From Publishers Weekly:
Dancer, choreographer and teacher Louis (Inside Dance) has long been one of dance's more eloquent and provocative voices. Here he presents 21 meditative essays on his art, written from an intensely personal perspective. Born during the Great Depression, Louis spent his formative years in a Brooklyn orphanage, without access to formal dance training. However, his lifelong dance compulsion--together with his grit--led to an eminent 45-year career. The glory of a dancer's powers and the crushing fall of the final curtain both come under Louis's passionate eye. He touches on topics firom the mundane reality of classes, calluses, and coffee to the mystical call of the sixth sense. His tone ranges from the solemn pronouncements of an incurable Romantic to the irreverent musings of a veteran trouper. Essays address such neglected topics as Sex and Sexuality, a long-suppressed subject at the very core of dance, as well as Dressing Rooms, Benefactors and death. Louis's seasoned reflections are bound to spur agreement and disagreement--sometimes in the same paragraph. Yet, unlike the customary artist's autobiography, this volume could well achieve the status of a new talisman for dancers and their public.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal:
Louis's career as a modern dancer spans more than 40 years. He has worn many hats, often simultaneously, as a performer, choreographer, company director, teacher, and author. In this second entertaining and thoughtful collection of essays (the first was Inside Dance , LJ 10/1/80), he considers the personal nature of the dancer. "Part story, part journal, part specific, part mystical" aptly describes Louis's perspective on aspects of the creative artist, including sexuality, motivation, distinction, preparation, and performance. His writing is witty and philosophical. "Notes to Myself," six pages of Louis's aphorisms on art and life, is an unnecessary appendage. On the whole, this is a pleasurable volume by a highly regarded artist, articulate in words as well as movement. The book is affordable and written for a general audience. Recommended for public and academic libraries.
- Joan Stahl, National Museum of American Art, Washington, D.C.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.