Esuris: May 2010

Monday, May 24, 2010

Gelsey-Edie

I had trouble selecting which photos I wanted to put up today so I decided to use the ones with interesting stories. I'd like to introduce you to tragic ballerina Gelsey Kirkland. Yes that's her on the cover of Time magazine 1978. The American Ballet Theatre principal dancer started her career at the tender age of 15, she struggled with anorexia, a cocaine addiction, unhealthy romantic ties with all her professional partners and some serious self-image issues... She eventually became somewhat well and wrote two books and now is quite surreal. I actually met her 2 years ago but unfortunately wasn't able to attend her class she taught. She is a true legend... Baryshnikov declaired her the best dancer of her generation! She's a tiny little, no taller than 5'1'' with an aura that I could go on and on about... So much pain and wisdom and a touch of crazy. Maybe two touches. She reminds me of the ballet-worlds version of Edie Sedgwick (Andy Warhol's muse) if she could have lived past 28. She now is a ballet instructor in New York City with her husband. She dresses in all black loose-fitting clothes, hair in loose bun and sunglasses even in doors. Her lips are slightly disfigured from her illegally injecting sylicone into them back in the 70's. She never could believe she was beautiful ... I suppose that's why she named her first book 'Dancing on my Grave'. She's a cautionary tale, inspiring in a way... Nearly everyone knows her baggage that I'm sure plenty dancers have dealt with. She put everything she had and more into her dancing then laid it all out in her book. That is true artistry if nothing else.