Review posted on 9/12/2012 to: Goodreads, Amazon.com
Review:
During my undergraduate studies at Santa Clara University, my amazing mentor, teacher, and friend placed Murray Louis' book on the required reading list for the quarter. Over the course of the quarter, we were required to read his book, not necessarily in order, but as it pertained to our class. In any case, the depth and breath of Louis' essays provided our class with numerous discussions on the price one must pay to be a dancer, performer, choreographer, and artistic director in today's world.
Murray Louis takes the reader on a journey that is no only auto-biographical, but partially philosophically driven, yet slightly historical. Many times throughout the readings, fellow dancers would smirk and divulge that they too knew exactly what Louis was talking about. Grueling practices, stage fright, sore muscles. However, as we were all aware, the chances of the whole room making in on the main-stage were a long shot. Louis gives readers a reality check that all dancers must struggle with perfection, both internal and external. Body image, personal struggle, financial instability are all regular problems a dancer/performer/choreographer must be willing to endure. This profession is not an easy one, both mentally and physically, and Louis makes quite clear of his struggle through all aspects of this reality.
In Murray Louis' case, he was able to overcome every obstacle, each adversity with help from his family, friends, and loved ones. He provokes that maybe luck or fate may have had to save him a few times, but in essence, the challenges one must face can indeed be overcome with passion. As in his story, the adversity a dancer faces off-stage can not only be applied to the performer, but to real world problems and challenges
