (State)--New York.

Physical Description:

xvii, 285 pages : illustrations ; 21 cm

Place of Publication:

New York : J.P. Tarcher/Penguin, [2004]

Summary:

In This Fascinating Exploration of how artistic talent emerges and endures in the lives of teenagers, Katharine Davis Fishman follows eight young dancers through a year of study at one of our nation's premier dance schools. At an age when many kids flounder, what does it actually mean to follow a passion? Fishman reveals how, at the Ailey School, it's about attitude - a ballet term that dates back several hundred years, but also a reference to that precious mettle we all need a little bit of in order to survive but had better not have too much of in order to succeed.

Fishman draws on the literature of adolescence, socialization, and the development of talent, and discovers a very special brand of determination possessed by these dancers. Providing a poignant window into their worlds, she traces the intricate connection between fierce commitment and innate ability. It is during the adolescent years that young people's ideas about their place in the world begin to crystallize. How is the experience different for teenagers who have organized their lives around honing a talent? Attitude! is for anyone interested in the world of dance, the psychology of talent, and the nature of adolescence in contemporary America.

Contents:

Part 1 Summer/Early Fall

1 The Ailey World 3

Part 2 Fall

2 Starting the Year 25

3 Families 55

4 Building an Ensemble 85

5 The Sorcerers' Apprentices 119

Part 3 Winter

6 The Winter of Our Discontent 145

7 Where's Shamel? 167

Part 4 Spring

8 College Time 189

9 Where's Brian? 204

10 Revelations 217.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [261]-272) and index.

ISBN:

1585423556

OCLC:

55055464