Customer Reviews

The Shape of Love

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4 star:		(1)
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This book is a continuation of the first autobiography by Gelsey Kirkland. It tells about her starting back up in dancing and winning her final aclaim for her career before finding out what she has to give to the new young generations of dancers. This book is full of Gelsey's wonderful insights and methods of working on ballets, and I am sorry that it is out of print. I recommend it to dancers and autobiography readers. It is rare that you see a star find true happiness in the course of their life.

This book goes beyond "Dancing On My Grave" and extends the "happy ending." Gelsey describes her experiences with teaching. The best part was when she takes you through the rehearsals and performances of Romeo and Juliet. She describes how she develops the character, and makes the character come alive. I loved this book!

Kirkland's moving and in depth sequel to "Dancing on my Grave" is wonderful. She uses her experiences and struggles to find meaning and life in her dancing. From one who has been classically trained in ballet, but never been taught to feel emotion or a character, I am forever grateful to Ms. Kirkland for opening her life and sharing it with me. Please, if you dance, read this book!

"Dancing on My Grave" was riveting, taking you down the spiral into addiction and then back up again--barely. This sequel autobiography fulfills all your hopes for Ms. Kirkland and much, much more! The world is fortunate that she met her co-author and life partner, Greg Lawrence, who has so skillfully guided them both through these books that immortalize the special passion and intensity she brought into her work as a dancer! I'm not a ballerina (although I dance whenever I can and always dreamed of being one) but her presentation of her working methods crosses over and can be applied to just about any life or form of creative expression! I could not put this book down, the story is so well-told, with one event after another drawing you on. Who needs gossip and scandal? This is MUCH, much more enriching and fulfilling, healing and inspiring! Don't miss it! I, for one, am so grateful that her special inspiration has been preserved and I agree--it should never fall out of print. Generations in the future need her perspective.

Gelsey Kirkland, the author of "Dancing On My Grave," goes deep into "how to build a character" in this book, using Juliet and Giselle as examples. So, if you don't know much about ballet, you probably won't get much from this book. However, the book is certainly educational and benefits all ballerina-wannabes. A lot of humor, and also, this book offers great encouragement for those who are planning to go back to dancing after years of not taking lessons.
If you haven't read her first book "Dancing On My Grave," read that first. It is one of the best autobiographies of dancers and it's much more entertaining (and shocking) than this one.

BTW, if you are an Anthony Dowell fan, you'll enjoy this book. I can't believe he can be so nice and cheerful in this nasty dance world!

This is a quote from the part Anthony Dowell is waiting for Gelsey and her husband at the airport, to meet her for the first time in years.

"[Anthony Dowell] was quick to offer me an apology, admitting with an innocent blush that he had already approached a woman whom he had mistakenly identified.
'Well, there was a resemblance from behind, you see. Same hair... and she was with a man. But when I approached her from the front my heart stopped, dear. I said to myself, Oh my God, she's had her face done! I realize this must sound frightful, but she did have me in a bit of a panic, and as it turned out, she weighed, well, more than I'd have expected...' "

As good as her first but more about her creative process and the value of ballet. Has a beautiful section on how she created her memorial roles.

This is the second in the series about Kirkland and a much happier story than the first. I purchase these for a grandchild who dances and she is interested in these biographical books. She enjoyed the first, although I would recommend that the child be at least 13 and have a parent handy to explain some of the situations in the first book. "Shape" was a much better read for all ages. She has really enjoyed these book and says that she recommends them to anyone who is perfoming or serious about their dance.

This book is even more dragging than 'Dancing on My Grave'. As a matter of fact, about one third way through, I did not finish it. Again I think she could have had an interesting story that would hold one spellbound. It's again disappointing with technicalities and too much rambling.

Maybe she will come up with a third book with a different writer.