A Body of Work

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A Body of Work Page 34

by David Hallberg


  “The nourishment from Sasha, his eye for tiny detail and his honest feedback, pushed me beyond my preconceived limitations. And as consistent routine bore the fruits of that labor, I could see my dancing becoming broader, bigger, more open.” (Courtesy of the author)

  “Yet apart from the grayness and bitter cold of Russian winters, there is a romantic side to those long months as well. . . . I found the beauty of Moscow as I walked through the streets in the black of night, bundled up as I went home from a dinner or a performance. You could almost hear the silence through the frigid air.” (Courtesy of the author)

  “What would be one of the most important and high-pressure performances of our careers. . . . One way led to failure, buckling under the pressure that was so palpable to me. The other way, to conquering that pressure and using it to my advantage.” The eve of The Sleeping Beauty premiere, Bolshoi Theatre. (ITAR-TASS Photo Agency/Alamy Stock Photo)

  “In my dressing room alone, with my makeup and hair readied by Lena and the music of the Prologue reverberating through the closed door, I felt as though I were in a pressure cooker. It was unbearable.” The Sleeping Beauty premiere. (Photograph by Alan Andacht)

  “We then continued the bows, coming out until the theater held only small groups who wouldn’t go home until they had shown their appreciation a final time.” Bows at Bolshoi Theatre. (Photograph by Alan Andacht)

  “ ‘My congratulations,’ ” said Medvedev in English. “ ‘I hear you don’t speak much Russian.’ ‘Tolka chut-chut,’ I replied. Only a little.” Russian president Dmitri Medvedev (center) and Kazakhstani president Nursultan Nazarbayev. (AP Photo/RIA Novosti, Dmitry Astakhov, Presidential Press Service)

  “Audiences show their appreciation by clapping long after the show has ended. It is a tradition that you find in no other country.” Bolshoi Theatre. (Courtesy of Bolshoi Theatre)

  “I couldn’t fit my feet into anything but large supportive Nikes, which I had to use even as dress shoes. . . . I even wore those Nikes at the White House when meeting President Obama.” (Courtesy of the author)

  “Anticipation mounted around me as the two New York performances of Swan Lake loomed. . . . But through all the attention and anticipation, I was distracted. I felt a mounting unease about the pain that would not subside.” Bolshoi tour, NYC. (Courtesy of the author)

  “After the performances were over, Henry captured Svetlana and I hugging onstage. There is such relief in my face, a happiness that I made it through without major mishap. Though internally, I knew I was broken.” Last performance, Bolshoi tour. (Photograph by Henry Leutwyler)

  “I felt a twist and pull in my left ankle. I knew something had happened.” Backstage with Peter Marshall, ABT. (Photograph by Henry Leutwyler)

  “The moment my foot was revealed from under the cast, it was bulbous and red. Like a balloon that never lost its helium.” (Courtesy of the author)

  “The worst-case scenario had become real. Eleven months after my first surgery, I needed another.” Post-op, second surgery. (Courtesy of the author)

  “ ‘Goodbye, New York. There’s some stuff I have to take care of once and for all.’ ” (Courtesy of the author)

  “And so my education started. I’m baffled as to why I hadn’t already known what Paula was teaching me about my instrument.” Paula Baird Colt.(Photograph by Lynette Wills)

  “Megan looked at me in disbelief. She laughed, having witnessed the obsessive dissection I put myself under.” Megan Connelly. (Photograph by Lynette Wills)

  “ ‘But more importantly, what will give you peace of mind? What can we do to convince you that you are doing this? That this is actually working?’ ” Dr. Sue Mayes. (Photograph by Kate Longley)

  “ ‘Today is the first day I’m dancing on a stage in over two years.’ ” With Brooke Lockett, State Theatre stage, Melbourne. (Courtesy of the author)

  “I was finally ready to leave Melbourne. Ready to return to New York. Ready to explore again.” Fourteen months later, leaving Melbourne. (Courtesy of the author)

  “I clasped my hands together, closed my eyes, and bowed my head. There was nothing else for me to do but feel thankful for every bit of my past experience.” The rebirth after two and a half years. (Photograph by Kent G. Becker)

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Little did I know that, when writing this book, it would eventually evolve into an entire team of people helping me iron out, develop, edit, strikethrough, and organize. This entire undertaking was aided and accomplished through the patience of those mentioned here.

  Trish Todd, my editor at Touchstone, eagerly took on the book and remained loyal past any formal due date. Her patience and reassurance that this wasn’t a colossal mistake on my part (or hers) was what kept me pushing forward, giving me the needed time to let it fully bloom. She gave me confidence when I had none, and her voice saying, “Butt in chair!” is forever imprinted in my memory.

  Elizabeth Kaye helped me transform my entire jumble of words into something cohesive and legible. She went beyond any form of expectation or obligation. And through her deep love of dancers and our art form, she stayed with me until the very last word, culling endlessly through the material. It was the perfect scenario for a first-time writer to be working with a seasoned one who understood my passions.

  My agent, David Kuhn, supported this project from an idea into something to shake hands about and get to work on. I will always appreciate his honesty and insight. And also, his team: Becky Sweren and Nate Muscato.

  Kaitlin Olson, Trish’s assistant, helped with many a logistic, printing 520 pages of material and shipping it to far reaches of the world, among many other crazy but necessary requests, never once objecting.

  Thank you to:

  Daniel Mendelsohn and Michael Kaiser, for reading certain excerpts and giving insight as to what needed fleshing out.

  Dianna Mesion, my producing manager (who knows me better than I know myself), for diving in later on in the process, reading the book in its entirety, and especially ironing out the photos. WPE!

  Jamieson Baker and Alex Kovacs at Untitled, who believed in the book and charged forward with Dianna to get it out into the world.

  Shida Carr, for devoting her time and expertise to promoting the finished copy.

  Roslyn Sulcas, for planting the seed and telling me to write my experiences down, as “you never know what could come of it.”

  Lastly, my parents, for never insisting on a read but when given a draft, checking to make sure certain passages were accurate, all the while learning more about a son they already knew.

  About the Author

  © BJORN IOOSS

  David Hallberg is a Principal Dancer with American Ballet Theatre in New York. He was the first American to join the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow as a Principal Dancer. He continues to dance around the world and is a Resident Guest Artist with The Australian Ballet. He started the David Hallberg Scholarship, mentoring young boys aspiring to a career in ballet, and the Innovation Initiative, a platform for emerging choreographers, both at American Ballet Theatre.

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  INDEX

  A note about the index: The pages referenced in this index refer to the page numbers in the print edition. Clicking on a page number will take you to the ebook loc
ation that corresponds to the beginning of that page in the print edition. For a comprehensive list of locations of any word or phrase, use your reading system’s search function.

  ABT. See American Ballet Theater (ABT)

  Alexander II, Tsar, 143

  Alonso, Alicia, 155–156

  American Ballet Theater (ABT)

  annual roast, 85

  ballets

  Apollo, 116–117

  Ballo della Regina, 107, 292

  La Bayadère, 119–120, 139–140, 175, 201–202, 208–209, 231, 233, 303–304

  The Bright Stream, 169–172

  Le Corsaire, 67–68, 153–154, 303, 305–306

  Don Quixote, 82

  Fancy Free, 335–336

  Firebird, 273–276

  Giselle, 65–66, 119, 128–134, 147, 329–330, 399–404

  “Grand Pas Classique,” 89–94, 134–137

  Manon bedroom pas de deux, 89–94

  The Merry Widow, 82

  The Nutcracker, 108, 122

  The Picture of Dorian Gray, 107–108

  Pillar of Fire, 108

  Raymonda, 107

  Romeo and Juliet, 1–2, 67, 108, 295, 298–301

  Seven Sonatas, 168, 179–180, 185

  Shostakovich Trilogy, 168, 307–308

  The Sleeping Beauty, 15–16, 119–120, 315

  Swan Lake, 61–62, 67, 95–106, 121, 245

  Sylvia, 116

  Symphony in C, 1st movement, 86–88, 245

  Theme and Variations, 108, 110–114, 156, 177, 179–181

  DH as Principal, 117–118, 154–155

  DH as Soloist, 115–117

  DH broken right foot, 304–306, 311–312. See also injuries of DH

  DH in Corps de Ballet, 84–94, 115, 153–154

  DH in Corps de Ballet apprenticeship, 84

  DH in Studio Company, 81–84

  DH in Summer Intensive, 66–70, 71–72, 110

  DH performances. See ballet performances of DH

  DH returns after injuries, 399–404

  Erik Bruhn Prize competition (Toronto), 89–94

  International Ballet Festival in Cuba, 155–157

  at Kennedy Center (Washington, DC), 87–88

  Kevin McKenzie as Artistic Director, 65–66, 68–69, 72, 81–85, 95, 99, 113, 115, 117–118, 129–130, 194, 351–352

  Metropolitan Opera House seasons, 69, 84–85, 111–114, 175, 198, 295, 298–301, 341–342, .341–342, 399–404

  Natalia Osipova as Guest Artist, 128–134

  Alexei Ratmansky as Artist in Residence, 166–172, 177–180

  Studio Company, 66, 81–84

  studios at 890 Broadway, 69

  on tour in Costa Mesa, California, 67–70, 116–117, 276

  on tour in Japan, 153–155

  on tour in Moscow, 177–185

  on tour in Taipei, 303–304

  well-known dancers in, 65–66, 69, 82, 85–88, 95, 97, 116, 118

  Svetlana Zakharova as Guest Artist, 208–209

  Ananiashvili, Nina, 199

  Andersen, Ib, 116

  Apollo (ABT), 116–117

  Apollonian dancers, 65–66, 168

  applause, 117–118, 131–132, 140–141, 223–224, 226–227, 252–253, 300–301, 403

  arabesques, 93, 260

  Arizona School for the Arts (ASA), 41, 47, 75, 76–77

  Ashley, Merrill, 292–293

  Ashton, Sir Frederick, 116

  Astaire, Fred, 18–20

  attitude pirouette, 51

  Australia

  DH life in Melbourne, 360–362, 367–369

  State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne, 160–163, 393–397

  Sydney Opera House, 158, 160, 358

  Australian Ballet School, 48

  Australian Ballet, The

  DH as Guest Artist in The Nutcracker, 157–163, 351

  physiotherapy team. See physiotherapy team in Australia

  support for DH recovery, 351, 361–362, 391, 393–397, 402

  Baiano, Erin, 242

  Baird Colt, Paula, 355, 356, 357–361, 362, 371, 376–377, 391, 402

  balancé, 378

  Balanchine, George

  on ambition, 295, 296

  Apollo, 116–117

  Ballo della Regina, 107, 292

  Jewels, 275, 292–294

  at Mariinsky Theatre, 143–144, 187

  New York City Ballet, 169, 187, 275

  Symphony in C, 1st movement, 86–88, 245

  Theme and Variations, 72, 108, 110–114, 117, 156, 177, 179–181

  Ballet Arizona

  DH in The Nutcracker, 29–31, 47, 51

  School. See School of Ballet Arizona

  ballet mistress, 29–30, 129, 160

  ballet performances of DH

  American Ballet Theater

  Albrecht in Giselle, 119, 129–134, 147, 329–330, 399–404

  Apollo in Apollo, 116–117

  Ballet Dancer in The Bright Stream, 170–172

  Ballo della Regina, 292

  Le Corsaire, 303

  Des Grieux in Manon bedroom pas de deux, 89–94

  Dorian in The Picture of Dorian Gray, 107–108

  “Grand Pas Classique,” 89–94, 134–137

  Kaschei in Firebird, 273–276

  Nutcracker Prince in The Nutcracker, 108, 122

  Prince Désiré in The Sleeping Beauty, 15–16, 119–120, 315

  Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, 61–62, 95–102, 121

  Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, 1–2, 108, 295, 298–301

  Seven Sonatas, 168, 179–180, 185

  Solor in La Bayadère, 119–120, 139–140, 175, 303–304

  Sylvia, 116

  Symphony in C, 1st movement, 86–88, 245

  Theme and Variations, 108, 110–112, 156, 179, 180–181

  American Ballet Theater Summer Intensive, Theme and Variations, 72, 110

  The Australian Ballet, Nutcracker Prince in The Nutcracker, 157–163, 351

  Ballet Arizona, Nutcracker in The Nutcracker, 29–31, 47, 51

  Bolshoi Ballet

  Albrecht in Giselle, 137–141, 211, 214, 217, 221–227, 238, 269–271, 291, 327, 328–329

  Crassus in Spartacus, 323–324

  “Diamonds” in Jewels, 292–294

  Don Quixote, 238

  Lost Illusions, 317, 321

  Marco Spada in Marco Spada, 238, 240, 311, 321–322

  The Nutcracker, 277–279

  Onegin, 238

  Prince Désiré in The Sleeping Beauty, 209, 211, 212–214, 230–233, 238–239, 240–241, 243–249, 251–256, 291, 304, 315

  Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, 232–233, 238, 239, 259–260, 266–267, 309–310, 317, 330–332

  first ballet class (Phoenix), 28–29

  injuries. See injuries of DH

  Kings of the Dance tour, 200–202, 259

  Mariinsky Ballet

  Prince Désiré in The Sleeping Beauty, 143–144, 146–151, 189, 315

  Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, 165–166, 187–191

  School of Ballet Arizona, Prince Désiré in Sleeping Beauty pas de deux, 57–58

  Teatro La Scala, Swan Lake, 322–323

  Ballets Russes, 273

  Ballo della Regina (ABT), 107, 292

  barre meditation, 157, 244

  Bartheleme, Reid, 303–304

  Baryshnikov, Mikhail, 65, 69, 95, 110, 116, 144, 237, 304

  La Bayadère

  American Ballet Theater (ABT), 119–120, 139–140, 175, 201–202, 208–209, 231, 233, 303–304

  in Big Five of ballet, 143

  Paris Opera, 66

  Bel, Jérôme, 122–125, 173

  Bernstein, Leonard, 336

  Bernstein, Mr. (Phoenix music teacher), 24–25

  Bessy, Claude, 73–74, 77, 78

  Bilach, Barbara, 401

  Bocca, Julio, 137, 146–147, 297

  Bokaer, Jonah, 303–305

  Bolshoi Ballet Academy, 166

  Bolshoi Ballet and Theatre (Moscow), 66, 2
05–256

  ABT guest performers in Moscow, 134–141

  ABT on tour in Moscow, 177–185

  ballets

  The Bright Stream, 169–170

  “Diamonds,” in Jewels, 292–294

  Don Quixote, 137, 230, 238

  Flames of Paris, 127–128, 177–178, 230

  Giselle, 128, 137–141, 211, 214, 217, 221–227, 238, 269–271, 291, 327, 328–329

  Lost Illusions, 317, 321

  Marco Spada, 238, 240, 311, 321–322

  The Nutcracker, 277–279

  Onegin, 238

  The Sleeping Beauty, 209, 211–212, 214, 230–233, 238–239, 240–241, 243–249, 251–256, 291, 304, 315

  Spartacus, 275, 323–324

  Swan Lake, 96, 136, 232–233, 238, 239, 259–260, 266–267, 309–310, 317, 330–332

  Costume Department, 235–242

  culture, 212, 214, 235

  DH and Russian language, 182, 208, 213, 214, 239–240, 244–245, 248–249, 253–254, 258, 262, 266, 284–285, 288–289, 310, 312, 321

  DH arrival in Moscow, 205–209

  DH as Premier Dancer, 181–185, 193–198, 199–203, 205–209

  DH debut as Albrecht in Giselle, 211, 214, 217, 221–227

  DH in American Gala Evening in Moscow, 134–135

  DH in Giselle (ABT) in Moscow, 134

  DH leaves US, 202–203

  DH life in Moscow, 206–207, 257–259, 261–267, 281–289, 317

  DH performances. See ballet performances of DH

  Sergei Filin as Ballet Artistic Director, 178–179, 181–185, 246, 307–310

  makeup artists, 235, 252

  morning class, 138, 157, 212–213

  New Stage, 222–227

  Alexei Ratmansky as Ballet Artistic Director, 127–128, 167, 169–170, 177, 185, 273

 

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