Product Description

A behind-the-curtains look at the rarefied world of classical ballet from a principal dancer at the New York City Ballet

In her charming and self-effacing voice, Jenifer Ringer covers the highs and lows of what its like to make it to the top in the exclusive, competitive ballet world. From the heart-pounding moments waiting in the wings before a performance to appearing on to discuss weight and body image among dancers, is moving and revelatory.

Raised in South Carolina, Ringer led a typical kids life until she sat in on a friends ballet class, an experience that would change her life forever. By the age of twelve she was enrolled at the elite Washington School of Ballet and soon moved to the School of American Ballet. At sixteen she was a professional dancer at the New York City Ballet in Manhattan, home of the legendary George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins.

Ringer takes us inside the dancers world, detailing a typical day, performance preparation, and the extraordinary pressures that these athletes face. Ringer shares exhilarating stories of starring in Balanchine productions, working with the famous Peter Martins, and of meeting her husband and falling in love at the New York City Ballet. Ringer also talks candidly of Alistair Macauleys stinging critique of her weight in his 2010 review of that ignited a public dialogue about ballet and weight. She unflinchingly describes her personal struggles with eating disorders and body image, and shares how her faith helped her to heal and triumph over these challenges.