You are invited to join Ballet Arizona’s inaugural Book Club! Free and open to the public, we invite you to join us as we build community around and appreciation for the incredible art form of dance. We are meeting once each quarter to discuss the selections below. Book Club meetings will be via Zoom with access information being sent out closer to the meeting date. These virtual gatherings will be facilitated by Alexandra Papazian, Education & Community Engagement Manager.
Ballet Arizona Book Club Meeting Schedule
BOOK CLUB MEETING #1: A BODY OF WORK: DANCING TO THE EDGE AND BACK BY DAVID HALLBERG
Wednesday, August 19, 2020 | 6:00pm on Zoom | Free | Pre-registration is required to receive the Zoom Meeting Information
Written by School of Ballet Arizona Alumnus David Hallberg, this memoir will give readers a personal and powerful look at the deep physical and mental challenges artists must endure to pursue their passions.
Buy on Amazon*
Buy at Changing Hands (local bookstore)
Buy at Palabras Bilingual Bookstore (local bookstore)
BOOK CLUB MEETING #2: LIFE IN MOTION BY MISTY COPELAND
Wednesday, October 14, 2020 | 6:00pm on Zoom | Free | Pre-registration is required to receive the Zoom Meeting Information
From Goodreads, “With an insider’s unique point of view, Misty opens a window into the life of a professional ballerina who lives life center stage: from behind the scenes at her first auditions to her triumphant roles in some of the most iconic ballets. But in this beautifully written memoir, she also delves deeper to reveal the desire and drive that made her dreams reality.“
Buy on Amazon*
Buy at Changing Hands (local bookstore)
Buy at Palabras Bilingual Bookstore (local bookstore)
BOOK CLUB MEETING #3: THE VOICE OF JUAN GABRIEL (LA VOZ DE JUAN GABRIEL)
Wednesday, January 20, 2021 | 6:00pm on Zoom | Free | Pre-registration is required to receive the Zoom Meeting Information
Alberto Aguilera Valadez (Juan Gabriel) tells the story of his life as he remembers it. This interview includes unpublished testimony from various artists, producers and friends who knew Alberto in his private and professional life. Includes added dramatizations from the mini-series “Until I Met You.”**
**For members who want to take a deeper dive into the life of Juan Gabriel, we recommend watching the accompanying drama mini-series Hasta Que Te Conoci
BOOK CLUB MEETING #4: THE CREATIVE HABIT BY TWYLA THARP
Wednesday, April 14, 2021 | 6:00pm on Zoom | Free | Pre-registration is required to receive the Zoom Meeting Information
This book will give direct insight into the thought processes of Twyla Tharp, one of the choreographers we hope to showcase next season. It is written to give the reader practical lessons and exercises to develop his/her own creativity and draws from Twyla’s breadth and depth of experience as a dancer and choreographer.
Buy on Amazon*
Buy at Changing Hands (local bookstore)
Buy at Palabras Bilingual Bookstore (local bookstore)
*The AmazonSmile program, through Amazon.com, donates 0.5 percent of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to Ballet Arizona when you select Ballet Arizona as your charitable organization.
Content warning: Selections on our reading list may contain content that deals with distressing themes and/or situations, which may not be suitable for children under 18. Parental discretion is advised.
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