Founded in 1908; Bexley is one of the earliest suburbs of Columbus; but it was settled by Native Americans long before Ohio became a state and Columbus its capital. Bexley packs a wealth of history and culture into less than two and a half square miles. It has been home to governors; award-winning authors; artists; movie stars; business leaders; and a famed aviatrix. Bexley has a long history of diversity and inclusion; welcoming people of all faiths and ethnicities. Hemmed in on all sides by the city of Columbus; Bexley has still been able to maintain a unique economic vitality characterized by businesses of all types for over 100 years. Just as notable is the citys wide array of churches and synagogues; as well as high-quality public and private educational institutions; including Capital University; that educate students from grammar school through graduate studies.
#4466324 in eBooks 2013-02-12 2013-02-12File Name: B00NAWKDDO
Review
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. An amazing life told by a gifted storytellerBy Suzanne Dobbinsldquo;When Madame Seda said; lsquo;There are better teachers than I;rsquo; she sent me to a crucible; a laboratory of theater and dance that would shape and influence the performing arts in this country for the rest of the century. There; I would plieacute;; changement; and pirouette my heart out; guided by some of the greatest artists and innovators residing in New York City; most of them from pre-Soviet Russia; role models who demanded the best of their students.rdquo;Jacques drsquo;Amboise began his dance career in a small Washington Heights studio prior to World War II. His mother and the teacher conspired to encourage Jacques to join in his sisterrsquo;s dance classes through a dare. ldquo;See if you can jump as high as the girls.rdquo; Pretty soon; he was joining in the part of the class where they practice leaps. Then came another challenge: ldquo;Now leap in the air and change your feet so when you land; your left foot is in front.rdquo; That move is called a changement; and Madame Seda soon had Jacques doing thirty-two of them. It wasnrsquo;t long before he was taking the entire class and on his way to becoming a danseur. Drsquo;Amboise was eventually sent to the School of American Ballet and George Ballanchine; where he became a favorite student and friend of the master. Drsquo;Amboise became a corps member of the New York City Ballet at the age of fifteen; and eventually a principal dancer and star in his own right.I admit I love the ballet and I love reading about dancers and their journeys. But; Drsquo;Amboise is such a natural story-teller; this memoir is much more than an autobiography. It is a glimpse into a perfect point in time ndash; when the world of dance brought together the most amazing talents in one place; and achieved greatness that has yet to be matched. His stories are funny; fascinating and charming. And I loved every minute of this wonderful book. Even if you know nothing about the world of ballet; you will enjoy I Was a Dancer.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. He was a dancer; now hes a writerBy CustomerA good read from a wonderful dancer. I was lucky enough to see DAmboise dance. The best parts of his book are his memories of the New York City ballet in the 40s and 50s; when ballet was growing and developing in America; and his memories and affecting description of the decline of George Balanchine. One might wonder about DAmboises relentless upbeatness; as he; like Will Rogers; seems to have never met anybody he didnt like; but I have seen him in interviews; and his boyish optimism (even recently) is unforced and genuine.That leads to my one reservation about the book. Dance is grueling; extremely competitive and can be very hard on its dancers. Company directors and choreographers (most notably Jerome Robbins) often got away with harsh and even abusive behavior to dancers. Balanchine is reputed to have said to a dancer he ultimately promoted; Ill give you a solo in one matinee and you can invite your mother. Thats as far as you are going to get. (Even if it had been true he could have said it more kindly). DAmboise shows none of this; and thus the book is less realistic than it should be.I would still recommend it to dance fans.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. If you love balletBy BTStewartBravo to Jacques DAmboise for this intimate;engaging autobiography! Writing about colleagues at NYCB and Mr. B with honesty and warmth ; this is a book to be cherished because of the love that comes through in every chapter. He does indeed "make you feel like dancing". His definition of dance and the metaphor of the attic trunk is applicable to us all. His description of the deathbed visit with Melissa Hayden brought tears to my eyes and made me realize once again that great artists teach us so much of what is important in life ;
