Being a Ballerina The Power and Perfection of a Dancing Life by Gavin Larsen

 This is a beautifully written lyrical look at the world behind the glamour and beauty of the ballet. It exposes the hard grind, the incredible pain and the mistreatment Larsen endured, and why it was all worth it.  As she writes, she felt close to the divine when dancing, and she also captures the wonderful moments and memorable experiences, such as being taught by Suzanne Farrell.

Larsen was also lucky enough to be taught by the great Russian ballerina Alexandra Danilova at a very young age, and I especially enjoyed reading about this. This is a lovely memoir which takes you right into the heart of a particular ballerina's world. A must-read for ballet fans!

I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.