Ballet Confidential (David McAllister, T&H)

Ballet Confidential is not a no-holds-barred expose but rather a joyfully led and personal guide into the world of ballet. David McAllister is the former artistic director of the Australian Ballet and the current interim artistic director of the Royal New Zealand Ballet. McAllister featured with the Australian Ballet as their principal dancer for over a decade and also performed with productions internationally. Ballet Confidential is his invitation to a better understanding and appreciation of an art form over 400 years old, in which ‘many are called, but few are chosen’. He leaves no satin underlay uncovered in this guide—from undergarments (complicated) to sexual politics (pas de deux… n’est pas romantique), the history of pointe shoes (‘an instrument of power and pain’) to advice on what to see when starting out. ‘Toe acting’, hand acting, Benesh Movement notation, incidents and accidents. McAllister’s eye for detail and his ability to infuse each chapter with digestible tracts of ballet history makes this the perfect book for the balletomane to gift the uninitiated. There is even a useful set of arguments to help them convince the ballet averse that they are sorely missing out. Ever the (self-described) Pollyanna, McAllister has created a portrait of a creatively diverse world with a rich past that is for everyone.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Megan O'Brien is a bookseller with over 20 years of experience. Megan currently resides in Wellington and works at independent bookshop Unity Books. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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Category: Reviews